Curtis Hill 2012

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Taking Dave's advice

   


All to often when it comes to a choice between heavy mainline action versus exploring a regional or local line, the latter loses.  Such was the case on Wed Dec12, 2012.  Clear skies and a day off gave me a choice of possibly finding oil trains up on the CSX lake front or following my friend Dave Baer's recommendation and chasing the Wheeling & Lake Erie Westland turn.  As to add salt in the wound, several hours around Lake City, PA yielded only 3 CSX trains (nothing of interest of course) and just missing NS 287.
     So when Friday also looked to be sunny, I didn't think twice about catching the "Wheeling Feelin".  Of course an internet post about NS 20Q having 2 BNSF units today was only icing on the cake.  As luck would have it, just as I was passing East Conway tower, Conway Control gives 20Q clearance east.  Within minutes, NS 2775 has 2 BNSF C44-9Ws in H1 and H2 paint rolling a solid train of domestic stacks east for Morrisville, PA.

     Heading south to Bridgevile, I set up at 84 Lumber for my first shot of the WE.  It takes awhile, but soon WE 643 gets clearance out of Rook yard with 21 empties for the new Mark West rail load out at Westland.  With power on both ends (4000-3049 leading and 3102 trailing), the Wheeling makes a quick move at the new connection at Gregg with the former Montour Westland branch to head south.  The dispatcher tells 643 to clear the block so 212 can head east.  Oh boy!...2 trains on the Wheeling.  Before long 3102 leads south after changing directions.

Rounding the curves at the top of the grade allows for any easy chase.

   



Soon 643 arrives at the Mark West rail loadout at Westland.  It is quite a facility that serves the nearby cryogenic gas processing plant.

After chasing 643 to Westland, its back north to look for 212.  Alas, he was alot quicker than I thought...already must have went east...dang.  Oh well, I soon hear 643 heading back, and within an hour after catching him heading south, he is climbing back up the connection.  All in all a very enjoyable morning and it's only 1pm.  So much for the mistake on the Lake!

A Chase from Hell...Eh?

     


Sometimes it's hard to get out of the house, even when you know clear skies are on the way.  Dec01 2012 was such a day.  The only thing moving on NS that got me out the door was a M1G and M1V (extra sections of 11G and 11V respectively)  somewhere around Conway.  As I head south, I soon hear a K630 ethanol train on CSX with Canadian National power in the lead reporting a clear signal "center yard" as he departs New Castle.  No time to get him at West Pittsburg...dang!  But, then again, was the sun out enough anyways?  Ok, I guess it's off down I-376 to Blacks Run yard in Aliquippa.  Should be easy to beat him down the valley....WRONG!
     As I roll down Rt 51 into Bridgewater, he is already calling Monaca.  WOW!  I guess I am really not going to get this guy.  Come on, he has to get held up for a westbound somewhere.  Interesting, I did not hear Q015 and Q137 this morning yet.  Did they already make it into New Castle?  Reports also indicated that Q276 has a SD80MAC leading...should be following the K-train east.  Of course plodding down Rt 65 is no way to catch a train.  Is it possible he gets the whole way to Pittsburgh without stopping?  YEP!  "Clear J&L"...really?  Just how far am I going to follow this guy?
     In the meantime, a call from Dave informs me that Wheeling 643 is heading to the new Mark West fractionation plant at Southview.  Sounds like something to do later.
     Seems my only chance is McKeesport, as he winds over the Monongahela bridge and through Braddock.  "Clear Demmler"...as I roll into McKeesport to what seems like the longest red light ever.  Finally green!...next signal RED again!!! and NO TURN ON RED!!!  Crossing gates going down...oh well...turning!  A quick shot at Riverton is disappointing as he comes around the curve.  Any reason to go east?  I notice him slowing just as he is talking to M/W around the Yough bridge.  Last chance, down Rt 148 and over the Port Vue bridge.  Finally a chance to breath as I set up for a shot off the hillside.  

     Just as he starts to pick up speed, one last attempt at Sinns.  No time to set up for video...either another shot or hand held video...I choose the later.  CSX K630-30 is all ethanol loads received from the CN in Chicago bound for Baltimore with CN 5699-2126 as power.

Wow, was that really worth it?  Memories seem to be related to effort involved...maybe that's why I'm writing this post.  Anyway, Q276 was right behind, with that 4591 in the lead, followed by Q216 soon afterward.

Ok, time to go after the Wheeling.  Crawling through the South Hills, I soon realize, I'll never make it back home to pick up Anjuli from gymnastics on time.  Guess the Wheeling will have to wait for another day.

...and now back to your regularly scheduled programing.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years 2012

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Giving thanks for the harvest

     Saturday Nov17, 2012 was a symbolic day to be reminded of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and harvest season in general.  The forecast since Thursday was clear skies and sunny.  To be rewarded with such awesome weather and a lack of good trains can indeed be frustrating.  So would be Saturday.  Traffic on NS was lack luster as was CSX…with the exception of V705 the B&P coal train which was reported heading north from Emerald mine toward Pittsburgh.  Reports indicated an early afternoon arrival into New Castle…of course the worst sun angle for a westbound!  Anyway, its was worth a shot.  So off I go to West Pittsburg to maybe catch him coming up the ramp…unless I have time to go to Wampum.  As luck would have it, I see the end of the the train pulling into the yard in New Castle as I approach UN interlocking.  Oh well!…that was a wasted trip.  

     Ok, as I drive up to sit across from the yard office…I remember seeing a 64D crude oil train called at Cleveland earlier in the day…where could he be now?  Turns out he is already past Alliance, so off I go to New Galilee for a shot.  After a short wait, a NS unit has 3 BNSF pumpkins leading a train of North Dakota Nectar (yep, no Texas tea here!) east.  NS 64D-16 has NS 9398-BNSF8807-BNSF6335-BNSF8963 leading 106 cars (104 loads of crude oil and 2 buffer cars) from Dore, ND to Sunoco's Eagle Point transfer terminal in Westville, NJ, via BNSF in Chicago.  At this point, I could consider the day saved!

     As I head home, a quick stop by the yard in New Castle reveals that V705 has changed ends and is ready to become B&P NCRI…destination Riker yard in Punxsutawney, PA…ultimately the coal will feed the Homer City power plant.  So after all the frustration all morning, another save!  B&P NCRI-17 has 3341-3343-3345 with a solid train of BPRR coal hoppers.  

     Soon I hear a G367-12 is ready to leave the yard and head west, so back to the yard office.  While waiting I hear a 62M calling the signal south at mp73.  Damn!  Off to Castle (aka CP-75).  With only seconds to spare (no time for video) I manage to get a shot of him splitting the NYC style signals at the interlocking.  NS 62M-17 has 103 loads of stone from Ashtabula harbor destined for Moldock in Leetsdale, led by 2760-8875.  

     So far a triple play in less than an hour.  Rushing back over to Mahoningtown, I just miss G367 as he heads west.  Oh well, how can I complain, after how the day started!  

So lets recap.

                               Harvest colors:  orange BNSF pumpkins on 64D

                                                            orange B&P units on NCRI

                                                            reddish hoppers on 62M

                        Harvest from the earth:  North Dakota crude oil on 64D

                                                                  Pennsylvania bituminous coal on V705/NCRI

                                                                  Ontario (I think?) stone on 62M



                                                       Happy Thanksgiving!

Anatomy of a train symbol...

Waynoka, OK June08 2012

Case in point:

BNSF X-FTXCBL9-06 with feed grain empties, is a shuttle train originating June 6th from an elevator at Friona, TX destined for Council Bluffs, IA.  BNSF uses X for all empty grain movements, but also ethanol empties too.  The 9 suffix indicates a train in service between 110 car shuttle elevators.

Let's see where this story goes.

Before the internet, a very difficult task.

First step, look up the BNSF symbol guide.  

FTX is Friona, TX.

Next, Google Earth Friona, TX.  Several interesting features are noted, mainly a loop track and elevator off the BNSF main.  

Off to the west is an interesting plant.  Turns out to be owned by Cargill Meat Solutions.  

Ok, so where does a meat packing plant of such size get its feedstock (ok not funny).  Scanning around Google Earth, you come across a large rectangular area to the north of town.  Zoom in...and there they are...thousands of cattle.  

Turns out it’s a CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) run by Texzona Cattle Feeders LLC.  So this is the reason for the BNSF shuttle trains to Friona.

Here is the big picture.

What next, any info on the elevator?  The BNSF site has a nice

list of all the 110 car shuttle elevators on the system.  Turns 

out this one is owned by CHS Inc. a fortune 100 company 

(a major operator).

Now if only BNSF could find a way to capture the reefer trailers moving the meat out of that plant.

Ok, so there you have it...easy.

Now that was just 1 of 6 empty grain trains out of a total of 35 trains seen this day around Curtis Hill Oklahoma.

DPUs on the rear looking east

Special K for lunch

Special K for lunch

Heading out to CSX at Edinburg at lunch time can be hit or miss.  With only about an hour for lunch, the 10 minute run leaves only about 45 minutes to catch trains.  Usually, 2 trains is a good day, anything  more is great...zero unfortunately is all too common.  Monday Apr02 2012 wasn't too bad.  With a 90 minute lunch, it was tempting to go to Enon Valley instead.  I'm glad I didn't.  Soon after I leave the office, I hear a K311 departing New Castle...should be able to beat him to Edinburg...considering the slow order at the Rt224 construction site.  Within a few minutes CSX 608 and CEFX 1048 roll by with 102 loads of coke from U.S. Steel at Clairton destined for their Gary Works.  Signal work around mp64 had two track occupied with MofW trucks.  The dispatcher announced that as soon as K311-01 clears the interlocking at Haselton, an eastbound would cross over and run one track to New Castle.  As 2 o'clock approached, it looked as if this extra long lunch would yield only one train.  

As I packed up the tripod a horn to the west gave a sense of relief.  In a few minutes another K train, comes east billowing a fine white cloud as it passes.  K904-01 is all stone from National Lime & Stone at Carey, OH destined for their distribution yard on the AVR at Glenwood yard near Pittsburgh.  As soon as his 60 cars pass, its pedal to the metal back to the office (just a little late).

Third Times a Charm...

While, I enjoy the sound of 20 cylinder EMDs as much as the next guy, following the last real SD45 on the B&P this morning would have been an easy choice if it was not still in the ex-SP "crap" paint.  Hence, when I heard about a 400 coal train coming east, I thought I could make up for the mediocre shot I got a month earlier on the Conemaugh.  The fact that he took the Bayard branch meant I wouldn't get him at my usual location...New Galilee.  So it was down the valley to see if he was into Conway yet.  Low and behold as I was crossing into Rochester, I see the crossing gates going up in Bridgewater...there goes his tail end!  I rush over to West Conway only to have him stop for clearance into the yard.  After waiting about 20 minutes, my first attempt at a shot is foiled by a yard job.  Strike one.

Ok, so off to East Conway to salvage the morning.  These trains load at Peabody Coal's North Antelope Rochelle mine complex in Wyoming's Powder River Basin and run as C-NAMCSC0 on BNSF to Chicago.  Running as NS 400, ultimate delivery is to the Constellation Energy (ex-Baltimore Gas & Electric) plant in Chase, MD...one of the longer hauls in the country.   After another 20 minutes or so to change crews, it becomes obvious that 37A pulling in will ruin that shot.  Strike two.

Last chance...race down Rt 65 to the signal bridge just west of Ambridge.  Thanks to some nice recent clearing by Dave, we have a hit!