Re: PC: What's the "A" for?

["Owen" <royce50@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have to admit, I may have been wrong in stating that the "A" denoted one
end of the rail car from the other.
It is true that box cars often varried in the condition to handle various
commodities.  
I have PC experience, but not PRR....the Pennsylvania Railroad operated
much differently than the NYC. 


> [Original Message]
> From: <Mark_Branibar -AT- praxair.com>
> To: <penn-central -AT- smellycat.com>
> Date: 1/16/2007 10:55:41 AM
> Subject: Re: PC: What's the "A" for?
>
> Hi Jerry,
>
> The "A" in a yellow circle that you are referring to was a New York
Central
> designation for boxcars that were in "Appliance Service", those that were
> in the pool for carrying washers, dryers, etc. Many of the NYC stretched
> 50ft. boxcars in the class 968-B group were done so for this service.  The
> car you referenced, although stretched during PC times, was a class 968-B
> car done at Beech Grove (ex-NYC shop) right after the merger, hence the
> application of the "A".  PC, of course, later dropped this designation,
> being mostly controlled by PRR men. The class X64 and X64A 60ft. boxcar
> classes built in 12/1968 - 3/1969 and 1970 by Sam Rea shops were for
> appliance service but carried no "A" designation.
>
> Mark Branibar
>
>
>
>
>                                                                          

>              Jerry Jordak                                                

>              <jer -AT- smellycat.co                                           

>              m>                                                        
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>              owner-penn-centra         <penn-central -AT- smellycat.com>      

>              l -AT- smellycat.com                                           
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>                                                                   
Subject 
>              01/15/2007 11:10          PC: What's the "A" for?           

>              AM                                                          

>                                                                          

>                                                                          

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>              penn-central@smel                                           

>                  lycat.com                                               

>                                                                          

>                                                                          

>
>
>
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> A friend of mine was asking me about a marking on a Third Rail Graphics
> boxcar he bought. On the left side of the car below the "Penn Central"
> and above the reporting marks is a yellow circle with an "A" in it, like
> on this car:
>
> http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/pc/pc160269ajs.jpg
>
> Anyone know what that marking was for?
>
> Thanks,
> -JWJ
>
>