KarTrak ACI Barcode Generator?

[C855B]

...It can’t be that deep a dive for prototype fidelity, can it?

Sort of. Since I'm already doing custom decals for the big SD45 project @MRLX1020 and I are about to undertake, may as well have the right KarTrak barcodes. Not like anybody's going to notice. 

[peteski]

You know this means you are now obligated to produce a functioning ACI reader....

Right?   

That thought did cross my mind. 

[C855B]

Thanks, everybody, for the assistance. Here is the KarTrak for UP3621, as an example:

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Reduction to N scale successfully printed on a photo-quality inkjet, but the checkerboard pattern blurred to make it too dark. In looking for scale decals, at least one supplier used light gray instead of the checkerboard, so I will try that next to see if it helps to make the colors more visible. But generally this is a perfectly usable method should somebody grab a model off the layout for viewing under a microscope.

 

EDIT: I did the light gray tweak... and the N scale version is readable under a 10X loupe. Sort of a shock, really, but I'll take it! Pete? Better work on that scanner! LOL!

[learmoia]

What about increasing the size of the checker pattern?

[samusi01]

Apropos of nothing at all, here's the remains of a barcode in September of '24... today, as a matter of fact.

[cv_acr]

Apropos of nothing at all, here's the remains of a barcode in September of '24... today, as a matter of fact.

They were used up to 1977, and AAR rules limit/allow a car built after July 1974 to 50 years in interchange service. (40 years for cars built before July 1974.)

Meaning there's about three years left (2027) to potentially see cars in original 1977 factory paint jobs with ACI labels in service.

[C855B]

They were used up to 1977, and AAR rules limit/allow a car built after July 1974 to 50 years in interchange service. (40 years for cars built before July 1974.)

Meaning there's about three years left (2027) to potentially see cars in original 1977 factory paint jobs with ACI labels in service.

Yep. We were stopped at a crossing (aw, shucks  ) for a coal train recently and there were two hoppers with barcodes. I had to explain to my wife why I was flipping out.   

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I saw one yesterday!

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/865595/

It was on one of these AMGX mega scrap gons, like this:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5947811

[turbowhiz]

I applaud the effort for correct ACI tags. Even in my casual application of tags from the Microscale set on CP 7091 here, I tried to find the best match from the decal set from the proto photos. No one probably would even notice the tag addition besides myself, nerveless the pattern. I spent WAY too long attempting that, but it made me happy.

(The Microscale set I think only has 5 different patterns as it turns out as I recall)

[jagged ben]

I saw one yesterday!

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/865595/

It was on one of these AMGX mega scrap gons, like this:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5947811

I see them frequently on MWCX gons around here.