I've noticed that all modern rolling stock seems to have a marking somewhere that consists of three black boxes over a whilte background, with some mysterious abbreviations written in it. Somebody told me this is called a lube plate.
Can someone explain to me what this marking is and what it is used for?
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It is a Consolidated Stencil which first appeared in the early 70's and it's where maintenance information is displayed. Info on the brake system, bearings and build date. On the one pictured you have LUB NO, which denotes roller bearings and the BLT is build date.
The consolidated stencile Is required by AAR Interchange Rule 80. When it was started in 1974 it was to consolidate periodic maintenance data in one location on the car. But now periodic maintenance is gone from freight cars and there is nothing to put in the stencile. The left side should have the type of brake valve and the right side the information on repack dates for plain bearings. At the bottom should be the built and rebuilt dates. Cars are not allowed to run more than 50 years from the built date (FRA) or 40 years from the rebuilt date (AAR). The UMLER data base, maintained by the AAR, is a much better source of information on freight cars. At some point the Rule 80 stencile will probably go away.
Good info.
Thanks Dave and Chris!
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