Extreme Fallen Flags Spotted while Railfanning

[Paul M.]

What are some fallen flag freight cars or locos you've seen while railfanning recently? I don't mean recent mergers, like a BN hopper or a SP boxcar. I'm talking about railroads that haven't been around for 30 years- or more.

I'll start us off, I guess.
Recently I've seen a CE&I 70-ton hopper, an orange ex- Milwaukee Road covered hopper, and a light blue Great Northern woodchip gondola ( with the goat painted on the side!)

[Yampa Bob]

We often see Great Northern (1970) hoppers, and Rock Island (1980) box cars in our local yard. (UP)

They all appeared to be in good condition, with original livery and markings.

I guess this is appropriate for the thread, perhaps as a check off list for locos and cars you spot while railfanning.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/

[Conrail Quality]

I saw a Great Northern "big sky blue" boxcar last year while I was on vacation in Montana. And yes, it was on the old GN mainline. I'm not sure if this is fallen flags enough, but a couple months ago, I also saw a Chessie covered hopper in Maryland from an Amtrak train (while, naturally, our train was on a siding waiting for the freight train to pass us).

Timothy

[kevin2083]

not sure if this is fallen enough, but I saw a cut of 4 NW boxcars on a siding near where I work. They were all numbered in the same series and were grafiti-free (for the most part). I thought it was unusual.....

[Guilford Guy]

There is an Erie-Lackawanna 40ft Boxcar, less trucks, in Worcester Mass, complete with diamond logo.
There is also a Union Pacific Outside Braced Boxcar as well... Conrail/Penn Central must not have cared to return it!

[BIG BEAR]

   Just last week I saw a CNW Caboose being pulled all alone by a UP engine on their main line on the one end of town. On the other end of town sits a Soo line caboose used in a yard for the CP railworkers, or the yard workers of Railserve. This caboose gets moved alot, it can almost be a game as to where is the caboose parked this evening?
   Of course there is the static display of Milw. Road cars and a caboose we call a Museum in town here.
   We see alot of Chessie cars on the CP line, When I visit my Dad on the other side of the state we see alot of Northern Pacific & Great Northern cars.
         Enjoy,
             Barry

[glennk28]

Does anyone have a current web site for identifying reporting marks?  YW has a bunch of flat cars being stored--PEYX and AOK are what I can read from the freeway.

[Yampa Bob]

Glenn,
I found several, hope this helps.

http://www.pwrr.org/rrm/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lists_of_AAR_reporting_marks
http://www.nrhs.com/reporting_marks/index.html

What the heck, take your pick of a whole bunch. 
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=aar+reporting+marks

[Guilford Guy]

I believe AOK is Arkansas & Oklahoma

[Santa Fe buff]

I've personally seen an ex-Milwaukee Road gondola with the black and orange scheme with the big Milwaukee Road lettering. It was rusty, but she had here coat. Along with a patch out. I think I saw a bunch of old CN&W covered hoppers on KBS' line (Kankakee Beaverville Southern) line. They simply had the original scheme (Which was partly destroyed on some hoppers) with simply spray-can patch-outs! If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw a boxcar in the GN Big Sky Blue scheme the other day. Not in good condition, but what does it matter?

That's what I have so far...

Josh

EDIT: Look at this, KBS has a bunch of re-painted fallen flags!
http://www.illinirail.com/kbsr/roster.htm

[glennk28]

Thanks for the leads--found both lines.  PCYX is "Transportaton Technology Services, Inc--No idea what they do--but there is a mile or more of their cars on the Yreka Western track south of the headquarters.  YW gets so much per car per month for storing the cars--apparently until a scrapper is ready for them.  Unlike the last batch of cars--ex PFE reefers, these don't have fuel tanks that have to be emptied--providing fuel for the 19. 

gj

[CNE Runner]

Bob: thanks for the websites regarding reporting marks as I have been looking for such a reference. If anyone sees a Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut RR car or Central New England Railway specimen please contact me immediately!!

Now for your next assignment: I am trying to find a copy (website?) that contains the entire freight car classification designations. I have a 2006 printout of a partial listing from Trains.com and would like to have the rest. One of the engineers, on our local railroad - Omnitrax, says there is a listing; but he can't remember where he saw it printed.

Many thanks,
Ray

[Yampa Bob]

Here are several sites on AAR classifications.

http://www.nakina.net/other/aartype.html
http://home.cogeco.ca/~trains/rraar79.htm
http://www.qazam.com/wheatkingsandpacific/aar.html
http://www.ovar.ca/Articles/aar_codes.htm

For a Google or other search engine, enter the following keywords:

AAR car codes
AAR freight car codes
AAR classification codes
AAR mechanical designations
AAR equipment register

Hope this helps

[CNE Runner]

So I sit here wondering why I didn't write to Yampa Bob to start with...his storehouse of knowledge is amazing! Thanks Bob!! To be honest, I didn't know what to do a Google search under...AAR Mechanical Designations (duh). I don't know how I existed before forums (the electronic kind as I barely remember the Roman variety).

Much appreciation,
Ray

[Guilford Guy]

Central New England isn't a fallen flag...
Reporting marks are CNZR, and in addition to Geeps, they run A. J. Belliveau's NH RS1
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1459561