PASSING TRAINS PT48; PT2

From last week's view of train PN70, the Pittsburgh-NYC manifest...

A pair of well-weathered boxcars return to the Northeast.

Another boxcar, a patch job now with TBOX reporting marks, followed by a pair of tank cars.

The second tank car's diminutive size is highlighted by the other cars in the train.

A pair of pressure-differential hoppers follow the tank cars, bringing flour for Northeast bakeries.

More lumber loads.

A lone molten sulfur car in the middle of the train.
The last of the train to come next week...

PASSING TRAINS PT48, PT1

Last week saw the end of train DBC47, the intermodal to Chicago. Now, it's time to check out the other train, PN70, the Pittsburgh-New York City manifest...

Despite its short run, the train stops for a crew change; they have been on the clock since midnight, as they started on another manifest from Dayton, Oh. to Pittsburgh. Now they will get an afternoon/evening rest before heading out again tonight on train NC85, the NYC-Cleveland manifest. The train is due in Hillsdale at around 11:00 PM.

Right behind the power is a large, 60', boxcar, designed for lumber loads. In fact, this train is loaded with building supplies, as the summer construction season progresses in the Northeast.

The first of many lumber loads on centerbeam flatcars.

Several hoppers are loaded with sand, cement and roofing granules.

More two-bay hoppers.

More of the train. As can be seen, there are more lumber loads, as well as hoppers and boxcars, and even a tank car. All this awaits us next week...

PASSING TRAINS PT47; PT3

Trains DBC47 and PN70 are crossing paths in Hillsdale...

As DBC47 rolls on, the power for PN70 slowly rolls in with their train.

Meanwhile, on DBC47, UPS containers ride in a BNSF car.

More UPS containers, this time a string of their unique 28' boxes.

Both the car and the containers display new logos from their respective owners!

A pair of AP&W cars. AP&W and TTX are the only two purchasers of the Gunderson 56' Husky Stack well car.

AP&W 8900 carries four UPS boxes in the original paint scheme; the car, too, carries its original paint.

AP&W 8945 has four boxes in the latest UPS scheme. It also has a slightly different lettering plan; the reporting marks are shifted further to the end, and the car has five reflective strips instead of the three on 8900.Next week, we watch PN70 roll through!

PASSING TRAINS PT47; PT2

Last week, the America units rolled into town. Now, more of their train...

Like most intermodal trains, DCB 47 has plenty of JB Hunt containers.

A number of Hunt reefer boxes are in the train, including one of the specially painted "How cool is that?" containers.

A lone HUB Group container breaks up the Hunt parade, which includes still more reefer boxes.

Four reefer boxes, two paint schemes. The "Intermodal" scheme is the newer of the two.

More reefer boxes include these NFI "RoadRail" units.

Plenty of C.R. England reefers are in the train, along with Tiger CoolExpress units. While perishable traffic has always moved from coast to coast by rail, the rise in intermodal shipping, combined with the ageing of the traditional reefer car fleet has lead to the dramatic upswing in 53' refrigerated container traffic between the coasts. While railcars still move goods from warehouse to warehouse, the reefer container can move goods from customer to customer, reducing both the amount of handling (and labor costs) and overall transit time.

ON THE 4TH; PASSING TRAINS PT47, PT1

On this weekend of the Fourth of July, the America units roll through Hillsdale...

Led, as usual, by 1776, the "Flag" unit, the trio rolls through the yard with DBC47, headed to Chicago.

A pair of FedEx Multimodal boxes are on the head end (only two?).

A pair of APL boxes, followed by a Cold Train Intermodal reefer box on a Swift box.

A Marten box is among more Swift boxes, followed by another pair of Cold Train Intermodal reefers. Cold Train began reefer box service from Washington and Oregon in 2010, shipping to 19 states at its peak. Unfortunately, poor service from BNSF led to the discontinuation of service in 2014.

A view of the Cold Train Intermodal reefer boxes, with a pair of JB Hunt Intermodal boxes following.

As DBC47 leaves town, another train enters; PN70, the Pittsburgh-NYC manifest.Between these two trains, the next month will be booked!