If memory serves, a horizontal white line on the main door of a boxcar meant it had auto loading racks inside. And there are other markings refering to load restraining devices. What I can't remember is in which book should I be looking for this info. I thought it was in the ORER, but a look in a 1965 edition turned up nothing.

Also, the notes section for NYC's automobile cars, such as the 52000-series, says most have F type auto racks and a few have G type racks, but I didn't find anything telling me what the differences are between the racks. My guess is F=Ford and G=GM, but those words aren't very long so why didn't they just spell it out?

Scott Chatfield

Scott wrote:

"If memory serves, a horizontal white line on the main door of a boxcar meant it had auto loading racks inside. And there are other markings referring to load restraining devices. What I can't remember is in which book should I be looking for this info. I thought it was in the ORER, but a look in a 1965 edition turned up nothing."

If your ORER is complete you will find the quarterly copy of Bulletin 28 within the Editorial section. Bulletin 28 dealt strictly with auto cars and does not contain information on load restraining devices.

"Also, the notes section for NYC's automobile cars, such as the 52000-series, says most have F type auto racks and a few have G type racks, but I didn't find anything telling me what the differences are between the racks. My guess is F=Ford and G=GM, but those words aren't very long so why didn't they just spell it out?"

Evans Auto~Loaders were lettered A thru G as the company progressed with their designs beginning in 1933. The designations had nothing to do with auto manufactures. The letter T indicated the loaders were equipped with wide wheel pans to accommodate dual wheeled trucks.

The Bulletin will give you details as to the differences amongst the loader designs and the associated hardware. If you are modeling any time prior to 1960 I wouldn't rely on that 1965 data to letter your car(s). If you need info for a given year, contact me and I will help you along.

Guy Wilber
Reno, Nevada

Scott,

 

The letter notation on the white stripes do not reflect the manufacturer that the car was assigned to but rather the type of Evans loader. I have a diagram of the Type F used on the Rock Island car we are working on over at SHAKE_N_TAKE and I cross referenced the diagram to a type F in my  PERE MARQUETTE REVENUE FREIGHT CARS; Arthur B. Million and John C. Paton; Hundman Publishing and the show the type F assigned to Buick. I would suppose that Steve Hile could tell us where the Rock Island cars were assigned.

 

 

Greg Martin   

 

Eventually all things merge into one and a river runs through it.
Norman Maclean

 

Scott writes:

 

(Snip)

Ian wrote:

"This will depend on the ORER being referenced, as this extra material only appeared in certain eras."

My reference was to the (Scott's) 1965 ORER. Bulletin 28 was originally issued in 1939 reflecting the new markings for auto cars adopted that year. It was issued as a separate document until it first appeared in the January, 1945 issue of the ORER.

For Evans Auto~Loader and NYC loader markings from 1933 thru mid 1939 the standards were printed within the ARA & AAR manuals and consisted of nine different door markings in addition to the 3" white door stripe, thus the simplifications of 1939.

Regards,

Guy Wilber
Reno, Nevada