Yesterday morning, I was able to catch two bits of east end activity, first is an inbound crew making a long cur out of their train, having to foul the main to do so, And a bit later, I was just able to pull over, on the wrong side of the road, and catch this oil can pulling out. Eastbound usually is empty, but many of the cars seem to have compressed spring packs, indicating they are loaded. Don't know what that means. Also, earlier in the week, Wed morning, this coal train was heading east shortly after I set the coffee pot to brewing,
I'm thankful you keep shooting coal trains. Coal is dying at an alarming rate here in North Dakota and nationwide. For example in 2022, the Great River Energy power station in Underwood, ND will close, and the adjoining Falkirk Mine lignite producer will be threatened. We can hope the plant can find a buyer, and preserve the precious hundreds of jobs in this sparsely-populated region. https://bismarcktribune.com/news/st...cle_e23d6007-e56d-56e2-b414-e380251b818c.html
It has been a change watching the death of these coal trains, from 12 or more a day, every day, to 4 -6 a week. So I got up this morning and after coffee brewed, a coal load headed east, so I got dressed quick and ran out to Hodges arriving just in time to get this video:
They kept a lot of these in Auburn Yard here in Washington waiting for crews to head north, along with the oil trains. Now the yard is almost empty at times, except for grain trains waiting to go north. Cut the train movements in half here.
Memorial Day I was able to catch this guy awaiting a crew, It seemed like a neat shot, but the camera played badly with the sunset lighting, However, this long zoomed shot of the doomed switch engine came out well as she sits on the turntable, The day before, the 27th, this grain train rolled in on a sunny morning! And last night this coal train with fairly new hoppers has just pulled to a stop.
A lot of the switchers are in GN reporting marks, to leave room for newer units, according to BNSF information released a few years ago. It has been in GN for 5 years I think?
An almost all EMD 70 Ace consist on this train. Yesterday afternoon after taking a buddy to doctor, we spotted this set pulling out of the yard, he was on 2 track, so it was a slow pull. Lots of wheel sqeal and a large variety of cars and markings in here. Even the MBKX cars are in here, probably not related to a certain model train retailer.....
This interesting little train is sitting in the yard this weekend. Not sure of it's purpose, but a nice old SOU boxcar! And a few un-vandalized BN hoppers
Definitely a weed spraying consist. Great catch! Check out the Ferrosafe website. Looks cool http://ferrosafe.com/
I have heard a couple of explanations. One being an accounting method. Another being retention of predecessor trademark ownership.
I doubt very highly that would be a weed burner--it'd start a fire that burned half the state down! MT is very dry....
It's been a very busy week with no time for railfanning. So the "jones" was bad, really bad! by Friday when I saw this coal train heading east out of town. Hurry up and race ahead to a likely spot, and here we go!
