# ID This Car Please



## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Never seen one like this before. It's not like other gondola cars - the side ribs are really hefty, and look at the "lid" it has on top. The video has only one and I've watched a lot of videos and never seen one before.










It's at 1:56 in the video.


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

looks like a covered Gondola here is a lionel model


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

Looks like your averaged covered gondola type car...to me that is...


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## hoscale37 (Nov 20, 2011)

Just did a google search via the reporting mark TCMX. Looks like TCMX 44530, but in the video the car looks black. In this photo the car is blue.

According to this website it is a Covered Gondola. Operated by Transportation Company of America

http://railfan.ca/cgi-bin/view.cgi?image=Scotch_Block_13.01.06_2211.jpg


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Thanks all.



hoscale37 said:


> Just did a google search via the reporting mark TCMX. Looks like TCMX 44530, but in the video the car looks black. In this photo the car is blue.
> 
> According to this website it is a Covered Gondola. Operated by Transportation Company of America
> 
> http://railfan.ca/cgi-bin/view.cgi?image=Scotch_Block_13.01.06_2211.jpg


I have never seen a covered gondola car before, so that's interesting. I have never seen an N scale model of one either. What is it used for? What does it carry that has to be covered, that would have to be dumped into a gondola?


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## Canadian Car Knocker (Feb 8, 2011)

The TCMX (CIT Group) Gondola is s heavier duty covered Gondola. I think those ones are used to haul metal products ( could be wrong) they were built by Thrall Car back in the 80's. CN also has it's own fleet of Covered gondolas. Although most of them just have a fiberglass lid and are used for hauling mining concentrate.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

The reason the sides are so heavily reinforced is because it a drop end gondola (ends open up like the tail gate of a truck), they normally use those for heavy steel that is loaded from the ends on rollers.
Usually unoiled or unpainted so cover is to keep it from getting wet and surface rusting or pitting.
The top is also very heavy to reinforce the sides.


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

I believe a gondola could have ribs added or use a rib-side woodchip gondola and chop the sides down.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

NIMT said:


> Usually unoiled or unpainted so cover is to keep it from getting wet and surface rusting or pitting.


OK, makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the fast info guys :thumbsup:


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Thanks NIMT now I know what to put in these.


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## Canadian Car Knocker (Feb 8, 2011)

NIMT said:


> The reason the sides are so heavily reinforced is because it a drop end gondola (ends open up like the tail gate of a truck), they normally use those for heavy steel that is loaded from the ends on rollers.
> Usually unoiled or unpainted so cover is to keep it from getting wet and surface rusting or pitting.
> The top is also very heavy to reinforce the sides.


Are you sure there drop end gates? I'm not saying your wrong and I'm right (far from it) but they look like fixed end gates.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=tcmx44522&o=cefx
fixed end gate

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cn91014detail4&o=cn
drop end gate


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Southern, 
Do you have any of these in your fleet?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Canadian Car Knocker,
You are probably right, I see latches on the sides, maybe a swing gate?
There are so may variations to cars!


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## Canadian Car Knocker (Feb 8, 2011)

There's something we can all agree on there are so many variations of freight cars. I dont mind the more there are the more I need to know the more I get paid  Me and my mate switched one into the car shop yesterday hopefully it's still there when I go back tomorrow so I can have a closer look.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

NIMT said:


> Southern,
> Do you have any of these in your fleet?


Not yet, you have not sent them to me.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

The TCMX cars that are the original subject of this thread do not have drop ends.

They have removeable covers for steel products service (high quality sheet and plate). Most of these cars have had logos painted over, but that panel on the side used to have "CO-Steel" on them.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=tcmx44522&o=cefx

This is a classic Thrall heavy-duty design. Their coal and woodchip gondolas have very similar slanted sides and ribs.

Besides which, drop-end gondolas don't usually have sides that are any heavier than identical cars with fixed ends.

Fixed end:
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=bcol9104&o=bcol

Drop end:
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp333643&o=cprail

Drop ends weren't for loading by the end of the gondola; gondolas are loaded from above, usually by crane. The drop ends allow carrying loads that are longer than the actual car by using spacer flatcars at each end. Check out how the load of rail sticks out at least 10-15 feet past each end of the car in the photo above.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

NIMT said:


> Southern,
> Do you have any of these in your fleet?
> View attachment 16817


Believe it or not, these are legitimate, but I'm not sure why the model maker put 3-axle trucks on it.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=sou9844&o=sou


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

cv_acr,
Can you say bashed by yours truly, I like the look of the triple trucks!
Yea I know not right but then again neither am I! 

I have seen drop ends loaded and unload off the ends, loaded right from the press mill or sizer and unloaded with a Caterpillar. I've seen them use used in pick up old ribbon rail and hauling it off too, and that was loaded in the end. 
If it was the right way to do it or not I couldn't say, I just know I've seen it done! 

Southern,
Just yell if you want them I can always use something different for my lumber mill train. Yea I'll even put the right trucks back on if you want!


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## Conductorjoe (Dec 1, 2011)

xrunner said:


> Thanks all.
> 
> 
> 
> I have never seen a covered gondola car before, so that's interesting. I have never seen an N scale model of one either. What is it used for? What does it carry that has to be covered, that would have to be dumped into a gondola?


 Micro-Trains makes covered gondolas. Like some of their cars they sellout fast. 

http://fiferhobbysu770.corecommerce.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=16876


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## Canadian Car Knocker (Feb 8, 2011)

cv_acr said:


> The TCMX cars that are the original subject of this thread do not have drop ends.
> 
> They have removeable covers for steel products service (high quality sheet and plate). Most of these cars have had logos painted over, but that panel on the side used to have "CO-Steel" on them.
> 
> ...


I hope that CP gon is "married" to those to flats or thats another BO to pad my stats lol


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Great information people, great information. Learned a lot from it. Thanks!


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