Hey, I was wondering if there was a way to determine what cargo was in freight trains. I always thought it would be interesting to know what they are delivering.
Also, is there a place/website where I can look to see when a train is passing at a certian place? Like there is this RR crossing that i see every couple days coming home from Springfield. Is there a way to know if there is a schedule or time that trains usually pass by??
Thanks!!
No schedule, and if it fits in the container ( boxcar, tank ) it gets hauled
The carriers know the shipments they are hauling and the schedules they are trying to maintain. That information is not available to the public…nor should it be.
Ok, I get it now. Thanks!
Several types of cars are open enough that you can see what they’re carrying - mainly flats, multi-level auto-racks, and centerbeams = lumber products, and from an overhead bridge crossing - hoppers, gondolas, etc. The others are of course harder, but often they are painted or stencilled - “Paper loading only” on certain boxcars, “LPG”, “Titanium Dioxide”, etc., etc., on certain tank cars, and you can usually tell which covered hoppers are used for grain, cement, etc. Sometimes the diamond-shaped DOT haz-mat placards will provide a clue for the tank cars, too.
For schedules, the best way - without an employee, well-connected railfan friend, or a website for that area - is to get a scanner, listen often at the times when you’ll be looking, and keep notes. Within a week or so on any main line you should see a pattern start to emerge as to which days and times each train runs. It’s very much like hunting . . .