Oldest In-Use Freight Cars

I recently had the good fortune to have a cab ride in a 1964 Alco. While I don't think an in-service 40 year old loco is too unusual, what WOULD be an unusual age for a freight car still on the active roster??

I don't know about freight cars, but the Illinois Central has an SD40X (#6071),that was one of the original SD40 demonstators back in 1964. It was built on an SD35 frame, was built in July 1964 as EMDX 434, then went to GM&O as # 950, and finally to IC (losing it's DB's in the process), and is still in general freight service to this day after 41 years. I had the fortune to see it yesterday on the CNIC mainline on a northbound grain train (unfortunately, it wasn't leading ) in Cobden. Also I caught it in Gorham on the Mt. Vernon sub back in November leading a northbound UP manifest. The trailing units were UP 5090, a SD70M, and UP 1852, a B40-8.

Also I cannot forget the SD9's of CB&Q ancestry on the BNSF.

AAR interchange rules call for freight cars to be no more than 50 years old if in regular revenue freight service.

Here's some more first-generation locos still on the BNSF:

http://archive.trainpix.com/BNSF/EMDORIG/GP7/INDEX.HTM

http://archive.trainpix.com/BNSF/EMDORIG/SD9/INDEX.HTM

http://archive.trainpix.com/BNSF/EMDORIG/GP20/INDEX.HTM

http://archive.trainpix.com/BNSF/EMDORIG/GP9/INDEX.HTM

http://archive.trainpix.com/BNSF/EMDRBLD/GP9B/INDEX.HTM

http://archive.trainpix.com/BNSF/EMDRBL ... /INDEX.HTM
(rebuilt GP9 and GP18's)

http://archive.trainpix.com/BNSF/EMDRBL ... /INDEX.HTM
(more rebuilt GP9's and 18's)

Only a few of the SD9's have been rebuilt, the few being rebuilt in 1989.
The GP7's were rebuilt throughout 1977-1981.
The GP20's were rebuilt in 1977-1981.
Only a few of the GP9's were rebuilt, those in 1978 and 1980.
The GP9B's were rebuilt in Feburary 1982 to October 1982.
The GP28M's were rebuilt by MK in September 1992 to January 1993.
The GP28P's were rebuilt by MK in March and April 1993.

I wonder if the rest of the SD9's and GP9's will be rebuilt soon.

These cars are not for interchange, but St. Maries River RR in northern Idaho still operates about 400 ex-MILW log flats, most of them on friction-bearing trucks. Last summer, on a train of empties carried cars dating from between 1947 and 1953 (according to stencils on the cars). The log trains run between St. Maries and Clarkia anywhere from once to five times per week, typically 50 to 100 per train. Train I saw last summer went south with 67 empties, returned with 54 loads.

I saw an ATSF gon today that was built in December, 1956--definitely the oldest I've seen.

The CN is currently running DMIR ore cars that are '51-53 built under FRA waivers. They are running from the mines in northern Minnesota to Escanaba, Michigan.

pick up the Trains Magazine for this month (March) there is a fairley long story about Fraght Car trends that covers who builds them why there are shortages, how many of each are is out how long they last, ect.. Vary intresting to read.

As I understand it, AAR rules do not require RR's to ACCEPT equipment in interchange that is older than 40 years of age. Railroads can agree to accept over 40 yr. old cars with a written agreement in place, to cover specific routes and customers, up to 50 years of age.
The FRA allows cars up to 50 years of age, and possibly, with waivers, older equipment than that. ( At least for non-interchange movements).

I should mention that I think there are mechanical upgrades as per AAR rules that would extend life on freight cars (without the need for written agreements to accept over age cars).

The Finger Lakes Railway operates with 2 Ex CR, Exx PC, Exx NYC Transfer Cabooses that were rebuilt from 40 foot boxcars they were cut down and changed over into Cabooses in June 1945. Both Cabs just got roller vearing trucks under them some time in 2005. The cars were aiting at a Privat owner who had intended to use them as a hunting camp but he passed away befor ever starting on them. CSX knew that they were on on friction Bearing Trucks and made an excpetion to tow them 40 miles south for a fast interchange. I doubt anyone would have noticed this move being that it was done at night and the Conrail Split was only a few months old at the time.

WLE operates several stone cars under wavers. And many gondolas in dedicated coil service.

Ohio Central also has many older cars.

A correction to SRS125's post re the Finger Lakes cabooses. The boxcars themselves were built in the 1940's perhaps, but conversion into cabooses was not done until the mid 1960's.

BR&P wrote:A correction to SRS125's post re the Finger Lakes cabooses. The boxcars themselves were built in the 1940's perhaps, but conversion into cabooses was not done until the mid 1960's.

Cars have REBLT 6/1945 in the black data box this must be the date in which they were built over all as boxcars then? There are no dates as to when NYC/PC Rebuilt them.