...about the various places they've traveled to all these years. This is a few cars of a string of auto carriers parked on a siding across the street from my work that included old SP and Conrail cars plus CN, Ferromex, BNSF and UP.
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Maybe they are simply in storage.
Originally Posted by Roman:
...about the various places they've traveled to all these years.
They've been everywhere Hank Snow sang about ("Ive Been Everywhere") and also some locations that aren't in the song. 
I see that all the time here in Tampa in use. (CSX,NS,ATSF,Conrail,UP,BN,TTX,,CP) My guess is that they just haven't repainted them yet.
Roman,
American Association of Railroads(AAR) car liife, as I recall, in June/July 1973 the AAR car design requirements and loading changed, cars built to these new standards have a 50 year life from built date, cars built prior to this standard had a 40 year life from built date.
If you had a car or lot of cars with a 40 year life, the the AAR allowed the car owner to apply Rule 88, the car had to meet the new design/load requirements or had to be modified/strengthened to meet this requirements, all documentation, drawings and supporting stress calculations had to be submitted to the AAR for approval, if approved, the car(s) life would be extended 10 years after completion of the modifications,for a maximum 50 year car life.
Railcars may be scrapped much earlier than their effective 40/50 life, generally they are scrapped because of derailment/accident damage, there are other factors that may effect there effective life such as severe corrosion and overloading situations, the cost to repair and remaining effective life is a major factor in determining whether a car or lot of cars is repaired or scrapped.
The autoracks that you mentioned may have exceeded there effective 40 life from built date or they may just be in storage for some reason.
Can you please take a photo and post them.
The Automobile Carrier Racks on TTX flat cars can go to any destination in North America to be loaded and unloaded.
Andrew
I see them all the time on theCSX line through Harford and Cecil Counties in Maryland. One day they are parked and the next time I drive by the area they are gone, then they are back.
I guess I should been clearer on the intention of the post. Being a railfan, I always wonder where, what parts of the country, etc. that the cars have seen that I'll never see.
I thought I had included the photo originally. This spot here in Grover Beach, CA is along the UP, formerly SP, coastal mainline. This siding has been busy as of late with cars such as these, empty wells and tankers for the oil can train for the oil fields a few miles north. When Espee traveled here this siding was always crowded with mixed freight.
I was more of thinking like a hobo that if I could hop on where would it take me.
Originally Posted by Roman:
I guess I should been clearer on the intention of the post. Being a railfan, I always wonder where, what parts of the country, etc. that the cars have seen that I'll never see.
I thought I had included the photo originally. This spot here in Grover Beach, CA is along the UP, formerly SP, coastal mainline. This siding has been busy as of late with cars such as these, empty wells and tankers for the oil can train for the oil fields a few miles north. When Espee traveled here this siding was always crowded with mixed freight.
I was more of thinking like a hobo that if I could hop on where would it take me.
i understood what u meant! i often wonder the same thing when i buy old postwar lionel trains and track. who owned them previously, were they a gift?, where they were originally purchased, what layouts they've ridden on. i can stare at an old car or loco and just wonder and wonder. daydreaming is one of my favorite pass times 
Cars parked on a siding makes me wonder...
It’s due to a bad economy and less product demand.
The railroads are placing empties anywhere they can find an unused track.
Those auto carriers have been recently maintained and repainted.
The railroads are back logged on automobile shipments and have not been able to move as many automobiles as normal because of the increase in Oil Trains on the BNSF and other railroads over the past 18 months.
Andrew
