Re: (erielack) The EL Hot 100...honorable mention #11

["Paul Brezicki" <doctorpb_@_bellsouth.net>]

The F89dh was ACF's second lo-deck with 89'0" deck, 10" EOCC and split
center-sill, built primarily for autorack service. 1130 cars were built from
1963-67, in between the similar classes F89bh (only 30 cars) blt in 2/63 and
F89wh (705 cars) blt 12/67-9/68. It was ACF's most numerous lo-deck design,
which also sold to SP (class F-70-48, 55 cars with Paragon fixed-deck
trilevels) and North American Car (6 trilevels leased to GTW, possibly
others). As an aside, the SP cars, along with several other groups of
autoracks, were de-racked in 1983 and converted to TOFC service (Two-45's)
when SP was desperate for TOFC/COFC capacity during the post-Staggers
intermodal boom. Only four cars were lengthened to 89'4", class F89dhm,
compared with 519 F89chm (by 4/1974) due to the extra work involved in
adding the 4" to the dual center-sills. Structural problems with the
"wishbone" sections of the sill design may also have been a deterrent; TT
made at least three attempts to correct this weakness shared by all classes
of split-sill cars. The F89d was the friction draft-gear version, with 300
cars built in 8/63. Like the contemporaneous P-S F89c, they were intended
primarily for TOFC service, but most ended up with cushion autoracks because
of booming automotive traffic. The TOFC version (40 cars in 1966) featured
recessed 50" ACF Model 2 hitches, eliminating the need for risers.

F89dh number series was 900000-906702, with many gaps filled by the
contemporaneous F89ch due to TT's numbering of similar classes from
different builders by lot order date. Roughly half were placed in KTTX
trilevel (elevating middle desk) service (600 cars in 10/69), most of the
balance were 432 RTTX (fixed trilevel) and 112 BTTX (bilevel). As I
mentioned in a previous post, a group of F89dh, along with F89uh and Alh10,
were de-racked in 1983 to form the 300-car fleet assigned to OBS perishable
TOFC service on CSX between Taft Fl and Wilmington De. The route included
low-clearance tunnels at Washington and Baltimore that mandated lo-deck
flats for 13'6" trailers. At the end of the decade, these cars went through
the wide-body program and are finishing their service lives in autorack
service.

Pat, I think you mentioned that you would eventually redo the list; in this
case the various series should be combined to position this car at #70, as
build lots of the same class and rep mark should not be considered as
separate series.

Paul B

 

Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2017 04:25:04 +0000 (UTC)

From: Patrick Moore <pat.moore_@_att.net>

Subject: (erielack) The EL Hot 100...honorable mention #11

 

List...

 

It seems like every class of tri-level auto rack was found in the EL Hot
100, except for this one.  Interspersed with all the larger groups of
Trailer Train lo-deck cars with KTTX reporting marks were the class F89dh
flats, which were found in several small groups scattered throughout the
more numerous F89ch flats.  Trailer Train class F89dh flats were found in
the number series 900606-900617, 901075-901091, 901740-901990,
902538-902677, 902851-902904, 903064-903143, 903343-903434, 903838-903996,
904155-904203, and 906700-906705. However, adding up all the small groups of
F89dh flats gives us 40 examples in the EL consist sheet database, which
would be good enough for 70th place in the Hot 100.

 

Picture...

http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=kttx903427
<http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=kttx903427&o=ttx> &o=ttx

 

 

Locations...

Like all other tri-levels, these racks could be seen going empty to Ford
Mahwah and then loaded for points west and south.  Others were found in GM
service loaded for F. J. Boutell in Jersey City, and loaded for Chrysler at
Mt. Pocono, PA.

 

Model...

None.

 

- - -pat

 

 

 



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