THE 4TH WEEKEND, PT 4

 The America Units are passing through Hillsdale with CHINYC1136X, a priority intermodal. The conclusion to the train...

The Breast Cancer car, loaded with an XPO Logistics box on the bottom, and a FFE/KLLM reefer box on top.

Tiger Cool Express and Twin Logistics.

Blasphemy! A UPS box atop a FedEx box!

More FedEx and UPS boxes with Alliance Shippers and other's reefer containers on top.

More Tiger Cool Express reefers.

The final section is all C.R. England.

Since these are all reefer containers, the bottom containers are placed in the well with the reefer units facing away from the direction of travel -again, to keep them from intaking too much road dust and grime.

At the end of CHINYC1136X, is a DPU (Distributed Power Unit) helper.

Shoving hard om the rear is ET44AC 500, the Breast Cancer Unit.

As engine 500 shoves CHINYC1136X out of town, we come to the end of yet another train. What's next? We shall see!

THE 4TH WEEKEND, PT 3

 During the 4th of July weekend, the America Units met a Shipper's Special pulled by a pair of borrowed NS AC44C6M's. The Shipper's Special was a Maersk train, the end of which we see here...

An almost-new MAXI I well car, with both 40' and 45' containers, with a mix of lettering schemes.

A pair of 40' rebuilt Thrall well cars brings up the rear. Note the first car has the old logo, while the second car has the new one (and is much cleaner!).

With the Shipper's Special now cleared, CHINYC1136X now moves forward out of Hillsdale Yard.

As usual, the units are in numerical order, with 1876 ("Stars") being the "middle child."

In addition to being in numerical order, these hard working engines are also being kept unusually clean!

CHINYC1136X being a Priority intermodal, it has lots of reefer containers, as well as plenty of UPS and FedEx containers.

More hot traffic.

The AP&W's preference is to have refrigerated containers in the top-stacked position, to keep the reefer units from getting too much dust and reducing their efficiency. This also protects both the reefer units and the fuel tanks underneath them from any objects kicked up by the train as it rolls along at speed.

More grey FedEx containers, along with KLLM/FFE reefers.

Plenty of foodstuff -fresh and frozen- is moving east from Chicago to New York City, along with packages being carried by FedEx and UPS (the white containers).

Produce and various meats are in the reefers, along other temperature-controlled goods. Note the pink "On Track for the Cure" well car.

The conclusion to CHINYC1136X next week.

THE 4TH WEEKEND, PT 2

 During the 4th of July weekend, the America Units met a Shipper's Special pulled by a pair of NS AC44C6M's being tested by the AP&W. The Shipper's Special was a Maersk train...

While not all of the containers are Maersk, most of them are.

                                        

 DTTX 64019 is a Trinity-built 5-unit well car with 40' wells, and "assigned" to Maersk. Note the tarp-tops, along with a pair of 20' boxes.

A white reefer box and another tarp-top (also nick-named "rag-tops) under the 45' container.

A 45' box atop a pair of 20 footers.

                                                 

One of the "rainbow" containers, along with several lettered "MAERSK LINE."

Another 45' box, this one lettered Maersk Sealand. There are also a pair of COSCO containers, including a tarp-top, and an MSC 20' box.

More Maersk, this time in an AP&W well car. Note the ZIM tarp-top.

Another 45 footer is among the containers here.

The string of solid Maersk containers continue.

                                       

The America Units wait patiently for their turn. It comes soon!

THE 4TH WEEKEND, PT 1

 Over the 4th of July weekend, Hillsdale saw some interesting visitors...

As is often the case, the three America Units are on the point of a passing intermodal. However, the train is stopped for a meet with another intermodal...

A Shipper's Special, SPM4000X1, rounds the curve into town.

A pair of NS AC44C6M's roll into Hillsdale Yard.

The "shipper" of the Shipper's Special? Maersk Shipping!

NS 4000 is one of the two original AC44C6M's; standard cab C40-9's rebuilt with new wide cabs and AC traction motored trucks, replacing the DC motored trucks. There is also a new auxiliary "cab" with the AC cabinetry, displacing the a/c unit from behind the cab to underneath it. There was also an upgrade in horsepower, from 4100hp to 4400hp, as well as new electronics. This unit, and her sister 4001, were nick-named the "Sonic Bonnets" due to their unique paint scheme.

NS 4004 is another one of the original rebuilds, but she and her sisters 4002, 4003, and 4005, received black "manes" instead of blue. 4004 and 4005 have the blue edging, signifying their rebuild at NS' ex-Conrail, ex-Penn Central, nee-Pennsylvania Altoona shop. 4002 and 4003 have Tuscan edging, as they were rebuilt at NS' ex-N&W Roanoke shop. With a modest fleet of almost 200 Dash 9's now approaching 30 years old, the AP&W is testing NS' rebuilds to see if there would be an advantage to rebuilding it's own fleet versus buying new locomotives.

The meeting of engines. The America Units are a decade younger than the NS units, but the rebuilding qualifies the AC44C6M's as "newer!"

The America Units are in charge of CHINYC1136X, and the train is loaded with reefers and hot UPS and FedEx shipments. Normally, this train would take priority over the Shipper's Special, but trackwork has thrown the proverbial "Monkey Wrench" into the train scheduling.

Lots of FedEx traffic, along with reefer containers. The AP&W's preferred loading pattern is to have the reefer containers top-stacked, to protect the reefers from road grime.

More reefer boxes and FedEx and UPS dry boxes.

More of SPM4000X1 next week.

MMEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND PT 3

 During Memorial Day weekend, ET44AC 530 rolled through Hillsdale with a short military train. The rest of the train...

Behind the tanks and Bradley's are several TPDX 89' flatcars, designated "MILITARY USE ONLY." These are brand-new 110T flatcars, built by Greenbriar, for transporting military equipment, such as these Army containers. Seen here, from left-to-right are; a Quadcon, a 20' Conex, a Tricon, and another Quadcon. The Tricons and Quadcons are versatile mini-containers which can be joined together into a single 20' unit for shipping as seen here.

This car has all 20' Conex's, in three different colors! The TPDX flats also have chain slots in the deck for vehicle loads, as well as stack pockets on the sides, making them useful for a variety of loads. They are NOT used, however, for tracked vehicles -only DODX flats are used for those.

Bringing up the rear is a special Tribute car.

The full-dome is a fitting end to this Memorial Day Weekend train.

Final Tribute; a new KW T880 pulls the POW-MIA trailer through town.

Again, thanks to all those who have served our Great Nation and continue to do so.