Several days ago, I wrote that I would post information on this subject. Here it is. The earliest ORER I have which includes reweigh rules is 10/38; they are not in 1920s or early '30s editions (though they must have existed at that time) Periodic Light-Weighing was covered under Rule 11 of the AAR Code of Car Service Rules and Interpretations. In 1938, this Rule called for re-weighing as follows: 1938-1950 RULES FOR RE-WEIGHTING (B) - Periodic Light-Weighing All freight cars, except as otherwise provided in section (C), must be re-light-weighed and re-stenciled periodically as follows: (1.) TYPE OF CAR First Reweighing Subsequent Reweighing Subsequent Reweighing at Expiration of at Exp. of at Exp. of Wood 15 mo. 30 mo. 24 mo. Composite Wood & Steel U/frame 15 mo. 30 mo. 24 mo. Steel u/frame with wood, steel, or composite superstr. framE 15 mo. 30 mo. 24 mo. All steel open top cars incl. steel flat cars 30 mo. 30 mo. 24 mo. All steel house and all steel stock cars 30 mo. 30 mo. 24 mo. Refrigerator cars 30 mo. 30 mo. 24 mo. (2.) Tank cars and live poultry cars must be re-weighed and re-stenciled only by owners or their authorized representative: (a) When car bears no light-weight markings. (b) When weight is changed 300 lbs. or more by alterations or repairs. (C) - Other Than Periodic Re-weighing and Re-stenciling (1) Freight cars (other than tank and live poultry cars), without light-weight markings, should be immediately weighed and stenciled, or when materially changed by repairs or alterations, should be immediately re-weighed and re-stenciled. (2) When any freight car (ewxcept refrigerator, tank, and live poultry cars) is reweighed and found to vary 300 lbs. or more from the stenciled light-weight, stenciling should immediately be corrected. (3)When any refrigerator car is re-weighed and found to vary 500 lbs. or more from the stenciled light-weight, stenciling should immediately be corrected. (4)Tank cars and live poultry cars must be re-weighed and re-stenciled only as provided in Paragraph (2) of Section (B). [snip] (F) - Stenciling (1) Should be in accordance with A.A.R. standards for Marking and Lettering of Cars. (2) Station symbol and date (month and year) must be stenciled on cars when new and each time re-weighed and re-stenciled. On new cars the word "new" may be substituted for station symbol. (3) When cars are re-stenciled after re-weighing, all old stenciling to be renewed must be obliterated with quick-drying paint. It will be necessary only to renew all light-weight numerals, station symbol, date (month and year), and load limit numerals except as provided in Paragrah 6, Section (F). The capacity numerals and letters "CAPY" "Ld LMT" and "LT WT," when indistinct, must be renewed. Light weight stenciling on ends of cars is not permitted and when shown must be obliterated. (4) The light-weight stenciling shall be the multiple of 100 lbs. nearest the scale weight, except that when the scale weight indicates an even 50 lbs. the lower multiple shall be used. (5) The LOAD LIMIT, which is the difference between the light weight and the maximum weight on rail, as shown in column A of table in A.A.R. Interchange Rule 86, shall be stenciled on all cars (except tank and live poultry cars), by car owner. The "load limit" is the permissible weight of lading, including weight of temporary fixtures, also brine and ice in refrigerator cars. Stenciled load limit must not be less than the nominal capacity. (6) When account structural limitations or other reasons, car owner has reduced the load limit of a car, a star symbol (*), the size of which shall conform to standard lettering for "LD LMT" shall be placed at immediate left of words "LD LMT," and when thus designated the load limit shall be changed only by car owner. (7) The NOMINAL CAPACITY in multiples of 1,000 lbs., shall be initially stenciled on the car by car owner and must not exceed the stenciled load limit. (8) The CUBIC CAPACITY shall be initially stenciled on cars, by the car owner, except that such markings are not required on flat, tank, and live poultry cars. The re-weigh intervals specified above remained in effect through the 1940s, but by 1950 they had been extended and modified as follows: 1950-1965 RULES FOR RE-WEIGHTING TYPE OF CAR First Reweighing Subsequent Reweighing at Expiration of at Exp. of Wood No longer listed. Composite Wood & Steel U/frame 15 mo. 48 mo. Steel u/frame with wood, steel, or composite superstr. frame 15 mo. 48 mo. All steel open top cars incl. steel flat cars and class LO covered hopper cars 30 mo. 30 mo. All steel house and all steel stock cars 30 mo. 48 mo. Refrigerator cars 30 mo. 48 mo. These revised intervals remained in effect through the 1950s and into the 1960s. By 1965, a minor change was made; subsequent reweighing of covered hoppers only was required at 30 month intervals, and the interval for all steel open top cars was extended to 48 months. 1966-19?? RULES FOR RE-WEIGHTING TYPE OF CAR First Reweighing Subsequent Reweighing at Expiration of at Exp. of Wood No longer listed. Composite Wood & Steel U/frame 48 mo. 48 mo. Steel u/frame with wood, steel, or composite superstr. frame 48 mo. 48 mo. All steel open top cars incl. steel flat cars and class LO covered hopper cars 48 mo. 30 mo. All steel house and all steel stock cars 48 mo. 48 mo. Refrigerator cars 30 mo. 48 mo. By 1967 the Car Service Rules had been completely rewritten and all reference to re-weighing and re-stenciling were gone (though they doubtless continued to exist somewhere in the AAR rules). NOTE: AAR Interchange Rule 86 provided that the load limits would be as follows: Before 1960, for a car of 40 tons nominal capacity, 136000 lbs. minus the light weight, for a car of 50 tons nominal capacity 169000 lbs. minus the light weight, and for a car of 70 tons nominal capacity 210000 lbs. minus the light weight. After ca. 1960 these figures were amended to nominal capacities of 88000 lbs. for a 40 ton car, 110000 lbs. for a 50 ton car, and 154000 lbs. for a 70 ton car, and the maximum weights were then increased to 142000, 177000, and 220000 lbs., respectively. For 100 ton cars, the maximum weight was 263000 lbs. I hope at least some list subscribers find this information useful and that it will answer the recurrent questions about re-weighing and re-stenciling. Richard H. Hendrickson In the 1982 AAR rules the reweigh time was 60 months for all cars(Rule 70). S.A. McCall In addition to Richard's information the following dates would be pertinent to modelers of an earlier time frame: 1) The stenciling of both the Load Limit and Nominal Capacity became mandatory on May 1, 1925. 2) The use of the star symbol (as within Richard's description) was a joint recommendation from the ARA's Mechanical Division (V) Arbitration Committee and the Transportation Division (II) which became effective on April 7, 1927. Last Fall Tim Gilbert noted that Reporting Marks were mandated by the 1911 Federal Railway Safety Act generating a January 9, 1912 order from the ICC. The Standards for stenciling reporting marks upon freight equipment were issued by the ARA's Transportation Division (via standing resolution) on October 20, 1920 shortly after the reorganization following the demise of the USRA. The ARA was also charged with the assignment of the reporting marks to the Railroads and Private Car Owners from that date on...as late as 1929 several railroads and private owners still had not accepted the assigned reporting marks. Notables included; SP, NP, UP, WP and PFE. Guy Wilber The left-hand recommendation was implemented in 1909 (as MCB-26A), and the "Air Brake" reference was dropped around the same time. Some roads hewed closer to the recommendations than others: N&W consistently ignored the various MCB/ARA placement recommendations until they settled on a new paint scheme in November 1934. David Thompson Anthony Thompson wrote: > > Thanks for all the specific dates, Guy. It's useful to have this in one > place. I would mention, though, that the MCB issued recommendations on > stenciling of both reporting marks and dimensional data from time to time. > For example, the change to standardize the rep. marks at the left end of > the car side was made around 1910 (I don't have the date in front of me). > Several of the rearrangements of dim. data in the early 20th century were > all MCB recommendations. Likewise, the June 11-18th, 1924 Convention of the ARA's Division V - Mechanical in Atlantic City approved the new nominal capacity, load limit and dimensional data stenciling system to be effective January 1st, 1925. Division V was the successor of the MCB. Tim Gilbert But don't forget the other half...the Mechanical Division (V) of the ARA was the amalgamation of the MCB and the American Railway Master Mechanics Association on March 1. 1919. Guy Wilber There is no doubt that the MCB influenced many of the stenciling practices applied to freight equipment, but the ARA handled all changes from 1920 forward, The ARA's focus to standardize reporting marks along with dimensional data was to minimize the huge problem with clerical errors. All letter prefixes coupled to the car number were prohibited on October 20, 1920. The ARA's standards for stenciling the reporting marks were adopted that same day. The want to seperate the railroad "reporting marks" from the car number resulted in the number being placed below the assigned railroad reporting marks. The 1" lines (above and below), also part of the standards, were simply to distinguish the reporting marks from all other applied stenciling. Guy Wilber© S.A. McCall