Maintenance of Way Cars

Reference

Maintenance of Way Cars I by Patrick Harris

CSXT #965557---A CSX ballast hopper in MOW orange. It appears to have been converted from a 2-bay hopper, probably originally in coal service. The large "A" and "B" markings designate the discharge gates. The opposite side of the car has "C" and "D" markings that correspond to the discharge gates on the side displayed. When the car is viewed with the B end (the end with the brake wheel) to the right, "A" and "B"

gates are visible. The reverse is true, with the "C" and "D" designations visible when the B end of the car is to the left. 11-22-96

***Note: The reason for the gate designations is to allow more precise application of ballast in areas of greatest need. This avoids wasting the material and lessens the need for manpower or additional equipment to spread or adjust it after application.

CSXT #965188---A CSX ballast hopper in MOW orange. It appears to have been converted from a 2-bay covered hopper, probably an early PS2-CD car. In the 1970s and 1980s, Morrison-Knudsen (MK) converted many of these cars for MOW service. The discharge gates are numbered in the same fashion as the former 2-bay coal cars. 11-22-96

CSXT #965370---This car is similar to its sister car, but has had a stiffening angle applied to the upper side of the car. This is designed to add strength to the car side and allow higher/larger loads of ballast. 11-22-96

CSXT #965286, et al---This string of ballast cars was lined along Almonaster Avenue on the south border of CSX Gentilly Yard, New Orleans East. 12-20-96

CSXT #965397---CSX ballast hopper converted from a PS2-SD covered hopper. The weathering from ballast overload is visible on either side of the stiffening angle, and this particular car has a pair of steps/grabs adjacent to the discharge gates. I do not know the function of these grab irons. 12-20-96

CSXT #965524---CSX ballast hopper in a thinner, non-standard lettering scheme. Not the roping loops at each corner of the car, originally put in place to allow the car to be pulled by a "comealong" at a coal offloading site. 12-20-96

CSXT #965445---CSX ballast hopper. While at first glance identical to the other covered hopper-converted cars, the outboard-most vertical posts are channel posts instead of hat posts. Differences are in the details! 12-20-96

***Note: As if the Pumpkin Orange (actually Safety Orange) weren't enough to send the message that these cars are in MOW (maintenance of way) service, each car has a tiny "MW" stenciled above the "ABCD" discharge gate markings. Again, the models are made in the detail.

CSXT #965086---CSX ballast hopper on the hoof, moving west into CSX Gentilly Yard at the Elaine St./Old Gentilly Road intersection. Also note the nonstandard stencils used for the road number. 02-22-97