Freight Cars

Freight Cars

Because most of the ACR's freight traffic was sintered iron ore, finished steel products and wood products, the freight car roster was not as varied as most railroads. Here are some photos of various ACR freight cars.

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	These racks, numbered in the 2300 series, were used for many years in pulpwood service. Once the 50 year rule applied, they were then used for work train service. They were 40 feet in length, and built around 1925. Very few if any are left today. This photo is at Steelton on June 23, 1982.
	Here is another 2300 series rack at Hawk Jct. on June 19, 1987.
	Here is a photo of a almost new chip car with the "ACIS" reporting marks (international service only) at Steelton Nov. 16, 1974. Some of these cars were sold/traded to the BCR for modern racks, and others converted into lumber service.
	The second series of wood chip cars had just "AC" reporting marks. This car is on the Soo Line at Gladstone, Michigan on June 12, 1981 on its way to pulp mills in northern Wisconsin.
	These 61 foot gons were used for both pulpwood and finished steel product service. They were built by National Steel Car in Hamilton, Ontario in the early sixties. At Hawk Jct. Aug. 6, 1996.
	Covered gons are used to carry coils of steel sheet that need to be kept from the weather. This one was a regular 52 foot gon with new covers added. Photo at Steelton June of 1979.
	The ACR bought a large number of these 2 bay 50 and 70 ton hoppers in the late forties from various coal roads back east - supposedly for $400 each. They replaced the trucks and got 30 some years of service from them. On some you could still see old reporting marks and build dates, usually around 1915 to 1920. This car has lost its drawbar causing a wreck at Searchmont on March 3, 1974.
	The first new hoppers were these from National Steel Car in 1971, numbered 8001 thru 8100. These cars were not well liked account the chain driven door opening mechanism would freeze up in the winter time. There were supposed to be another 100 cars ordered, 8101 through 8200, but instead the following type was ordered. This car at Hawk Jct. July 2, 1988.
	Here is the first car built of the 3 bay 100 ton Ortner hoppers - brand new at Steelton on Feb. 1, 1974. These cars worked out quite well, other than some problems with the first order having too stiff of truck springs that caused a couple of derailments account rock and roll at certain speeds on certain stretches of track.
	Another Ortner hopper at Hawk Jct. on July 2, 1988.

	This car is also at Hawk Jct. on June 24, 1989. Most of these hoppers are still in service, and relettered WC and "20" added to the number, i.e. it is now WC 208384.
	The ACR bought about 25 of these type of hoppers from the Ontario Northland. This car is at Hawk Jct. on July 2, 1988.

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Last updated March 10, 2005 with minor corrections and additions to photo captions.