Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxq.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!ihuxq!ken From: ken@ihuxq.UUCP (ken perlow) Newsgroups: net.railroad Subject: Explanation of markings on freight cars sought Message-ID: <704@ihuxq.UUCP> Date: Thu, 23-Feb-84 15:19:05 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxq.704 Posted: Thu Feb 23 15:19:05 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 24-Feb-84 02:23:41 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 18 Some freight cars, almost always tank cars but almost never box cars, have four letters of the alphabet prominently stencilled on them. The 4th letter is always "X". The 4 characters appear to be highly correlated with the company that owns the car, that is, cars from the same road usually bear the same "name", but it never seems to be any kind of acronym that a human would think of. Does anyone know what these call signs(?) are, or how they came to be? advTHANXance -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 23 Feb 84 [4 Ventose An CXCII] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7261 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!ihuxq!ken *** ***