Any railroad people here? Got a question.
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From: Clarksburg WV
Any railroad people here? Got a question.
Our office here at work is across the river from some railroad tracks (Conrail/Norfolk Southern) which are pretty much exclusively used by coal trains.
Every now and then (like once every few months), I'll see a train go by that has two locomotives, a hopper car, 7 tanker cars, and another hopper at the end. They go up the tracks VERY slowly (like a couple mph at most), and then come back through the opposite way less than an hour later.
I cannot for the life of me figure out what the hell they're doing. Can anyone give me some insight?
Every now and then (like once every few months), I'll see a train go by that has two locomotives, a hopper car, 7 tanker cars, and another hopper at the end. They go up the tracks VERY slowly (like a couple mph at most), and then come back through the opposite way less than an hour later.
I cannot for the life of me figure out what the hell they're doing. Can anyone give me some insight?
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Bossier City, LA
Originally Posted by ghunt
Our office here at work is across the river from some railroad tracks (Conrail/Norfolk Southern) which are pretty much exclusively used by coal trains.
Every now and then (like once every few months), I'll see a train go by that has two locomotives, a hopper car, 7 tanker cars, and another hopper at the end. They go up the tracks VERY slowly (like a couple mph at most), and then come back through the opposite way less than an hour later.
I cannot for the life of me figure out what the hell they're doing. Can anyone give me some insight?
Every now and then (like once every few months), I'll see a train go by that has two locomotives, a hopper car, 7 tanker cars, and another hopper at the end. They go up the tracks VERY slowly (like a couple mph at most), and then come back through the opposite way less than an hour later.
I cannot for the life of me figure out what the hell they're doing. Can anyone give me some insight?
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: IL
Likely switching. Is it a switchyard, several/many tracks side by side? The switch yard locomotives usually do what's known as "kick" cars into the sidings while a switchman on the ground works the switches for whatever siding the car needs kicked to. They do so by basically running the car up to a slow speed and let it run into the siding until it slams into another line of cars.
I used to work for Chicago & Northwestern IL RR back in the late 70's early 80's and worked the yards in Sterling, IL and in Nelson, IL.
I used to work for Chicago & Northwestern IL RR back in the late 70's early 80's and worked the yards in Sterling, IL and in Nelson, IL.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Northern MD
I have a friend who is a brakeman and when they hit their max time on the train, they stop the train and a relief crew is sent out to their train and they are brought back. They could be doing that, or moving those cars to another area.
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Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Linn County, Oregon
Tank cars containing hazardous materials are usually required to be a certain distance away from an occupied locomotive cab. The hoppers may be spacers to keep the tanks away from the cab.
Next time you see it, write down the number on the HAZMAT placard and you can look it up online to see what they're carrying.
Next time you see it, write down the number on the HAZMAT placard and you can look it up online to see what they're carrying.
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From: Clarksburg WV
I can't read any of that stuff from across the river.
BTW there's just a single line that runs through here, and a couple sidings so trains can pass each other. No yards in this area that I know of, since 95% of the train traffic is 100-some car coal trains.
A short way up the line, there is a siding that goes up on the hill to where our town's industrial park is, and there's a few small plants up there but nothing major. Sometimes when driving along the road, you can see several of those tanker cars coupled together, sitting out near the end of that siding.
BTW there's just a single line that runs through here, and a couple sidings so trains can pass each other. No yards in this area that I know of, since 95% of the train traffic is 100-some car coal trains.
A short way up the line, there is a siding that goes up on the hill to where our town's industrial park is, and there's a few small plants up there but nothing major. Sometimes when driving along the road, you can see several of those tanker cars coupled together, sitting out near the end of that siding.
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Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2006
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They're probably switching out the tank cars at some business.The hoppers are probably idler cars to separate the loco consist from the tank cars,which may contain hasmat.
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