A few questions about Red Caboose USRA flatcars

[Anonymous]

Yesterday at the LHS I bought a Illinois Terminal HO flatcar, planning to eventually put on a load that would have been "manufactured" at a steel mill in Alton, IL. First, what does a "repack date" mean? This car's repack date is 4-65, and that is too late of a year to run on my layout. I am planning to use the old "Microsol trick" and wipe off the repack lettering. Do railroads also change car numbers when they repack their freight cars? Next, what is a good weathering strategy that would make the car's deck look more like real wood?
Thanks in advance,
Christopher

[tomwatkins]

As I understand it, " repack date is the most recent date on which the car's journals were repacked. The car number would not be changed, but would remain the same most likely throughout the car's life on that road. I've gotten good results on the decks by starting with a fairly light gray base coat and then using several different darker gray and brownish gray washes. Polly Scale thined with automotive windshield washer fluid works well for the washes.
Hope this helps,
Tom Watkins