Hello Everyone.
A week and a half ago, I was on my way to a family Reunion. On my way there, on BNSF’s Black Hills Sub south of Morecroft I spotted a neat looking train.
It consisted of a single Dash 9-44CW Three, Two unit aircraft flat cars loaded with 737s and three “Sky Box” cars. It was also booking to. I estimate doing track speed as It was past me in a flash. I was kind of surprised to see this train as airplane parts for Boeing usually move with Intermodal and Auto Parts trains on this route. But It was a cool eneugh expereince for me, I might just model this train for a display piece some day.
Anybody know why Boeing or BNSF would be rushing such a short train? Seems kind of an expensive way to do things in my opinion.
James
While up at school at MSU, I saw a few of them. You’re right about most of them are either in Intermodel or mixed freight but once in a while there are times when I’ve seen BNSF pulling only Boeing equipment. The last one that I saw was an SD40-2 still painted in Santa Fe Bluebonnet with only two “sky box” flying by the town of Townsand, MT. Most I’ve ever seen carrying only 3 Boeing 737 fuselages. They never seem to car more of them.
Back to your question, I have no idea why they would have these special trains and why such a rush, but I’m sure Boeing pays good money for a rush delivery, so BNSF caters to Boeing.
The yard master probably forgot to cut them into the train they were booked for and the short consist is rushing to catch them up. [;)]
A few weeks ago, when the boards were down, I saw a train that I found very interesting. I no longer can see the tracks from my work station but this one was going by so slow I had to go out and take a look. Every car was a two bay hopper with side discharge chutes. All had the same markings, I made a note of it then but don’t remember it now. W something something I think it was. All the cars were gray and many people would say they were over weathered. The train came to a complete stop behind our shop and I got to read the build date on 6 or 7 cars. The newest was late 1958 and the oldest I saw was April 1957. One of the mechanics that works closer to the track told me one of the cars had a brake drum burning, that was why the train stopped. Was this an entire train on the way to the elephants grave yard?
bukwrm
sounds more like it was an MoW train of old hoppers converted to ballast hoppers with side discharge chutes. If they’re not CSX pumpkins or Amtrak they are frequently more than alittle “weathered”.
Walthers do a model of a generic version of these cars.