Photo by: Jim Thorington - Birmingham, AL - May 1971

39 CARS • 6 AXLES • BUCKEYE TRUCKS

AMF, October 1969-February 1970

99,000 pounds Light Weight

295,000 pounds Load Limit

394,000 pounds Gross Weight

35,400 gallons

73-08 Outside Length

15-06 Outside Extreme Height

10-06 Outside Extreme Width

AAR Class : T019 (non-preassure aluminum tank)

Plate C

Built for Celtran, Inc., a subsidiary of the Celanese Corp.

Initially used for Acetic Acid and Acetic Anhydride service.

Listed in Official Railway Equipment Register : JUL 1969-2013 (see below)

These cars, as well as CELX 6400-6458, are the only RailWhales with aluminum tanks and steel centersills; and because of Federal regulations, they were fitted with steel head shields during the 1980's. 

For many years all of the CELX 6-axle cars were loaded at the Celanese Corp.'s Pampa Plant in Kings Mill, Texas – located on the Santa Fe (later BNSF) 50 miles northeast of Amarillo – and their destinations were Celco (Narrows), VA on the Norfolk & Western (former Virginian and now the Norfolk Southern) or Celriver (Rock Hill), SC on the Southern Railway (NS) 20 miles south-southwest of Charlotte.  Cars were routed via Kansas City or New Orleans, depending on their destination.

In early 2009, after Celanese sold the Pampa Plant, the home base for these cars became the Clear Lake Facility at Pasadena, TX, on the southeast side of the Houston metro area.  Cars are kept on the Union Pacific at Bayport until needed.  After the move to Pasadena, shipments to Celco and Celriver declined; and as of mid-2013 the destination for most of the cars is Camcel (Ocotl�n), Jalisco, Mexico on Ferromex; with a smaller number going to Enoree, SC on the CSX.

All but one of the cars in this series were in service for their 40th birthday, and the APR 2013 ORER showed that five cars had been retired.  All of the CELX 6-axle cars were certified for continued operation until age 50, and they are the only RailWhales in unrestricted interchange service in 2013. 

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CELX 10400	David Olsen	Atlanta, GA; 03/19/2016
CELX 10400	David Olsen	Atlanta, GA; 03/19/2016
CELX 10406	Michael Palmieri	New Orleans, LA; 04/16/1978
CELX 10410	Brian Ehni
CELX 10420	Brian Ehni
CELX 10423	Jim Kinkaid
CELX 10423	Jim Kinkaid	detail
CELX 10423	Tony Sissons	Charlotte, NC; 01/18/2001
CELX 10425	Jim Thorington	Birmingham, AL; 5/1971
CELX 10425	Kurt Hamton
CELX 10428	Lee A. Gautreaux	Schriever, LA; 11/22/2011
CELX 10428	Lee A. Gautreaux	Schriever, LA; 11/22/2011
CELX 10428	Lee A. Gautreaux	Schriever, LA; 11/22/2011
CELX 10430	Jim Kinkaid
CELX 10431	Michael Palmieri	New Orleans, LA; 02/22/1979
CELX 10434	Michael Palmieri	New Orleans, LA; 09/30/1978
CELX 10437	Brian Ehni

© 2003-2013 Michael M. Palmieri