Oil Cans in the City

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

This is the City, Los Angeles, California… my name is Freericks… I’m not a detective…

I’ve seen pics of the Oil Cans traveling up and down the Coast Line lately, but thought I’d catch some downtown LA shots of it. It is frankly one of the few trains that can actually be chased in the central area of LA as it changes crews at Main Street and then goes all the way down to the Alameda Corridor.

I was able to catch it, first at Broadway, about to stop at Main Street.

http://freericks.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2347273

Next, I got ahead of it at Myers Street, the old site of the LA&SL freight station.

http://freericks.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2348632

Finally, caught it one last time, crossing the LA River and entering the Alameda Corridor.

http://freericks.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2348631

Thanks for looking and corrections are welcome.

Charles Freericks

2

Pretty interesting shots, Charles! As always, thanks for sharing them here[Y]### I would guess my question is, where are the buffer car (or cars) between the train and the locomotives?### As has been noted before, MRL runs a boxcar on their regular train and I think, I remember seeing a car on the head end of the Alaska RR’s oil train down from the refinery at North Pole (?).### With seven locomotives on the head end, does one or two qualify them as a sufficient buffer between the tankers and the head end power? I would tend to think not, but how does UPRR not need a 'buffer car between the train and the power?

Thanks!

3

There’s that dang Sears building again! (Picture three.)

Two landmarks I remember from my first childhood coming into LA: City Hall and the Sears Soto Street tower. Oh, three: the Brew 102 building right after the stack.

4

Picture #3-- River somewhat down from the flood waters earlier in the week.

5

Seven locomotives makes me wonder if several are DIT (dead in tow) - which would probably qualify them as buffers.

6

This train has always run without a buffer. I honestly have no idea why it is allowed to.

The reason for the extra engines here was twofold. They had power to return south and the power assigned to the train was all facing the wrong way.

7

Because it is a unit train, (all the cars have the same lading,) and it carries no shiftable load all it needs is one cover or buffer car.

One un-manned locomotive qualifies as such.

BNSF runs its fuel train that way all the time.

If they are hauling a class 3 combustible hazmat, per page 40 figure 12 in the UP hazardous materials handling rules, no placement in train restrictions for loads or empties.

If it is a class 3 flammable empty/residue it also has no restrictions.

See Form 8620, (PB 20800) effective 0900 CDT Monday, September 22, 2008.

8

Thank You! Larry and Ed B.

I appreciate the explanation!

Tanks![bow]

9

The San Ardo crude is combustible. The crude that came from the Bakersfield area was flammable. Toward the end, that train required a buffer.

10

The oil cans out of Saco (Bakersfield) NEVER had a buffer car on the head end or rear end. Not at the start, nor at the end.

V

SLOCONDR

11

I saw a few tankcars stenciled “Tosco Buffer Car” (if I remember correctly) at the terminal in Mojave. By this time the tankcars had flammable placards.

12

That may be true, out of Mojave. I never worked the cans out of there, as it was crewed by a regular local crew out of (I believe Dolores). Out of Saco? No, never was.

V

SLOCONDR