On May 30, 2010, at 11:20 AM, Anthony Thompson <thompson@...
> wrote:

Ray makes a good point for railroads besides IC. Before WW II
it was common to use 7-inch characters for both initials and car
numbers, but after the war (I don't have the date handy) the AAR
recommended 9-inch initials with the 7-inch numbers, and many roads
complied. If someone can supply the date easily, that might be useful
for all of us to know.

Reporting Marks were to be 9" figures and car numbers 7" as first
adopted by the MCBA in 1916 as "Standard" practice.

The ARA's 1926 revisions of the "Standards" (as per note 1) specified
that 7" letters could be used for reporting marks in lieu of 9" letters.

These specifications remained until the following revisions were
recommended by the AAR's Car Construction Committee in 1959: Section
1, Paragraph (c): 9 inch letters for reporting marks and 7 inch
figures for car number shall be used on the sides of the car and 4
inch letters and figures used on ends of cars.

The recommendation was submitted as a letter ballot; passed and became
effective on March 1, 1960.

Guy Wilber
Reno, Nevada