Southern Railway Freight Cars

Keep in mind that when units began being repainted no exact dates can be determined except the starting dates.
Some units remained in the older paint scheme for some time before being repainted whereas some were repainted right away. As always, when custom painting a model, refer to good pictures of the unit for placement of roadname, road numbers, heralds and other lettering details. Pictures also reveal minor variations in these paint schemes due to being done in different repair shops. Pictures also reveal minor variations in the placement of horns, bells, lights and other appliances.

WOOD & STEEL BOXCARS Prior to 1960 Body, top, ends, ladders brake wheels and walkways were painted freight car brown. Trucks and underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white with Roadname on left end S O U T H E R N in railroad roman lettering. Road number was below the roadname 00048 also in railroad roman lettering. The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied below the road number. A large(about 4'- 0") circular painted logo with SR in center and Southern Serves the South in the surround was applied to the right hand side above center. The exterior and interior dimensions were applied below the circular logo. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. © 2000

STEEL BOXCARS 1960-1969 Body, top, ends, ladders brake wheels and walkways were painted freight car brown. Trucks and underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white with Roadname on left end S O U T H E R N in arial lettering. Below was SERVES THE SOUTH. Below this was the road number 2 8 0 8 9 . Cars equipped with cushion type draft gear were lettered SUPER CUSHION SERVICE on the right hand side with Super on top, cushion in middle and Service on bottom. The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied below the road number. The exterior and interior dimensions were applied low on the right hand side. There was no logo applied to these cars. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL BOXCARS 1969-1982 Body, top, ends, ladders brake wheels, walkways and trucks were painted freight car red. Underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white with Roadname on left end S O U T H E R N with a green center in the "O". Immediately below Southern was GIVES A GREEN LIGHT TO INNOVATION. Road number was below 5 2 1 5 5 9 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied below the road number. On the right hand side was SOUTHERN SERVES THE SOUTH. The exterior and interior dimensions were applied below on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. © 2000

STEEL BOXCAR VARIATIONS There was a variation of scheme BC 3 where the Southern/Gives a green light to innovations/road number and the Southern/serves/the south were placed on opposite ends from the above scheme. Another variation was cars equipped with hatches had the doors painted Yellow. Cars modified for food service had a large ( about 3'x3') Yellow Panel on the doors with an "XF food loading only" in black letters. Specially equipped cars with 10'/12' Camel plug/sliding doors had Aluminum doors un-painted and were a Silver-Gray color and a DF or a DF painted on them. These cars were equipped with Hydroframe cushioning, miner handbrakes and Barber trucks. © 2000

STEEL MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR CARS Body, top, ends, ladders brake wheels and walkways were painted freight car brown. Trucks and underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white with Roadname on left end S O U T H E R N in arial lettering. Below was SERVES THE SOUTH. Below this was the road number 2 8 0 8 9 . Cars equipped with cushion type draft gear were lettered INSULATED SUPER CUSHION SERVICE on the right hand side with Insulated on top, Super next, Cushion next and Service on bottom. The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied below the road number. The exterior and interior dimensions were applied low on the right hand side. There was no logo applied to these cars. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL INSULATED REFRIGERATOR 1960-1973 Body, ladders brake wheels and walkways were painted yellow. Top was painted silver, ends were painted black. Trucks and underframe details were painted black. All lettering was black. There were two black horizontal stripes running full length on upper portion of sides. Centered between the stripes on left end was Insulated-Cushioned on the right end was Fruit Growers Express. Roadname on left end below stripes and Insulated cushioned was S O U T H E R N. Below this was the road number 798070 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied below the road number. On the right side below stripes and Fruit Growers Express was For Greatest Efficiency in a staggered fashion. The exterior and interior dimensions were applied below on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL INSULATED REFRIGERATOR 1973-1974 Body, top, ends, ladders brake wheels and walkways were painted yellow. Top was painted silver. Trucks and underframe details were painted black. Lettering was black. The stripes were omitted on this scheme. On left end was Insulated-Cushioned on the right end was Fruit Growers Express. Roadname on left end below Insulated cushioned was S O U T H E R N. Below this was the road number 798070 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied below the road number. On the right side below Fruit Growers Express was For Greatest Efficiency in a staggered fashion. The exterior and interior dimensions were applied below on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL INSULATED REFRIGERATOR 1974-1982 Body, top, ends, ladders, brake wheels and walkways were painted Orange. Trucks and underframe details were painted black. Lettering was black on left end was "Insulated-Cushioned" on the right end was "Fruit Growers Express". Roadname on left end below stripes was S O U T H E R N. Below this was the road number 798070 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied below the road number. On the right side was For Greatest Efficiency in a staggered fashion. The exterior and interior dimensions were applied below on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL GONDOLAS Early black scheme 30's, 40's & 50's Entire car including trucks and underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was centered on upper side of car. Below this was the road number 6 0 1 4 1 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the upper left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL GONDOLAS Freight car brown scheme Mid 60's Entire car including trucks were painted freight car brown. Underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 6 0 1 4 1 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL GONDOLAS Freight car red scheme late 60's Entire car including trucks were painted freight car red. Underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 6 0 1 4 1 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

ALUMINUM GONDOLAS for COAL SERVICE Entire car was unpainted. Underframe details were painted black. Lettering was yellow. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 1 4 1 0 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. These cars were equipped with rotary couplers, miner handbrakes and Barber trucks. © 2000

FLAT CARS EARLY BLACK SCHEME All metal parts were painted black including trucks and underframe details. The wood decks were not painted although some used creosoted or salt treated wood. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was just to left of center of car frame. The road number 4327 was placed just to the right of the roadname. The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied on the right end. Southern and the road number were applied on each end. This scheme applies to both FM and FD classes. © 2000

FLAT CARS FREIGHT CAR BROWN SCHEME EARLY All metal parts were painted freight car brown including trucks. Underframe details were painted black. The wood decks were not painted although some used creosoted or salt treated wood. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was just to left of center of car frame. The road number 151861 was placed just to the right of the roadname. The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied on the right end. Southern and the road number were applied on each end. This scheme applies to both FM and FD classes. © 2000

FLAT CARS FREIGHT CAR BROWN SCHEME MID 60's All metal parts were painted freight car brown including trucks. Underframe details were painted black. The wood decks were not painted although some used creosoted or salt treated wood. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was just to left of center of car frame. The road number 152057 was placed just to the right of the roadname. The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied on the right end. Southern and the road number were applied on each end. This scheme applies to FM,FB,FC,FMS,FBS,FD and Pulpwood Flats class LP classes. © 2000

STEEL HOPPERS Early black scheme 30's, 40's & 50's Entire car including trucks and underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was centered on upper side of car. Below this was the road number 3 2 7 1 0 8 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end © 2000

STEEL HOPPERS Freight car brown scheme Mid 50's Entire car including trucks were painted freight car brown. Underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 7 3 4 6 4 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. Cars assigned to subsidiary roads such as Alabama Great Southern(AGS), Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway(CNO&TP) and Central of Georgia(C of Ga) were labeled as such on the upper right end. © 2000

STEEL HOPPERS Freight car red scheme mid 60's Entire car including trucks were painted freight car red. Underframe details were painted black. Lettering was white. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 7 5 0 1 2 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. Cars assigned to subsidiary roads such as Alabama Great Southern(AGS), Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway(CNO&TP) and Central of Georgia(C of Ga) were labeled as such on the upper right end. © 2000

COVERED 2 BAY HOPPERS Gray scheme mid 50's Entire car including trucks and Underframe details were painted gray. Lettering was black. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOU to the left, TH in the center and ERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 4 1 1 7 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. © 2000

COVERED 2 BAY HOPPERS Gray scheme mid 50's Entire car including trucks and Underframe details were painted gray. Lettering was green. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 3 1 9 0 7 0 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. © 2000

COVERED 3 BAY HOPPERS Gray scheme mid 50's Entire car including trucks and Underframe details were painted gray. Lettering was green. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 9 6 1 2 3 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. © 2000

COVERED 3 BAY HOPPERS Gray scheme mid 50's Entire car including trucks and Underframe details were painted gray. Lettering was black. Roadname S O U T H E R N was spaced between the ribs with SOUT to the left and HERN to the right of center on upper side of car. Below this was the road number also spaced between the ribs 9 7 7 7 7 . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. © 2000

"BIG JOHN" COVERED 4 BAY HOPPERS Unpainted Aluminum 1960 Entire car was unpainted. Underframe details were painted black. Lettering was red which faded to orange. Many were restencilled with green lettering in later years. Roadname was | S|O|U|TH|E|R|N | centered on side. Below this was the road number also spaced as |8|69|6| "BIG JOHN" in a script type lettering was placed on the upper left end. The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. More "BIG JOHN" Information © 2000

AIRSLIDE HOPPERS Gray scheme mid 50's Entire car including trucks and Underframe details were painted gray. Lettering was black. Roadname S|O|U|T| H E R N was centered on side. The road number was below | 9|00|91| . The capacity, load limit and light weight was applied on the lower left end. The exterior/interior dimensions and capacity were applied low on the right hand side. Southern and the road number were applied on the upper right hand side of each end. © 2000