12-25-2009, 11:43 PM
steinjr Wrote:Car that when emptied does not have to be returned to the car owner, but can be sent anywhere with it's next load. Cuts down on having to haul empty cars long distances, and saves the railroads capacity and money - an empty car takes up the same length in a train as a loaded car, but brings in no revenue.
Actually a pool car is exactly the opposite. It is a car that is in assigned service that cannot be reloaded. Specially equipped cars (covered hoppers, reefers, tank cars, load divider boxcars, cushion underframe boxcars) can be assigned to a specific shipper for a particular service, typically the roads participating in the ine haul each contribute cars. The cars are maintained in the service between the shipper and its customer and all the cars when empty are reverse routed home. The cars are normally stenciled "When empty return to...".
TTX cars are pool cars because they are specially equipped cars and they are in assigned service also. RBOX and GONX cars are general service cars and not in pools. Other TTX boxcars are specially equipped cars and could be in pools.