CARPACK

 Last week saw a string of cars waiting to be delivered to Pete's Plastics. This week, we'll take a closer look at these and a few other cars...

CEFX 500589 is now working for its fourth owner! Originally owned by the Bangor and Aroostook, it and its sisters were then sold to the Wisconsin Central, becoming the property of Canadian National when it bought the WC. Now owned by CIT Group/Capital Leasing, the graffiti has been painted over (for now).

ITFX 501222 is another car with multiple owners. Now owned by Infinity Transportation, LLC., it, too, has graffiti painted out. (Note: this car is a "stand-in"; the real ITFX 501222 has single, large plug doors, not twin sliding doors.)

SPCX 930 is a Thrall 5750 cuft. carbon black hopper car, still in it's original 80's paint! The FRA-224 required reflective safety striping has been added to the sides, to improve the visibility of the car in low-light conditions. 

DOWX 66122 is an ACF plastic pellet hopper. Unlike the other three cars, this one has plenty of graffiti on its sides. Normally, Pete's would be getting a string of hoppers, but there is only one here as it has a different type of plastic from what they normally use -these cars are for a test order of cup holders, as the company looks to expand its product line to stay competitive in an ever-changing markerplace.

MRT 76125 is another hopper car still in it's original 80's paint. Time, weather, and graffiti have taken their toll.

TTMX 80636 is an aging 68' flatcar that is nearing retirement after 50 years of service. Until then, it continues to work; it will soon be sent to Wilson Steel for a load, along with those gons behind it loaded with shredded scrap steel.

IN THE YARDS PT8

 

A worker checks the AEI readers. While the inevitable coating of dirt and grime won't affect the readers' abilities, if any moisture gets inside them, it will affect the electronics.

Later, Hank prepares to get in one of the transport rigs, to move the piece of equipment to a nearby job site. With fall now here, the railroad is making sure the line is ready for winter!

Another semi-tractor and a repair truck sit at the other end of the yard, awaiting the call to action.

Yet another semi moves an ex-Schneider trailer, now owned by the railroad for storage.

Dash 9-44 5410, the Rock Island Heritage unit, suns herself in the yard between assignments.

A short string of freight cars sit in the yard. These cars are headed for Pete's Plastics. Several tracks over is a string of gons loaded with scrap, destined for Wilson Steel. Next week, we'll be taking a look at the boxcars and hoppers, along with a few other cars.

PASSING TRAINS PT 23: CSX OIL TRAIN

A re-routed CSX oil train is headed westbound through Hillsdale due to a grade crossing accident on CSX' ex-B&O main...

Not only do local railfans get to see CSX power, but today's train is even more special -it's led by all three of CSX's "Pride In Service" units, returning from their appearance at the SMS Railroad's "Rails & Wheels" show event in Bridgeport, NJ!

The lead unit, 3194, is the "Law Enforcement" unit.

The second unit, 911, is the "EMS/First Responders" unit.

The third unit, 1776, is the "Armed Forces" unit.

The buffer car on the head end is RFMX 464302, an ex-Penn Central hopper car now owned by a private shipper, Robert F Miller.

Like the regular AP&W oil trains, a long string of tank cars follows.

Another look at the foreign power as it rolls through town.

An AP&W hopper brings up the rear! Just like BNSF's buffer cars will sometimes stay with the trains after they leave home rails, the AP&W's buffer cars sometimes end up on other East Coast oil trains as well. The train is headed back to Chicago, where it will be handed over to the BNSF for forwarding to Iowa for re-loading. Meanwhile, the AP&W hopper will be placed on another eastbound oil train -probably OM518.

TRAIN MEET: PASSING TRAINS PT 22 (4)

 The conclusion to CNY60...

A DART trailer and container, followed by the first of the C.R. England reefers.

More C.R. England reefers. Note the last one is a C.R. England Intermodal trailer.

An XTRA Lease reefer, followed by a CIE Intermodal box and a HUB Group box.

The AP&W's quality intermodal service has attracted new clients; Averitt Express and KLLM, another refrigerated carrier that has taken to the rails as of late.

A pair of FedEx Freight 53' vans bookend a Stevens Transport 53' reefer -yet another refrigerated carrier that has gotten into the intermodal game.

Another pair of 28' pups -a UPS container/chassis and a YRC conventional trailer- followed by another XTRA trailer -this one a dry van leased to the USPS- and a Vermont Railway 53' van to bring up the rear.

The EOT flashes "goodbye" as CNY60 leaves town. Surprisingly, there were NO stacks in the train!

Next week, a special set of visitors pass through Hillsdale!

TRAIN MEET; PASSING TRAINS PT 22 (3)

Last week, CNY60 was cleared to proceed after the meet with IC209. Now, more of CNY60...

One of the containers is owned by DRT Transportation, a newcomer to the intermodal game.

A pair of Yellow Freight 28' pups, and another Alliance Shippers reefer.

Another UPS 28' container-on-chassis, followed by a montage of conventional 28' pup trailers; Roadway, Yellow, and YRC -the result of  the two companies merging.

A pair of UPS 53' trailers, followed by a Schneider van.

An AP&W van, and a DART trailer.

The rest of CNY60 next week.