Near Union in McHenry County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
TCAX (Thrall Car Co.) 20306
1971 All-Door Boxcar
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 6, 2010
1. TCAX (Thrall Car Co.) 20306 Marker
Boxcars made up the largest portion of most railroad's freight car fleets until nearly the end of the Twentieth Century. They were used to carry almost any type of non-perishable solid cargo, ranging from cartons, crates, and bags of merchandise to complete automobiles and loose grain.
Due to its length, lumber is difficult to load through the doors of a standard boxcar except by hand, a few pieces at a time. Thrall developed the All-Door steel boxcar in 1967 specifically for shipment of wood products. Each car side has a pair of 25' wide doors, permitting bundles of lumber and materials such as plywood to be loaded by forklifts.
TCAX 20306 was retired in 1995. It was refurbished and donated to IRM by GE Capital Railcar in 1998, and is operational.
Builder: Thrall Car Co.
Loading: Lumber products
Empty Weight: 82,400 lbs
Capacity: 137,000 lbs
Nominal Length: 56 ft
Erected by Illinois Railway Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1967.
Location. 42° 13.679′ N, 88° 31.571′ W. Marker is near Union, Illinois, in McHenry County. Marker is on the unit, in Yard 5, on the grounds of the Illinois Railway Museum. Touch for map
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific 37A (a few steps from this marker); Chicago and North Western 9933 (within shouting distance of this marker); Soo/Milwaukee Road X-5001 (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific 18 (within shouting distance of this marker); Early Railroad Signals (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Railroad Cats (about 300 feet away); Railroad Rails (about 300 feet away); Railroad Standard Time (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Union.
Also see . . .
1. Trinity Industries to buy Thrall (2001). Atlanta Business Chronicle website entry (Submitted on December 22, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Railroad Supply Industry. Encyclopedia of Chicago website entry (Submitted on December 22, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Illinois Railwaay Museum. Museum website homepage (Submitted on December 22, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., http://www
2. TCAX (Thrall Car Co.) 20306 and Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., http://www
3. TCAX (Thrall Car Co.) 20306 Door Markings
Credits. This page was last revised on January 17, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 968 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 22, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
