- AAR Type Codes
- AAR Loading Gauge
- PLATE B: Unrestricted interchange service standard adopted in 1946. Revised 1972, 1983, 1988.
PLATE C: Limited interchange service standard (will clear 95% of total rail mileage) adopted in 1963: revised 1983, 1988, 1991. - EXW –
EXH – Height of the car at the sills.
EW – Width of the car at the sills, excluding ladders and grab irons.
EWH – Height of the car including running boards.
IL – Inside Length
IW – Inside Width
IH – Inside Height
CUFT – Cubic feet capacity
- PLATE B: Unrestricted interchange service standard adopted in 1946. Revised 1972, 1983, 1988.
- Boxcars
- Incentive Per Diem (IPD) Boxcars
- Railbox
- 1932 ARA Boxcars
- 1937 AAR Box Cars
- XIH 40ft Box Cars
- FMC 5077 50ft Box Cars
This is FMC’s entry into the Plate B IPD (Incentive Per Diem) box car era. The design was intended to be the “most universal”, interchangeable on most common railroad clearances. The cars were available with and without end-of-car cushioning and offered several door configurations. Over 4,300 cars were produced from 1975-1979 by FMC’s Portland, Oregon plant. The cars were delivered in numerous colourful shortline paint schemes and the nationwide carpool fleet of Railbox. Many secondhand cars were later seen in Class 1 railroads and large leasing company fleets under additional shortline reporting marks.
- FMC 5327
- FMC 5347 50ft Box Cars (Athearn) Trovestar
It was the mid-1970s, and the incentive per diem box car boom was beginning. New, brightly painted box cars seemed to appear overnight. Many were lettered for various short lines. FMC (Food Machinery Corporation) built many of these cars. The 50’ outside post, non-terminating end box car, became the foundation for new per diem cars built in the 1970s. The 50’ FMC cars also varied in door configuration and style to suit each customer. - 56′ Thrall All-Door Boxcar
- 53′ Evans
This 53′ boxcar was manufactured in the 1960s and ’70s by Evans Company and was used primarily to haul produce, wood and paper products, and canned goods. This railcar is an insulated RBL (Railcar, Passenger Service, Insulated) featuring a 16-foot opening and double plug doors.
https://archive.atlasrr.com/NFreight/arc-n53evans.htm - NSC 50′ Plug Door Box Car
Steel boxcars became the de facto standard for railcar service sometime in the late 1950s. Every major railcar manufacturer had their own version. Plug-door cars held a better seal for air coming in and out of the car interior and operated much the same way a modern minivan side door works. A common feature for plug-door cars such as the offering from NSC was an insulated interior to further protect the contents from the elements. From 1975 to 1980 National Steel Car built over one-thousand 50’6” single-plug door box cars. This being the post-roof walk era, these cars have a simple aluminium roof. Model 5277 had an interior capacity of 5,277 c.f. and model 5177 had a capacity of 5,177 c.f. Most of the 100-ton cars went to Canadian railroads primarily for paper service. Two hundred 70-ton cars went into food service for the Grand Trunk Western. - 60 Foot Auto Parts Box Car (Atlas) ★
- 62 Foot Insulated Box Car Bx-177 (Atlas) ★
- FMC 5272
- FMC 50 Foot 5283 Boxcar (Fox Valley)
MEC 31000-31249
These 50′-7″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 176117) in 9/1974. They featured 10′ Youngstown sliding doors, Keystone cushioned underframes and 5283 ft3 capacity.
- FMC 50 Foot 5272
MEC 31250-31749
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 17660) in 10-12/1976. They featured 10′ Youngstown doors, Keystone 20″ travel cushion underframes and 5272 ft3 capacity.
MEC 31750-31899
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 17977) in 11/1978. They featured a 5272 ft3 capacity. - FMC 50 Foot 5347 (Athearn)
MEC 31900-32149
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 18175) in 5-6/1980. They featured 10″ EOC Freightmaster cushioning, lading band anchors, 10′ sliding doors and 5347 ft3 capacity.
http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/other_cars/mec_cars/mec_number/031900-032149.htm - BF&F (Berwick Foundry & Forge) 50 Foot 5277 (Athearn)
MEC 35000-35199
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by BF&F (Lot 46800) in 6-7/1981. They featured 10′ Superior sliding doors and a 5277 ft capacity. - PC&F 50-ft 70-ton Insulated Box Car (Wheels of Time)
wheelsotime.com/50-ft-insulated-box-car/ - PC&F 50-ft Exterior Post, Insulated Boxcars (Wheels of Time)
wheelsotime.com/pcf-exterior-post-insulated-b/
- Covered Hoppers
- Flat Cars
- Gondolas
- Open Hoppers
- Tank Cars
- Tank Car, 20.9K, General Service (Rapido)
- Tank Car, Single Dome, Acid (Athearn)
Car Components
- DL&W – Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
- L&HR – Lehigh and Hudson River Railway
- http://rr-fallenflags.org/bar/bar.html
- http://rr-fallenflags.org/mec/mec-frt.html
| AAR Type | Description |
|---|---|
| XI | Insulated box car with side door or side and end doors, wholly or partially insulated. No ventilating devices or refrigeration. |
| XM | General service box car with side door or side and end doors |
https://www.opsig.org/files/resources/AARFreightCarCodes.pdf
| Reporting Mark | Name | Years | States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACY | Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad | 1907-1982 | Ohio | |
| AC | Algoma Central Railway | 1899- | Northern Ontario | |
| ACL | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad | 1900-1967 | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia | |
| AA | Ann Arbor Railroad | 1895-1976 | Michigan and Ohio | |
| ATSF | Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 1859-1996 | Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas | |
| ACL | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad | 1900-1967 | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia | |
| B&O | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | 1828-1987 | Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia | |
| BAR | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | 1891-2003 | Maine | |
| B&A | Boston and Albany Railroad | 1833-1961 | Massachusetts and eastern New York | |
| BM | Boston and Maine Corporation | 1836-1983 | Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont | |
| BC&G | Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad | 1904-1965 | ||
| CN | Canadian National Railway | 1919- | ||
| CP | Canadian Pacific Railway | 1881- | ||
| CG | Central of Georgia Railway | 1895-1963 | Georgia, Alabama | |
| CNJ | Central Railroad of New Jersey | Jersey Central | 1839-1976 | New Jersey, Pennsylvania |
| CV | Central Vermont | 1848-1995 | Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Quebec | |
| CO | Chesapeake and Ohio Railway | 1868-1987 | District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin | |
| CBQ | Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 1849-1970 | Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming | |
| CIL | Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville Railway | 1847-1971 | Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky | |
| MILW | Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad | 1847-1986 | Midwestern and western United States | |
| CGW | Chicago Great Western Railway | 1885-1968 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, Oelwein, Iowa, Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Kansas and Omaha, Nebraska | |
| RI | Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad | Rock Island | 1852-1980 | Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas |
| CNW | Chicago and North Western Transportation Company | 1865-1995 | Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming | |
| CRR | Clinchfield Railroad | 1902-1983 | Spartanburg, South Carolina to Elkhorn City, Kentucky | |
| D&RGW | Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad | 1870-1988 | Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico | |
| DH | Delaware and Hudson Railway | 1823-1991 | Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Vermont, Virginia | |
| DLW | Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad | 1851-1960 | Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey | |
| DT&M | Detroit, Toledo and Milwaukee Railroad | 1905-1983 | Michigan and Ohio | |
| ERIE | Erie Railroad | 1832-1960 | New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois | |
| GTW | Grand Trunk Western Railroad | 1859-2001 | Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio | |
| GN | Great Northern Railway | 1889-1970 | British Columbia, California, Idaho, Iowa, Manitoba, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin | |
| KCS | Kansas City Southern Railway | 1887- | ||
| LNE | Lehigh & New England Railroad | 1895-1961 | New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania | |
| LV | Lehigh Valley Railroad | 1846–1976 | New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania | |
| MEC | Maine Central | 1862-1981 | Maine, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, Vermont, Quebec | |
| MP | Missouri Pacific Railroad | 1872-1982 | Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas | |
| NC&StL | Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway | Dixie Line | 1851-1957 | Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia |
| NKP | New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad | Nickel Plate Road | 1881-1964 | |
| NH | New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad | New Haven | 1872-1968 | Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island |
| NYOW | New York, Ontario & Western Railway | 1884-1957 | North Jersey, Upstate New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania | |
| NYSW | New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway | 1881- | New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania | |
| N&W | Norfolk and Western Railway | – | 1870-1982 | |
| PRR | Pennsylvania Railroad | 1846-1968 | Northeastern United States | |
| PLE | Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad | 1875-1993 | ||
| NYC | New York Central Railroad | 1853-1968 | Northeast to Midwest | |
| NW | Norfolk and Western Railway | 1870-1982 | Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio | |
| RDG | Reading Railroad | 1833–1976 | Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania | |
| RFP | Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad | 1836-1991 | ||
| RUT | Rutland Railroad | 1843-1963 | New York and Vermont | |
| SP | Southern Pacific Transportation Company | 1865–1996 | Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah | |
| SSW | St. Louis Southwestern Railway | Cotton Belt | 1891–1997 | Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas |
| SLSF | St. Louis–San Francisco Railway | Frisco | 1876-1980 | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas |
| TM | Texas Mexican Railway | 1877-2005 | Maryland, Virginia | |
| TPW | Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway | 1863- | ||
| THB | Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway | 1892-1987 | Niagara Peninsula, Ontario | |
| UP | Union Pacific Railroad | 1862- | ||
| WM | Western Maryland Railway | 1852-1983 | Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia | |
| WP | Western Pacific Railroad | 1903–1983 |
AAR Interchange Rules by Year
1966: 10/01/66 Federal ban on running boards for new cars delivered. CFR Title 49 Subtitle B Chapter II Part 231 Section 231.27
1967: 1/01/1967 High mount hand brakes prohibited on new cars
1968: ACI labels introduced
1970: Initial proposed date to require ACI labels in interchange
1972: Final date for ACI labels required in interchange. AAR recommends single-panel COTS stencils, for new & rebuilt cars
1974: Running boards to be removed from all cars (extended). Two-panel COTS stencil required by FRA, all cars
1978: White dot/yellow dot wheel inspection begins. ACI labels are no longer required for interchange
1981: White dot/yellow dot wheel inspection ends
1982: Third version COTS, Jan 1 1982
1983: Running boards outlawed on all boxcars/reefers
More Information
- Wilson, Jeff. Freight Cars of the ’40s and ’50s. Kalmbach Books, 2015.