Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX Autonomous Track Assessment "DO NOT HUMP" Boxcar Questions

CSX regularly operates their Autonomous Track Assessment boxcars (i.e. the "DO NOT HUMP" boxcars) as the first car of its intermodal trains.  I regularly spot them leading I-031 and I-032 between New Jersey and Jacksonville, Florida; I-025 and I-026 between Chicago and Jacksonville, Florida; and several intermodals between Chicago and the northeast.  On portions of some of these routes, the intermodal speed limit is 70 mph.  To my knowledge, CSX currently limits boxcars, either loaded or empty, to 60 mph.  There was an FRA bulletin issued about these test boxcars a few years ago that stated that testing could be conducted up to 80 mph.  Thus, at what speed does CSX allow these cars to operate?  If 60 mph is limit, intermodals carrying them are obviously negatively impacted.  

Likewise, I-031 and I-032 have recently started carrying Tropicana reefers between Jacksonville and New Jersey.  Are the Tropicana reefers currently limited to 60 mph when operated in intermodal trains?  

Would someone with actual knowledge please provide the current information?

Interesting history:  Tropicana reefers were originally allowed 65 mph when "The Juice Train" started running in 1972.  My first record of "The Juice Train" was on December 31, 1972, when extra 1781 north operated with two GE U36B's and 59 Tropicana reefers.   Also, for a time in the 1980's, Seaboard System allowed loaded boxcars to be operated at 70 mph when they were in the consist of piggyback trains.

Many thanks for providing current operating practice!

Jay Best
Raleigh, NC

I havent seen them on any intermodals on the Riverline is sometime.  Was wondering if they still used them

I've never seen these cars, but the first thing I thought was have they been modified? New TRUCKS and RUNNING GEAR?


Ron