lettering set for RI’s 53’-6” 50-ton flatcars

In 1937, the RI needed longer flatcars, nding the existing eet of 43’ and 46‘ flatcars no longer adequate. The RI’s Blue Island Car Shop in south Chicago, solved this problem by cutting 43’ flatcars in half and adding a 10’-6” new section in the middle of the older cars, resulting in two rivet plates at each splice as seen on the side sill of 90265 above. Series 90500-90798 on the other hand was built using RI’s older 46’ flatcars by adding a 7’-6“ section. Series 90800-91099 were built at Blue Island as an all new car during the WWII when steel usage was curtailed. These 300 cars were part of the Nation-wide freight cars known as “War Emergency” cars and this particular car employed 6 wood 4x4 stringers. Additonally the 90800-91099 series were built using steel only available in lengths shorter than the 53’6“ required and consequently were built in two halfs with a center rivet plate on the side sill. The splice in the center sill was off-set from the side rivet plate so as to preclude a weakened area. See RI 90937 below. All in all these stretched hi-breds numbered 1,099 cars. Finally in 1951, Blue Island shops built 500, 50-ton conventional flat cars of the AAR design. All were produced and numbered or renumbered as follows:

 

Series 90000-90199, 200 cars, Blue Island shops - delivered in 1937 using 4 - 4” steel Z stringers (from 43’ cars 91750-91999)

Series 90200-90249, 50 cars, Blue Island shops - delivered in 1939-41 using 4 - 4” steel Z stringers

Series 90250-90499, 250 cars, Blue Island shops - delivered in 1940-41 using 4 - 4” steel Z stringers

Series 90500-90798, 299 cars, Blue Island shops - delivered in 1941 using 4 - 4” steel Z stringers

Series 90800-91099, 300 cars, Blue Island shops - delivered in 1942-43 using 6 - 4”x4” wood stringers

Series 91100-91599, 500 cars, Blue Island shops - delivered March 1951 using 4 - 4” steel Z stringers
 

Note: in 1951, three cars, 90813, 90886 and 90925 were equipped with bulkheads spaced 44’-11” apart and 6’6” high for wallboard service.

Paint & Lettering: Cars were painted with Rock Island’s freight car red TCP197; lettering with all-white stencil paste. No end lettering.

Decal set designed and created at Protocraft Decals

Printed by Microscale Industries