Western Railroad Discussion > SSW/IC/ICG 86 foot boxcar treasure trove

On a jaunt over to the UP yesterday, caught a fleet of vintage SSW/IC/ICG 86 foot auto parts boxcars, on two different trains. The SSW one was spotted on train ALDAS, the IC/ICG ones on train MTTPB. Are these boxcars still very well used in automotive service?

#1 SSW #65055 and ICG #680112

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#2. IC #680063 and ALDAS also had another gray IC 680xxx on the head end. 

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#3 ICG #680070 and #680121

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I see UP and CN/GTW/IC 86' boxcars in SoCal going to Kaiser Yard near San Bernardino in non-automotive use.  Since there are no auto assembly plants out West anymore, they are rare here.  I see occasional NS 86' boxes going to San Diego with I believe furniture.

mapboy

a lot of parts still move in them

Neat catches. What do those train symbols mean? Chicago Heights has a Ford stamping plant next to the Joint Line, and there are plenty of high cubes in the yard, so that is one possible source. I don't know how that traffic flows, though. Maybe a local takes it to Yard Center for a joint line frieght to pick up.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/16 10:27 by inCHI.

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mapboy Wrote:
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> I see UP and CN/GTW/IC 86' boxcars in SoCal going
> to Kaiser Yard near San Bernardino in
> non-automotive use.  Since there are no auto
> assembly plants out West anymore, they are rare
> here.  I see occasional NS 86' boxes going to San
> Diego with I believe furniture.
>
> mapboy

Perhaps they are going to the GM parts distribution center.

inCHI Wrote:
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> Neat catches. What do those train symbols mean?

ALDAS = Autos - Laredo, TX to Alton & Southern
MTTPB = Manifest - _____________ to Pine Bluff, AR

I love these cars. I weathered my friend's set of SP and DRGW ones in N for him.

Awesome finds!  Those are true treasures in this day and age. That Cotton Belt car is unreal that it has remained relatively clean and readable after all these years.  Thanks for sharing!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/16 12:16 by spsniper.

To clarify:

MTTPB- Toronto, Ontario-Pine Bluff, AR. This train ran down the CN by way of Chicago, as train M399 and was handed off to the UP at Salem, IL. It actually enters UP rails at the UP/CN connection at Kinmundy, just 10 miles to the north. CN crews bring it in all the way to Salem. The reverse procedure also applies to its NB counterpart, MNLTT, aka CN M398.

EricSP Wrote:
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> inCHI Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Neat catches. What do those train symbols mean?
>
> ALDAS = Autos - Laredo, TX to Alton & Southern
> MTTPB = Manifest - _____________ to Pine Bluff, AR

bodkin6071 Wrote:
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> To clarify:
>
> MTTPB- Toronto, Ontario-Pine Bluff, AR. This train
> ran down the CN by way of Chicago, as train M399
> and was handed off to the UP at Salem, IL. It
> actually enters UP rails at the UP/CN connection
> at Kinmundy, just 10 miles to the north. CN crews
> bring it in all the way to Salem. The reverse
> procedure also applies to its NB counterpart,
> MNLTT, aka CN M398.
>

Thanks for the explanation. Looking at a map of illinois railroads, I realize I hardly even know what traffic goes where across all the various lines in the state. It would be neat if there was a map of IL railroads with density, symbols, or some other measure of traffic.

Good catch of that dragonfly in mid-flight in photo #6.

Ed