CARPACK PT3

A look at cars in Hillsdale Yard...

Bay window caboose 4368 sits between assignments. She now has painted wheel sets.

A well weathered NS boxcar sits in the yard. Note the "waffles" indentations on the side: these are for the interior load restraint braces; the "waffles" allow a smooth interior wall without projecting brackets which might damage the load.

A repainted gon, now in the simplified scheme with reflective striping.

A companion car, in the as-delivered scheme, for comparison. Both cars are loaded with scrap for Wilson Steel.

A newly rebuilt stack car. This one features both the new TTX logo and the "Forward Thinking" slogan.

Another rebuilt stack car; this one with only the new logo, but it's much larger. Both cars were cut-down from 48' all-purpose cars; note the bases for the now-removed trailer hitches at each end. With the demise of 48' containers in favor of their bigger 53' cousins, many of the 48' well cars are being rebuilt either to the longer 53' length or the shorter 40' length, like these two.

A LONG LOAD PT2

Last week, we saw that the support saddle for the load on the Schnabel car had failed, dropping on the rails. After two big cranes were called in to lift the load, and a new saddle was trucked in, the bad support was replaced, and now, the car is good to go.

After the saddle replacement. Fortunately, there was no damage to the load -or, surprisingly, any major damage to the track. Still, the rails will be inspected fully after the train departs.

The engine for the train, EMDX 1201, is a specially painted demo unit. While the other SD70ACe demos were blue, 1201 is painted in official Caterpillar Yellow, to signify their purchase of EMD in 2010.

The train pulls out of the yard...10 days after its arrival.

The massive car and load combination dominate the yard!

Chris stands by as the train rolls past.

The load is a retort cylinder for Allegheny Refining. It will be used in the refining process to create oil from shale gas.

Once again, the extreme overhang of the car and load fouls the adjacent main on the curve. The load is 67' long, and each half of the Schnabel car is 83' -for a total length of 233'! A long load indeed!

A LONG LOAD, PT1

Another oversized load rolls into town.

The train is lead by yellow-painted EMD SD70ACe demonstrator 1201.

As the train eases around the curve, the overhang from the load carries over the adjacent track!

After the train has passed the switch, Jason sets it for the siding. The train will then back onto the track and tie up for the night.

With the train tied up, a tanker rolls in to fill up the motive power.

The next morning, the train appears ready to depart... But notice the crowd around the load...

During the night, the support for the load failed, dropping onto the rails! Obviously, the shipment will be delayed -for a while!

IN THE YARDS PT26

A short string of MOW cars sit in Hillsdale Yard.

The first car is an old derrick car, updated with roller bearing trucks. It is nothing more than a flatcar equipped with sideboards on one end, and a derrick hoist mounted on the other end. It is useful for installing/removing line side equipment, such as signal cabinets and switch stands; however with the versatility of hi-rail trucks, and self-powered cranes, this car is largely obsolete.

The middle car is a regular flatcar, with a backhoe on top. It, too, has been updated with roller bearing trucks, and now has reflective striping added; however, it lacks reporting marks!

The final car is yet another rare find today; a MOW boxcar. And note that it still has its original friction-bearing trucks and roofwalk! At least it has reporting marks -the original marks from when it was converted over to the maintenance fleet!

Basking in the late afternoon sun, SD40 3163 awaits her next call to duty. It may be officially "Spring", but it's still cold enough for the shop forces to keep the door closed!