Hi Guys, I recently picked-up a couple of the above Boxcars, partly because I liked the Blue livery. They are Plate C, Peak-roofs.
I just wondered if (due to the term Rail Link) they were classed as per 'Rail Box' wagons i.e. 'Any Load, Any Road' or if they are just ordinary goods wagons for (owner's) Railroad Company general use?
I'm hoping that I can legitimately tag them along with my RailBox cars and that they would fit in with any mixed freight Train load. Thanks, Paul
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
If I'm not mistaken, Rail Link is a contract operator for many railroads, and ran CN's Bayfront Yard in Hamilton, Ontario for several years. CN recently took back the yard, and again run it themselves.Here's a photo of a Rail Link F-unit, taken several years ago in Goderich, Ontario, site of the world's largest salt mine, located under Lake Huron...
This is the Goderich & Exeter, a shortline spun-off from CN, and operated by the Genesee & Wyoming, although that info may not be up-to-date.
Wayne
Are you talking about a car that looks like this?
https://www.walthers.com/50-exterior-post-boxcar-kit-plastic-montana-rail-link-blue
The model in question is a plate B car instead of C, but is similar to prototypes like the one below:
http://rr-fallenflags.org/mrl/mrl.html
Montana Rail Link, and other lines operating the under the Rail Link name, are actual railroads. As such, their cars don't necessarily function like those belonging to a private pooling company like RailBox (i.e. that is not a common carrier).
Rob Spangler
As noted, I&M Rail Link was an operator of a number of common carrier railroads from 1997 to 2002--a short five years. I&M was succeeded by the Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad so, if you model before 1997, your I&M cars would not exist yet. After the demise of I&M they were probably taken over by another operator, quite possibly the IC&E or, even your railroad. A lot of these 50 foot exterior post boxcars have worn the reporting marks of six or more operators. Since you like the I&M paint job, do like so many operators do when these cars change hands, simply paint out the existing initials and replace them with yours, often in wildly contrasting colors. Cheers Guv'na!
Different RaiLink Wayne.
The RaiLink Canada formerly operated several shortlines across Canada until it fell under control of RailAmerica, which itself fell under Genesee & Wyoming a few years ago.
I&M RailLink was a "sister" railroad to Montana RailLink. Both were owned by the Washington Group. IMRL was sold off, but Washington Group still owns and operates the Montana RailLink as well as the Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY).
"RailBox" is, to oversimplify, a pool of standard general-service boxcars that can travel anywhere. RailBox (and also RailGon) is part of TTX (formerly Trailer Train). TTX is, again over-simplified, supported by most of the North American railways who are "members" in the company/pool.
So, no, "Rail Link" isn't some special term or anything, it's just the name of the particular railroad. IMRL/MRL cars wouldn't necessarily be part of the free-running "pool", but do note that the AAR rules allow for, and even encourage, re-loading general-service "foreign" empties back in the direction of "home".
Railroads also pay each other per diem/car hire fees for cars from other railroads on their lines. Back in the late 1970s there were certain incentives to make construction of new boxcars attractive, and many thousands of new cars were built for major leasing companies and decorated in colourful schemes for tiny shortlines that you've otherwise never heard of, many of which were only a few miles long. A lot of these cars probably never even saw "home" rails. Look up "incentive per diem/IPD boxcars". This bottomed out in the early 1980s when the economy went through a recession.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
http://accurail.com/accurail/ART/5800/5813.JPG from Accuready's own site.
Hi Everyone, Thanks for all your replies and clearing-up my uncertainty as to the RailBox / Rail Link - not connected. All the info is useful. I did Google I&M, but it became a bit blurred around the edges. Most importantly (for me) I have seen on Youtube vids, occasional examples of I&M B/C's, east of Chicago. Regards, Paul