TOWN LIFE PT 14; TRUCKS

 

A Transport America semi heads downtown to deliver a load of merchandise to the internet retailer.

Another truck is leaving from downtown, with a load of fresh dairy products headed to Uniontown.

Yet another reefer semi heads out after dropping off fresh meat at the grocery distributor.

A flatbed truck hauls a a load of coiled steel. It was for TC Tool & Die, but sales dropped, so they sold it to another metal shop in Dale City.

The Swope Scavenger Refuse Company has a new Mack Granite roll-off dumpster truck!

The truck drops off an equally new dumpster. It won't stay clean for long!

Later, the truck rolls through town, empty. The truck probably won't stay very clean for long either!

The UPS Freight semi makes its turn down Market St., as traffic proceeds through the intersection -now controlled by the new pair of traffic lights.

PASSING TRAINS PT 20; SND40 PT3

 SND40 continues...

As seen last week, unit 1976 is the mi-train helper, instead of its usual position on the head-end. The AP&W, like most other major railroads, is experimenting with Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR). Hence, SND40 is almost two trains combined into one -the second train being the spine cars following 1976.

Clean trailers contrast with a grimy spine car, as the "second half" of the train rolls through.

Another dirty spine car, with a pair of clean trailers.

It's not just trailers, containers ride modern day spines too!

More trailers and containers. The second half of the train is all spine cars. While other roads may mix spines and stacks together, the AP&W rarely does, due to the much lighter weight of the spine cars. This is also why 1976 is mid-train instead of at the rear, pushing.

Occasionally, containers ride on chassis in trains, like this one is doing. That spine car won't stay clean for long!

The EOT flashes as SND40 rolls through -and out of- Hillsdale. The shop worker is a bit too close to the tracks -the train rolled through at 50 mph!

PASSING TRAINS PT 20; SND40 PT 2

 Train SND40 continues...

While both containers look similar, they are actually two versions of Hyundai containers; the top one is an early 53' box, while the bottom one is a later variant -note the silver roof rail on the top between the stacking posts. Also, the stacking posts themselves are (very) different.

Another pair of exterior post containers, from two different manufacturers; the top one is a Stoughton, the bottom one is a Hyundai (yes, they make containers. And trailers).

A BNSF MAXI IV joins the string of TTX cars.

A pair of late Hyundai containers ride a single-unit NSC well car. Note the wide "triple-bar" stacking posts, which make these boxes stand out. (Click on pic to enlarge)

Another TTX MAXI IV with graffiti -and more variety among containers styles, including both exterior post and fully corrugated.

SND40 snakes through the yard. Note the different roof styles; the fully corrugated containers have roofs to match, while the exterior post containers have the traditional flat roofs.

Pushing hard on the stacks is a mid-train helper -1976 in DPU (Distributed Power Unit) mode!

The end of the train is near -stay tuned next week!

PASSING TRAINS PT 20; SND40

 Train SND40, the west bound Schneider intermodal, rolls through Hillsdale...

On this Fourth of July weekend, the America units are back!

The third unit, however, is a stranger -the Erie Lackawanna heritage unit.

1776 and 1876 lead 1960, and SND40. If three "years" of GE ES44AC's isn't enough, another Heritage unit, the Interstate unit, is in the yard -that makes four GE's in one picture! 

Another look at 1960, numbered for the year the Erie Lackawanna was formed.

Two unusual Schneider containers; the bottom one is a rare white container, while the top one is an ex-Marten container -only the sides were repainted, but not the roof!

Not all of the containers are Schneider boxes; here a Hub Group box rides the lower position in a rebuilt Gunderson 53' well car.

Another Gunderson well car, this time a three-unit MAXI IV car, carries a variety of containers -and graffiti.

Another MAXI IV car, recently repainted with the new red TTX logo. Note the two different shades of orange on the middle pair of containers; the bottom one is another ex-Marten container. Also, the repaint has the new logo; the company recently dropped the word "National" from its name, so now it's just "Schneider" on all of its equipment.

More SND40 next week.