There is a private railcar repair shop just north of Sunset Station at the old SP shops where the mainline curves east to head to East Yard. Harold Schroder does contract repairs for the railroads or for private concerns such as museum or private car owners.
Russell, sounds like you know what's happenin! I'm curious, though, about the type of autorack that might be. It looks new, not old, and the paneling on the side looks like no other autorack I can recall seeing...
Getting Closer... Enclosed Autorack Number Series: CNA 712800-712999 Builder: Johnstown America Acquired: New 2004
I believe I read that "CNA" is CN's new reporting mark for "Canadian National America" or "Canadian North America"(?) representing their expanding aquisition of US properties, or their expansion into a greater North American market. A cursory Google search didn't produce any explanation except that CN uses both marks. I have seen various CNA cars, including auto racks similar to the one in the photo, on CSX trains between New Orleans, LA and Mobile, AL over the past year. [ February 20, 2005, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: Hytec ]
They have been around for a while now. CN is the only road I've seen so far out on the rails. Good info here on the AVC Multi-level (Aluminum Vehicle Carrier). http://www.johnstownamerica.com/products/fcp_automotive.htm
CNA is the reporting mark for Canadian National cars that were built in the US for international service. CNIS are on cars built in Canada for international service...I think.
Auto rack fer sure. Looks like a bi-level. Whatever it is, they are all a PITA to switch and they'll "string line" on ya in a New York minute if you don't know what you're doing. CT
I see auto-rack trains daily on UP's Choctaw Sub south of Denison, TX (ex-MKT/T&P main), but no cars like that one- at least not yet.
"stringline" Take a length of string, any length,any kind of string. make a radius of a circle, ie semi-circular or " smiley face" shape with this piece of string. Pull on one end of the string and see what happens. The same laws of physics that straightened out that string also apply to freight cars that are on a curved track. Pull too hard on em and you will lay them over on their sides. The same thing also happens if you use the airbrakes incorrectly. The independent brake valve is known as the "jammer". it gets that name not so much because you "jam" it on when your train is in trouble, but because it will get you "in a jam" if you dont know how the hell to use it. You use that independent the wrong way when you are switching auto racks in the yard, I guarantee you that you'll make two phone calls. One to tell your wife(or SOP) that you are on the way home and the other one to the Unemployment board to find out their hours of operation! CT
