Hello I have seen two types of yellow boxcars that Milwaukee Road used. One in all yellow with 'Resourceful Railroad' slogan and another one with a yellow center stripe and a 'DF" (damage free) marking on the door. Can anyone give a date or dates when these schemes were used?
Also, what exactly were those 'Damage Free' type boxcars that railroads used?
upjakeAlso, what exactly were those 'Damage Free' type boxcars that railroads used?
While I can't help on the Milwaukee schemes, I can address this question.
In the mid 20th century, various types of load restraining devices gained acceptance to help protect lading. One was the Evans "Damage Free" or DF loader, which consisted of bars that could be moved along rails installed inside the cars. The idea is similar to many home products like drawer organizers. There were variations on the Evans product, such as the DF-2, DFB (including movable bulkheads), or AirPak (inflatable bulkheads), which could also be advertised or otherwise denoted on the outside of the car. Various competing devices also existed, like the Sparton Easy Loader and ACF Freight Saver.
Here's an illustration I found of a DF bar:
Link to the above user http://www.flickr.com/photos/billycraven/5922628086/ .
When cars still included the AAR car type code next to the capacity ("capy") data, a general service boxcar would be an XM, a loader equipped boxcar an XML, later shortened to XL. Other types of cars, especially mechanical refrigerators, received the same types of devices and had L appended to the car code (like RPL for a mechanical reefer).
Rob Spangler
Those EVANS DF loaders,were also used,in the Trucking Industry,in the sixtie's..In many trailers..
Cheers,
Frank
This old UP video discusses and shows a few loading devices in operation at about 21:20. It's a cool snapshot from 1964 railroading too.
http://youtu.be/LWL7-Nr0n_w
Chris Palomarez
I don't know the exact dates, but a maroon or dark tuscan red car with a yellow horizontal stripe would date to the late 1950's. The all-yellow "Resourceful Railroad" car would date from the 1970's.
zstripe Those EVANS DF loaders,were also used,in the Trucking Industry,in the sixtie's..In many trailers.. Cheers, Frank
I'm sure they are,still being used,regardless,of the manufacturer,,I was in the trucking industry for over,45yrs,,even owned my own,at one time..
Those 50' RBL cars with the yellow band were purchased in 1963/1963 - the yellow outside braced cars are a 70's car. The RBL's may be gone by now(40 year rule). Even with the 10 year 'extension', they are scrap in 2013. Not sure what became of the yellow box cars, but again they are approaching 40 years, unless they were built after June of 1974(50 year rule).
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin