This is my first post on the forum and I was wondering if someone could help me with a question I have regarding the transport of grain by the Class I railroads.
Can anyone tell me how much of various grains (specifically corn, wheat, and soybeans) can be moved in the average rail car?
I found another forum post that stated that the average bushel of corn is roughly 60lbs and wheat is 56lbs. Can someone verify these numbers and does anyone have an estimate for a bushel of soybeans?
Modern Rail cars will hold 100 or 110 net tons by weight. Wheat is nominally 60#/bu and corn IIRC is about 56#. I have never dealt with soybeans so can not quote weight/bu. I am sure you can find on internet or ask you local elevator operator or grain dealer. Cars are designed with enough cube to take full capy of lightest grains their owner expects them to handle. When load something relativly heavy just can not load cube full or you will be overweight and fixing that condition is no fun.
Soybeans are about 68 Lbs a Bushel and DENSER than hell. Put it to you this way one time about 17 years ago storm coming in boss is combining Beans storm coming in had 2 weigh Wagons and his Bin on the Big Combine FULL. Other Trucks were at the Elevator waiting to unload. Now Problem with weather I was there being young and Stupid I said I will take them all. I grossed out on a Certified scale at 130,000 no wonder that 290hp Cummins sounded like she wanted to cumapart under the doghouse going that 5 miles to the elevator. Got the beans in Dry was the main thing.
Slightly off topic is grain transportation in Australia.
It seems that Australia is having a difficult time to move grain. Some of last years harvest still has not been transported in Australia. To aleviate the proble a 66Km branch line is being reactivated by the government. [will try to find out which one] Evidently this is due to track capacity and not grain hoppers?
This rail line is in the state of Victoria; NW of Melborne in the heart of grain growing country running from Fimboola to Rainbow. 1/3 of last years crop is still in storage. This line will allow 120,000K tonnes to be shipped.
If the branch line needs reactivated why not use Road Trains to haul it out,Australia has some really big and long trucks,Will not the Road Trains be better in the long run.