The "Trash Train?"

Can anybody fill me in on the trash train that runs along the lakeshore line through Cleveland? I am considering modeling it.

 

There are a couple of them that run along that route.

One runs as a double-stack container train from Buffalo to Cleveland and then down the Indy line to Sidney and then down the Toledo Sub to Cincinnati and then down the CC Sub further south. WHEW! That is a dedicated train that, over the summer, removed trash from the Buffalo area. I believe it is no longer running.

The other trains that haul trash are Q640 and Q641. These trains run Buffalo to Cumberland via Cleveland. They come down the lakeshore, down the CL&W to Sterling, and then on the New Castle and Keystone subs into Cumberland. These trains are conventional mixed freights that haul trash in converted hoppers and wood chip cars.

As far as modeling, the dedicated train is much less interesting. If you didn't know it was a trash train by the symbol, you'd never be able to tell as it uses standard 40' international containers. I do have one photo of Q640 that shows the modified trash cars well.

Q640 at Sterling, Ohio on March 26, 2003

 

hey guys,

there is also another trash train that runs on rivanna sub. in virginia. It runs on Q303 and uses converted woodchip cars. Also much more disgusting is the human waste trains we run. i only pick up the trains in gladstone so the westbound crews do the switching however sometimes i have to switch them beacuse they are running short on HOS. they unload the cars in gladstone and the waste is used for fertilizer. they are hauled in TOFC's and its pretty disgusting when u have to ride those cars

 

The last time I was in Florence, SC, I saw a "trash train". It appeared to be a string of 89' flat cars each with 4 containers on it.

Harold

 

Hey, my junk mail might be in those!

 

Here's the trash train eastbound in Cumberland, Maryland on January 18. FM-10, 135mm f/2.8 AIS, Velvia 50.

 

That's some pretty nice power for a trash train.

Whenevr I catch a BNSF trash train it usually rates GP59s or less. Never any of the big Dash 9s much less ACs.

 

Great shot Brian! Nice power and a flattering shot for just "trash"

Harold

 

I wish some people tag trash trains to make them look better. I guess they don`t want to get close to paint them.

 

CSX has become a trashy railroad.

Making metropolitan area trash into a profit center. There are numerous trash trains operating on CSX between a multitude of Origin-Destination pairs. Some are dedicated trash only trains and a number of others are dedicated trash blocks on regular merchandise trains.

There is money in trash.

[ April 24, 2005, 04:52 AM: Message edited by: mmi16 ]

 

Here's a recent shot of a Southbound train loaded with "trash cars". Phew!



Harold

 

I caught a different version of the trash train this week.... It used what appeared to be special 20' containers with "tarps" over them, some were stacked and some were not. Many had "EPIC" on the side. Some rode on a special 2 car "spine car" set. I'll have to post some pictures...

It wasn't hard to tell it was trash ...

Harold

 

Here's a car with 4 "containers" on it:


Harold

 

Here's a car with 1 big and two small containers...


Harold

 

A view of multiple cars:


Harold

 

Here's a view of a "spine car"....


Harold

 

Here's an 89 footer with four containers...


Harold

 

Here's the two car "spine car" set:


Harold

 

As I think I mentioned earlier in this thread, When I caught the Trash trains up in Portland, they were always Stack trains with 40' containers with tarps on them.

 

A closer shot of one car with three containers:


Harold