The last few days I’ve spent a lot of time just trying to rationalize engine and car numbers. I mean, just about every piece of stock on every railroad has one. And generally, in real life, the number not only identifies the car/locomotive itself - but to those who have the key, the type and size as well…
I knew this, I’ve probably known it since I was about 10. I just never really bothered to think about it much when assigning numbers to stuff on my layout (beyond the low numbers were locomotives)… I mostly just dug out two decals that matched and slapped them on.
The result was predictable. Everything had a number. It even looked pretty good at a glance. But they meant nothing.
Now, I don’t count rivets. But I do generally like things at least summat plausible. I was going to just stick a 2x number on the RPO under construction when I looked over at the milk car with it’s 6xx number and thought, “Hmmmmmmmmm”.
The following is the best I could come up with - considering the hodgepodge I already had, and general unwillingness (or laziness) to renumber more stuff than I have to. If those of you into prototypical operation could give me pointers to improve it, I’d appreciate it.
Steam Locomotives:
#1-6 Narrow Gauge Switchers
#7,8 Narrow Gauge ‘Special’ or Mixed Traffic Engines
#9-12 Narrow Gauge Passenger Locomotives
#14-19 Narrow Gauge Freight Engines
Note 1: Prior to 1874 locomotives were identified only by name
#60-68 Standard Gauge Switchers
#80-95 Standard Gauge Freight Engines
Note 2: SG numbering only formally adopted in 1947. Prior to this, the number of the unit it replaced, or the next available one were given
Note 3: There are no SG passenger locomotives - as the AV was narrow gauge, and later dual gauge during the entirety of passenger operations.
Diesel Locomotives:
40-45 Narrow Gauge Switchers
#46-49 Standard Gauge Switchers
#50-59 Standard Gauge Road units
Rolling Stock:
#21-29 Narrow Gauge Passenger Equipment
#31-35 Narrow Gauge Baggage and Postal Cars
#71-79 Narrow Gauge Passenger Equipped Freight Cars
See note 2 above.
#100-129 Narrow Gauge Tank Cars
#130-137 Narrow Gauge Flatcars
#140-175 Narrow Gauge Boxcars
#240-249 Narrow Gauge Caboose
#301-345 Narrow Gauge Gondolas
#401-499 Narrow Gauge Hoppers
#501-545 Standard Gauge Hoppers
#551-559 Standard Gauge Flatcars
#561-579 Standard Gauge Tank Cars
#601-645 Standard Gauge Boxcar
#650-659 Standard Gauge Caboose
An X prefix: Special equipment - well cars, water cars, snow removal, fire fighting, cranes, etc.
X01-X30 Narrow Gauge
#X41-X55 Standard Gauge
An ‘M’ prefix: Added to any number is to designate that a car has been turned over to MoW service. The old general number may then be re-issued to another car if needed. For instance RPO #33 would become tool car #M33 or wreck crane #MX01
A ‘B’ prefix: Added to any number indicates the car has been assigned to in-house Business or Operating Department use. For instance inspection truck #B3, or the business car “Kimberly” would be listed in the files as #B21
Does any of this make any sense at all? Suggestions?