I recently saw an old two-bay N&W hoppper and I wondered what are they hauling these days? They got to be at least 35-40 years old at minimum and they are rough looking as all heck.
What does NS use these for?
If they are over 40 years old, they are hauling nothing - They are scrap. If they were built before July 1st, 1974, they are 'outlawed' from interchange service(unless they have had a very expensive rebuild, and that is for only another 10 years).
Of course, they could be in captive service and not interchanged - and exempt from the above rule.
Current freight cars(built on July 1st, 1974 or later)are '50 year' cars....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
A common use for old two-bay covered hoppers is hauling sand for locomotives.
Rob Spangler
jrbernier If they are over 40 years old, they are hauling nothing - They are scrap. If they were built before July 1st, 1974, they are 'outlawed' from interchange service(unless they have had a very expensive rebuild, and that is for only another 10 years). Of course, they could be in captive service and not interchanged - and exempt from the above rule. Current freight cars(built on July 1st, 1974 or later)are '50 year' cars.... Jim
What are the chances one of these is in captive service?
T e d
Did you get a car number? NW 182xxx are looking pretty ratty, but were built 1990 or so. I see them used for frac sand. SOU 92xxx and CR 883xxx are even rattier, they are using them up. As long as they can turn a wheel, and hold most of the load in... One frac sand outfit around here has leased a batch of new cars, the older ones are loosing too much product en route.
The MILW plug door box would not be in service any longer. Might find one set off in a yard, off its wheels, for storage.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
Another use for old covered hoppers is as buffer cars between the loco and tank cars. Supposedly, they're loaded with sand as an additional safety feature.Here's one, seen in Rochester, PA. on an oil train this past August.
Wayne
jrbernier If they are over 40 years old, they are hauling nothing - They are scrap.
Unless these hoppers went through a rebuild program then they are good for several more years.
2 bay hoppers haul sand,cement and other like lading.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
David,
NS 'owns' those reporting marks. UP owns MSL, CMO, CGW - all were merged into CNW many years ago. UP used them on new long term leased cars so they can track them easier. Many times cars that are not planned to be a major part of the inventory keep their old reporting marks/numbers if they do not conflict with the new cars.
DavidH66It was a NW 182XXX series, which makes me curious why they made it with NW markings so long after the merger?
I see lots of NW cars and some with N&W's "hamburger herald"..Same for Southern Ry cars.
Why are these still in use today?
Simply put railroads do not worry about repainting every car into the new merger road because it would cost millions of dollars to do so.
It has nothing to do with freight car heritage schemes as some railfans says..Its more about keeping the cost down and keeping the investors happy.