These are car codes used to identify the various car type listed on this site. This list was compiled from various sources along with some codes I have been using.
| Flat Cars | ||
|---|---|---|
| FA | Flat car specifically equipped with superstructure or containers for transporting set-up vehicles, not suitable for miscellaneous commodities. | |
| FB | Bulkhead | Equipped with fixed or permanently attached movable bulkheads or ends a minimum of three feet in height and flat floor for general commodity loading. |
| FBS | Equipped with fixed or permanently attached movable bulkheads or ends a minimum of three feet in height and flat floor for specific commodity loading with fab center. | |
| FBC | Equipped with fixed or permanently attached movable bulkheads or ends a minimum of three feet in height and flat floor for specific commodity loading with solid center beam w/ovals. | |
| FC | Flat cars, specifically equipped to carry trailers, containers, chassis, or removable trailer bodies for the transportation of freight in TOFC/COFC service. | |
| FCA | Articulated | Articulated multi-unit, specially equipped to carry trailers, containers, chassis, or removable trailer bodies for transportation of freight in TOFC/COFC service. |
| FD | Depressed | Depressed center flat car of special construction having the portion of floor extending between trucks depressed provide necessary overhead clearance for lading. |
| FDH | Depressed | Depressed center flat car of special construction having the portion of floor extending between trucks depressed provide necessary overhead clearance for lading. - Multiply trucks, Heavy |
| FL | Logging | Flat logging car or truck. This is either an ordinary flat car, or car consisting of two trucks fitted with cross supports over truck bolsters; the trucks connected by a skeleton or flexible frame and |
| FM | Flat | Ordinary flat car for general service. This car has flooring laid over sills and without sides or ends. |
| FMS | Ordinary flat car for general service. This car has flooring laid over sills and without sides or ends. Modified for specific loads | |
| FW | Well | Flat car with hole to enable lading to be lowered due to clearance limits. |
| Gondolas | ||
| GA | Open top car, having fixed sides and ends and drop bottom, consisting of doors hinged crosswise of car, to dump between rails. | |
| GB | Gon | Open top car, having fixed sides, fixed or drop ends and solid bottom. |
| GBR | Open top car, having fixed sides, fixed or drop ends and solid bottom with cover | |
| GBS | Open top car, having fixed sides, fixed or drop ends and solid bottom equipped to handle steel coils | |
| GBSR | Open top car, having fixed sides, fixed or drop ends and solid bottom equipped to handle steel coils with cover | |
| GD | Open top car, having fixed or drop ends, solid bottom, and sides equipped with doors for dumping. | |
| GH | Open top car, having fixed sides, drop ends and drop bottom, consisting of doors hinged at center sills to dump outside of rails. | |
| GS | Open top car, having fixed sides and ends and drop bottom, consisting of doors hinged at center sills or side sills to dump outside and/or inside of rails. | |
| GT | Open top car, having high fixed sides and fixed or hinged ends and solid bottom, suitable for unloading on dumping machines only. | |
| GW | Open top well-hole car for transportation of special commodities. A solid bottom car with fixed sides and ends, having one or more openings or depressions provided in floor, permitting the lading to b | |
| Hoppers | ||
| HFA | Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of divided hoppers at center with doors hinged lengthwise, dumping outside and/or inside of rail; also one divided hopper | |
| HK | Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of two or more divided hoppers dumping outside and/or inside of rails | |
| HM | Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of two divided hoppers with doors hinged crosswise of car and dumping between rails. | |
| HMA | Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of two divided hoppers with doors hinged lengthwise of car and dumping between rails. | |
| HT | Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of three or more divided hoppers with doors hinged crosswise of car and dumping between rails. | |
| HTS | Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of three or more divided hoppers with doors hinged crosswise of car and dumping between rails. Cars was means to auto dump | |
| HTA | Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of three or more divided hoppers with doors hinged lengthwise of car and dumping between rails. | |
| Special | ||
| LC | Box car with side doors and roof hatches. May be equipped with end doors. | |
| LF | Flat car equipped to handle one or more demountable containers for the transportation of commodities not under refrigeration. | |
| LG | Gondola car equipped to handle one or more demountable containers for the transportation of commodities not under refrigeration. | |
| LM | A car equipped with one or more permanently enclosed tanks or containers, provided with one or more openings for lading and equipped for pneumatic or gravity unloading. Car is suitable for handling ce | |
| LO | A permanently enclosed car, other than a box car, regardless of exterior or interior shape, for handling bulk commodities, with or without insulation and provided with openings for loading through top | |
| LP | Open-top car having solid bottom and fixed ends equipped with sloping floor or longitudinal floor risers or sidestakes for the handling of pulpwood and not suitable for general commodity loading. | |
| LS | A car of special construction having two separable interlocking units which form car body. Units may be separated and load interposed between and locked in place to form a complete transportation unit | |
| LU | An enclosed car with roof, having a special metal beam of heavy design at top of each side to support a series of retractable overhead side doors and their appurtenances, or other types of doors, runn | |
| Training | ||
| MT | Training Unit equipped with training aids or modified to demonstrate components of the unit. | |
| NE | Caboose | |
| Reefers | ||
| RB | Bunkerless refrigerator car with or without ventilating devices and with or without device for attaching portable heaters. Constructed with insulation in sides, ends, floor and roof to meet maximum UA | |
| RBL | Car similar in construction to 'RB' type car, but equipped in addition with adjustable loading or stowing device. | |
| RC | Bunkerless refrigerator designed for cryogentric cooling | |
| RP | Mechanical Refrigerator car equipped with or without means of ventilation and provided with apparatus for furnishing protection against heat and/or cold. Apparatus operated by power other than from th | |
| RPB | Mechanical Refrigerator car. Similar to 'RP' type car but designed primarily for use in bulk potato or similar type loading as cars are equipped with interior slope sheets and conveyors and/or equipme | |
| RPC | Mechanical Refrigerator car similar in design to an 'RP' but equipped with permanently affixed container(s). | |
| RPL | Mechanical Refrigerator. Similar to 'RP' but equipped in addition with adjustable loading or stowing device. | |
| RS | Bunker Refrigerator car equipped with ice bunkers. Designed primarily for use of chunk ice and with or without means of ventilation. | |
| RW | Bunker Refrigerator car equipped with ice bunkers. Designed primarily for use of chunk ice and with or without means of ventilation. - wood construction | |
| Stock | ||
| SC | Car for transportation of livestock equipped with roof, slatted sides and side doors and double deck. With or without feed and water troughs. | |
| SM | SK | Car for transportation of livestock equipped with roof, slatted sides and side doors, and single deck. With or without feed and water troughs. |
| ST | Car for transportation of livestock equipped with roof, slatted sides and side doors, and fixed triple deck. With or without feed and water troughs. | |
| Tanks | ||
| TM | Tank car means any car which is used only for the transportation of liquids, liquefied gases, compressed gases, or solids that are liquefied prior to unloading. Car may be without underframe if contai | |
| Box | ||
| XM | Box car for general service equipped with side or side and end doors. | |
| XF | Non-insulated box car similar in design to 'XM', designed and specifically prepared with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved white epoxy or other comparable white coating to seal interior wal | |
| XL | Loader Equipped. Box car similar in design to 'XM', with steel perforated side walls or equipped with interior side rails for securement of certain types of lading and/or permanently attached movable | |
| XML | Loader equipped. A house car similar in design to XM, either fully or partially lined with steel perforated side walls and equipped with protruding interior side rails, stanchions and cross bar member | |
| XP | Box car similar in design to 'XM', but which is specially equipped, designed, and/or structurally suitable for a specific commodity loading; except box cars dedicated to the transportation of commodit | |
| XPA | XAP | Automobile parts. A house car similar in design to XM but specially equipped with permanent interior fixtures for stowing automobile parts, not suitable for general service loading of other miscellane |
| MofW | ||
| MWB | Ballast | All descriptions of cars used for the purpose of carrying ballast for the laying of new right of way and repairs. The car used generally for this type of work is of the gondola type, with side or cent |
| MWC | Cab/Tool | Similar to tool car, but having one end fitted up as a caboose, with bunks, stove and water storage, with or without lookout, and is used in either work or wrecking trains. |
| MWD | Dump | On the type of contractors' car used for building up fills; the body of the car dumps being raised by means of counterweight, air or hand power. |
| MWE | Ballast Spreader and Trimmer. A car with blades or wings for spreading or trimming ballast | |
| MWF | Flat | Used for transporting rails, ties or ballast and for storage of wrecking trucks, or gathering scraps along right of way. These cars are at times equipped with low sides, about 10 or 12 inches high |
| MWG | Gang | Section Gang or Track Inspection Car. Flat car, with or without seats or tool boxes, and equipped with single or double cylinder gasoline engine serving as motive power. |
| MWH | Hand Car | This car is flat and mounted on four wheels and propelled by means of pushing, known as "Push Car." |
| MWJ | A car equipped with machinery for pulling a plow through cars loaded with ballast. | |
| MWK | Snow-Removing Car. A car equipped with any special device for removing snow from between or alongside of rails. | |
| MWL | Hand Car. This is a small flat car, with or without seats, mounted on four wheels and propelled by means of cranks or hand levers. | |
| MWM | Store-Supply Car. A car equipped for handling material to be distributed for railway use. | |
| MWP | Pile Driver. A car equipped with machinery for pile driving. | |
| MWS | Steam Shovel. Car equipped with donkey engine. Having a boom of wood or steel and the end of which is a shovel or scoop. It may be propelled by its own power or by means of a locomotive and run as a c | |
| MWT | Tool and Block Car. A car used for the carrying all descriptions of tool equipment and blocking. This car has side and end housings and roof, also end platforms. There are doors in sides and ends and | |
| MWU | Wrecking Derrick. This derrick has boom and hoist fitted to frame of flat car and lifting done by means of hand power; propelled by locomotives. | |
| MWV | Wrecking Derrick. This derrick has boom and hoist fitted to flat car and having drum at one end to furnish means of hoisting; steam furnished to donkey engine, running drum, by means of flexible steam | |
| MWW | Wrecking Derrick. A derrick used for wrecking purposes having donkey engine to raise and lower booms and hoists; engine housed in and on separate platform with boom, is pivoted in center of car frame | |
| MWX | Boarding Outfit Car. This includes cars used for boarding, sleeping or cooking purposes in construction and similar work. | |
| Passenger | ||
| BE | Baggage Express | |
| BH | Baggage Horse | |
| BLF | Flat Car with containers for pax service | |
| BM | Milk car | |
| BMT | Milk car with tanks | |
| BP | Refrigerator Express | |
| BX | Box Express | |
| CA | Combine, Baggage/Pax | |
| CAD | Combine, Baggage/Pax - w/food service | |
| CO | Combine w/3 compartments - Baggage/PAX/Mail | |
| CSB | Baggage/Dormitory | |
| DA | Dinning Car | |
| DB | Buffet Car | |
| DC | caf� car | |
| DCL | Lunch Counter Lounge | |
| DD | Diner/Dorm | |
| DK | Dorm/Kitchen | |
| DL | Buffer/Lounge | |
| DO | Buffet Obs | |
| MA | RPO | Postal Car |
| MB | Mail/Bagage | |
| MR | Postal Storage | |
| PA | Passenger Car | |
| PAS | Pass/Sleeper | |
| PB | Coach/Chair | |
| PBO | Coach Obs | |
| PD | Tavern | |
| PO | Observation | |
| PS | Sleeper | |
| PSA | Dorm | |
| PV | Private |