Tank Car Identification

All tank cars when built are given a Prefix and Number. They must appear in the proper locations on the tank car. This, as well as information on the tank car itself, are kept in the Train & Umler Data Specifications File maintained by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Check for clarity and condition of all stenciling. Each tank car is required to be marked per AAR requirements, including stenciling and stamping.

The 'X' of the prefix stands for private ownership.

For example:
    AIDX 2000 is owned by A.I.D.,Inc.

    GATX 2000 is owned by General American Transportation Corporation

Stenciling cannot be changed without contacting your Corporate Logistics Department.

Some tank cars have the same number but different prefixes, so taking the time to check the number and prefix is very important. Was this the tank car ordered to your load location?

Not all products will explode or cause a fire if they are mistakenly mixed, but some products will. Even if two materials don't react adversely, the downtime, effort, and the added cost can all be avoided if you take the time to ensure that you have the correct tank car.