As of late there seems to be a lot of older Freight cars turning up on our Repair Tracks, not only UP System Cars, but other Railroads both big and small. Not sure if its the up turn in business creating a car shortage, stuff being pulled out of storage or what. Yesterday I did a full FRA air test (and a lot of other repairs) on UP # 509640, a 50', rivet side, single silding door, box car, still in Map paint, Class 70-10. Graffiti obliterated the build date but rebuild date was 1971, I am guessing 1957-1964 as a build date due to the construction. Now this car was stenciled MW, but its a good representatation of what is showing up on our tracks. Yesterday about 7 cars crossed the One Spot on days that were of late 50s to early 60s origin. Not sure if this is just local to us at Albina, system wide or all railroads.
With business on the upswing, all the RRs must be scraping the barrel for cars and power both. Yesterday I had 4 engines in my consist, none of them less than 25 years old. I don't mind well-worn stuff like this but I wish they'd fix all the defects before they push the wrecks out the door with 10K ton of train.
In my area, I'm seeing some cars that seem to be of older origins. Some even with a fresh paint job. Also, a lot of brand new stuff. The new local short line has stopped using old "Cough & Wheeze." So maybe it finally died. Too bad, as we will soon need all the help we can get, with mosquito control! Boxcab E50
i saw an old wooden floor boxcar about 2 weeks ago in outside bayview yard the build date on it was sometime in 1957
<<I don't mind well-worn stuff like this but I wish they'd fix all the defects before they push the wrecks out the door with 10K ton of train.>> If they are FRA defects, then "red tag" the SOB's! A few years ago we had one hogger(he is also the local chairman for the BLE &T for engineers) "red tag" all the power in the roundhouse tracks(about 6 locos at the time). The upside of it was that the RFE was there at the time and he agreed with the hogger!!! If more guys(or gals) start rejecting the unsafe junk that the carriers are trying to "ignore". then the safer and better things will be all around. A bit of advice if you are the engineer or conductor who is a bit "dubious" about reporting and refusing to use unsafe power(or any eqpt for that matter); You can always get another job, but you cant get another a**! CT
From the standpoint of a modler, this is awesome. I little more variety in the boxcare pool is alway appreciated.
