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Story
September 26, 1955
Trainman News
Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
What is this article about?
An article from Omaha, Nebraska, explains the various codes and numbers stenciled on Union Pacific boxcars, which detail the car's serial number, capacity, weight, build date and location, dimensions, class, maintenance history, and more, enabling efficient railroad operations for thousands of cars daily.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Boxcar Carries
Own History
On Its Side
OMAHA, Neb.--The numbers and letters on the sides of boxcars might look like doodling deluxe to most people, but, as every railroader knows, they tell a vital story to crewmen everywhere.
These reporting marks give switchmen and yard clerks the information they need to have to reroute the cars as they come into the yards.
One panel of letters and numbers to the left of the doors on boxcars gives all the pertinent information such as the car number (U.P. 500077)--just like the serial number on your automobile.
Capacity in pounds (Capy 100,000), the load limit in pounds (Ld Lmt 109,100) and the empty weight (Lt Wt 59,900, OM 8-55) are printed right under the car number. The empty weight figures show the station and date the car was weighed (in this case, August of 1955 at Omaha.)
Another set of letters and numbers tell the car builder, place and when the car was built (Built UPRR, Omaha 5-53), in this case constructed by Union Pacific Railroad at Omaha in May of 1953. This information is just to the right of the car doors.
Also on the right hand side of the doors, codes tell what class of car, such as boxcar (B). Automobile car (A) or Refrigerator car (R). A code of (A-50-21) would mean an automobile car of 50-ton capacity and the 21st style of boxcar designed.
Adjacent to the class and style code, letters and numbers give the car dimensions--in this case (Exw 10-6) means extreme width at the widest part of the car. The code (H-13-5) is the distance from the top of the rail to a point at which the extreme width exists and is necessary for determining clearance of the car through tunnels and on sidings.
Other code numbers give the inside length (IL-50-6) and width (IW-9-6) and height (IH-10-6) and the cubic feet of loading capacity (Cu ft 5072).
A stenciled mark above the car trucks tells when and where the journal boxes were last repacked and oiled (Rpkd Oma 8-25-55- meaning Omaha, Aug. 25, 1955).
Other codes tell what type of wheels and draft gears are in use on the car and the place and date the hand brake was last inspected.
Another mark tells what type of paint was used and when and where the car was painted.
The whole code and number system which looks so baffling to the outsider, tells railroad personnel the boxcar's history right up to the minute.
Use of the letter and number codes enables the railroad to maintain the cars in peak operating condition. This is a major job when you realize Union Pacific moves approximately 30,000 cars in freight trains in a given 24-hour period. Another 10,000 cars are delivered to or received from connections during the same time and numerous yard and intra-plant switch moves are also made.
Own History
On Its Side
OMAHA, Neb.--The numbers and letters on the sides of boxcars might look like doodling deluxe to most people, but, as every railroader knows, they tell a vital story to crewmen everywhere.
These reporting marks give switchmen and yard clerks the information they need to have to reroute the cars as they come into the yards.
One panel of letters and numbers to the left of the doors on boxcars gives all the pertinent information such as the car number (U.P. 500077)--just like the serial number on your automobile.
Capacity in pounds (Capy 100,000), the load limit in pounds (Ld Lmt 109,100) and the empty weight (Lt Wt 59,900, OM 8-55) are printed right under the car number. The empty weight figures show the station and date the car was weighed (in this case, August of 1955 at Omaha.)
Another set of letters and numbers tell the car builder, place and when the car was built (Built UPRR, Omaha 5-53), in this case constructed by Union Pacific Railroad at Omaha in May of 1953. This information is just to the right of the car doors.
Also on the right hand side of the doors, codes tell what class of car, such as boxcar (B). Automobile car (A) or Refrigerator car (R). A code of (A-50-21) would mean an automobile car of 50-ton capacity and the 21st style of boxcar designed.
Adjacent to the class and style code, letters and numbers give the car dimensions--in this case (Exw 10-6) means extreme width at the widest part of the car. The code (H-13-5) is the distance from the top of the rail to a point at which the extreme width exists and is necessary for determining clearance of the car through tunnels and on sidings.
Other code numbers give the inside length (IL-50-6) and width (IW-9-6) and height (IH-10-6) and the cubic feet of loading capacity (Cu ft 5072).
A stenciled mark above the car trucks tells when and where the journal boxes were last repacked and oiled (Rpkd Oma 8-25-55- meaning Omaha, Aug. 25, 1955).
Other codes tell what type of wheels and draft gears are in use on the car and the place and date the hand brake was last inspected.
Another mark tells what type of paint was used and when and where the car was painted.
The whole code and number system which looks so baffling to the outsider, tells railroad personnel the boxcar's history right up to the minute.
Use of the letter and number codes enables the railroad to maintain the cars in peak operating condition. This is a major job when you realize Union Pacific moves approximately 30,000 cars in freight trains in a given 24-hour period. Another 10,000 cars are delivered to or received from connections during the same time and numerous yard and intra-plant switch moves are also made.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
What keywords are associated?
Boxcar Markings
Railroad Codes
Car History
Union Pacific
Maintenance Records
Freight Operations
What entities or persons were involved?
Union Pacific Railroad
Where did it happen?
Omaha, Neb.
Story Details
Key Persons
Union Pacific Railroad
Location
Omaha, Neb.
Story Details
The article details how markings on boxcars provide essential information including car number, capacity, weight, build details, dimensions, class, and maintenance history, allowing railroad workers to track and maintain the cars efficiently amid high-volume operations.