Nearly 100 years old, this scale test car was built in 1917 by NCStL. Later, it became part of L&N which is most of the modern paint scheme. A scale test car is a maintenance car used to calibrate scales. This car was known to have an exact weight of 90,000 pounds. Many scale test cars were small, old railroad cars carrying heavy metal weights as their superstructure. Scale test cars needed special handling so they would not suffer damage, which might alter their weight. (This one reads "To be hauled next to caboose.") They were reweighed periodically on accurate scales at the railroad's shops. the last digit is faded but this one was dated 1-22-9?. Today the scale test car is part of the rolling stock equipment owned by the Tennessee Central Railway Museum. However, they must be out of space at the museum as I found this and several other train cars a couple of counties away stored at a passing loop near Carthage Junction, TN.