Eastern Railroad Discussion > Freght Car designations

What are the different freight car designations and what do they mean?

XM, XL, XLM, GB, LO, HT, HTS etc etc etc

railtrekker Wrote:
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> What are the different freight car designations
> and what do they mean?
>
> XM, XL, XLM, GB, LO, HT, HTS etc etc etc


These are the AAR Mechanical Designation for the car. First letter is the car typ, second and/or third further break down the car type. For example, an HT is an "open top, self-cleaning car, having fixed sides and ends, and a bottom consisting of 3 or more divided hoppers with doors hinged crosswise of car and humping between rails". An HTS is a HT with the S meaning car has been built, modified, or equiped for handling particular commodities. Car types are as follows:
F = Flat Car (also include equiped flats such as auto racks)
G = Gondola
H = Open top hopper
L = Special (various types)
M = Training Unit
MW = Maintenance of Way
N = Caboose
R = Refrigerator/Insulated
S = Stock (Livestock)
T = Tank
X = Boxcar

I don't think there's an XLM. There used to be an XML, which was later modified to XL.

All covered hopper cars are of AAR Mechanical Designation LO.

Try this site for a complete description of the
AAR mechanical designations.

http://www.nakina.net/aartype.html

peddler

What would be the designation for an 8-axle heavy-duty flatcar with a flat (ie., non-depressed) top deck and with two 2-axle trucks on span bolsters at each end?

Ray

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
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> What would be the designation for an 8-axle
> heavy-duty flatcar with a flat (ie.,
> non-depressed) top deck and with two 2-axle trucks
> on span bolsters at each end?
>
> Ray

FM, if it had a well it would be FW, depressed center would be FD.