Work Train - Gondola Repaint

Over the past few months I have noticed that some of MBTA's feet of Ex-Amtrak gondolas have received a new orange paint job, much like color orange seen on some of the work and snow fighting equipment such as C-2 & 64711. I know that at least 2 of the gondola cars out of the 13 have this new paint (one of the repainted cars is MBTX 13239). I am assuming MBTA will repaint each of the remaining ~11 or so when they get the time and money.

My biggest question is, what is the end goal of the repaint project and why put the already limited amount of money given to the commuter rail into something like this? Those cars almost never run outside of the yards around Boston. Even in the rare event they are on a tie or rail reclaim train; do the cars really need to look cool and flashy? Of course they look nice but I can think of many other uses for money which would benefit the system way more. And given that they spend almost all their time sitting on storage tracks like yard 10 or the Grand Junction, that fresh orange paint will just be an open canvas for graffiti taggers; much like the MassDOT blue ballast cars we got in 2017.

Last time I flew over the Grand Junction I saw that the 2 repainted gondolas were there, tied down with the rest of the work equipment that is stored there. I can confirm that the 2 newly repainted gondolas were filled with junked ties.

They also repainted at least one flatcar - MBTX 52. The ex-Amtrak gondolas can actually travel off MBTA as far as I know. Maybe because the
graffiti is so bad that reporting marks and other data are so badly obscured?

The cost to paint a car is really minimal, especially MOW where it's a single color....

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Of course the cars need to be painted to retard or prevent rust.

But a bad paint job can increase rust in some places. Blisters of old paint that can hold water need to be found and removed first.

Yard 10 this morning. We got MBTX 52 in its new yellow paint and one of gondolas in orange. It would be nice on those 3 axle flat cars if they also replaced the splintering wood on top and those bent and rusty metal poles on the sides.

Heard a rumor that a lot of the junk MW cars including the six-axles that they are not using are going to be scrapped.

Are bright-colored cars safer for the mow workers working on the ground near them -- more visible out of the corner of your eye, something like that?

GP40MC1118 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 12:46 pm Heard a rumor that a lot of the junk MW cars including the six-axles that they are not using are going to be scrapped.

that wouldn’t surprise me... some of those cars almost feel forgotten about especially some of the flat cars and gondolas.

On a some what related note, I have heard MBTX 13743 the MOPAC caboose along with the B&M box car it is hooked to (either MBTX 70 OR 71) are heading to Mass Coastal/CCCR. Don't know how true that is.

One factor on keeping or scrapping. What kind of wheel bearings are on the cars/? Friction bearings might be deciding factor.

JacobKoppel wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:47 pm On a some what related note, I have heard MBTX 13743 the MOPAC caboose along with the B&M box car it is hooked to (either MBTX 70 OR 71) are heading to Mass Coastal/CCCR. Don't know how true that is.

yes

More Work train cars have been given a new fresh coat of paint:

MBTX 101 (Ex- JTTX 150048 flat car) has been given that yellow paint seen on the repainted flat car MBTX 52.

One of two Ex-Amtrak 4 axle flat cars –MBTX 15007– is now in the orange paint seen on the repainted MBTA Gondola, even though its a flat car.

MBTA gondola 13349 is in the process of being repainted into the Gondola Orange. In the second picture, only some of the sides are in orange as well as the coupler and air hose are bagged to prevent them from being painted over.

MBTX 101 and MBTX 15007


MBTX 101 and MBTX 13349


The MBTA work train car repaints seem to be taking place outside on the sugarhouse cut.

Kind of late in the year to be painting outside. Are they applying primer or preventing rust?

MBTX13319. Repainted last year and has been in storage on the Grand Junction since.... None of these work train cars that have been repainted hav even been used, all have gone into storage. At least the nice orange paint provides a great base for taggers

Sad...

Update:

MBTX 13360 & 13385 will be next to be repainted into the MOW gondolas orange. Sitting in the cut yard by Yard 14.


Behind those Gondola cars is MBTX 53, one of the Ex DODX 6 axel flat cars, which just a fresh coat of Yellow paint


Lastly another repainted DODX flat was spotted on a Work Extra, its number was MBTX 31... this one is a mystery, it must have been renumbered during the painting.