I hate to break up the politics! But Ed might beon to something. The train had two CSX and one BNSF engine on it.
The Ann Arbor RR has been hauling sand for decades, from northern MI to Cleveland (I think) to car engine plants to use in die-casting. I don’t know how different that sand is from fracking sand, but they use two bay covered hoppers for moving sand.
The sand hauled on the ex-AA has been processed on-site at the sand pit in Yuma, MI. The sand grains have certain roundness, and a micro-pitted texture ideal for foundry sand. The processing yields clean sand grains of a certain size. Processed sand often travels in covered hoppers.
I don’t know Missouri and don’t pretend to… but I remember years ago reading about a lead mine operation on a BN branch line that originated 40-50 car trains of lead ore in 50’ hoppers. Mabee that is what you saw. [8D]
Murphy Siding Said:"…
"…This is a railroad forum.
Surely you can find a relevant forum to press your views?"
Add a big “AMEN” from out here! [bow]
Ahem. Yes, lets stick to railroad issues. Way back when, back in the summer of 1965 I had a summer job in Eureka, MT on the Great Northern mainline. One of the WB trains I saw had about 50 empty 50’ flat cars on the head end. At the time I thought it was kinda neat looking, altho unusual, but gave no thought as to why there were 50 empty flats going west. Call it just being young I guess. Years later I realized that there was a concrete reason for this, probably a special movement, possibly – or probably military. I’ve seen several loaded EB military moves on the UP around Vegas and know that they were all flats, usually TTX TOFC flats, but back in the 60’s TTX flats didn’t exist. The UP trains probably originated at the Marine Logistics Base at Yermo and were headed east with rebuilt and repaired combat equipment. I can only speculate on the 50 flats, and I’m saying that you guys can only speculate on the gons also. That’s all it is – speculation. For all anyone knows it could be a train of hospital cars going to the scrapper. Who knows?
Hey MS, who’s in charge of the popcorn machine these days?[swg]
Hi Chad. We’ve been going without popcorn for a while. How have you been?
I’m doing good. Been busy. Just got relocated from St George (land of no trains) to Carlsbad, NM. doing time in motels again. At least here there is pleanty of train action. It’s not mainline action but for a shortline(Southwest Railroad) there is pleanty of activity and our shop is right down the street from the railroad shop. Lots of potash and frac mining related traffic. How you been? Still working at the lumber yard? Hear things are real busy with frac mining in your area too.
Thanks, Steve:
Your note is appreciated, at least by some of us.
FORUM policing is a nasty job at best > Somewhere between changing a smelly, dirty diaper, and cleaning out the cat box.< Tasks that NEED to be done, but no one wants to do, and somewhat thankless. [bow]
Around here it could be the equivalent of herding cats. SO Muchas Gracias! [swg]
One comment. Though unlikely considering that the train in question had CSX power. In southeast Missouri there are any number of lead mines which use gondolas to ship out lead ore. I don’t remember any along the BNSF line to Springfield though. Thx IGN
Steve,
While I am not a big fan of moderation, especially to excess, you did very will with this one.
Mac McCulloch
Hey, welcome back, Chad ! [#welcome]
Might this be the article ?
“BN gets the lead out - Missouri’s lead belt and its railroading”
by Woods, Randy, from Trains, April 1996, p. 56
(Trains’ Magazine Index ‘keywords’: BN commodity division lead )
- Paul North.
The branch with the lead mines would be one that left Frisco’s (and BN’s) St. Louis-to-Springfield line at Cuba, and went southward to Steelville and beyond. It hasn’t been used in years (beyond some industrial plants in Cuba), but the tracks are still intact.
(Pat has a brother who lives in Steelville, so we occasionally become familiar with this area.)
That April 1996 Trains article indicated that the lead mines didn’t have too many years of production left - 15 to 20 at the then-present rate of extraction/ production, and depending on the quality of the vein (apparently called a “trend” down there). .
From the article: “The Lead Line is a 46-mile branch running south from Cuba, 85 miles southwest of St. Louis, to Buick.” (pg. 56, col. 1) Steelville - a “tiny town” - is apparently just a few miles of Cuba.
There’s no mention of CSX or any of its predecessor railroads in the article or on the accompanying map - only BN (BNSF), UP, and SP.
In addition to lead, the article mentioned that copper was also mined - the ore was like 5% lead, 0.5% copper - so maybe that’s why the tracks are still there, in case of another future ‘comeback’.
The photo at the bottom right corner of page 58 shows a gondola with CN’s “wet noodle” logo clearly visible.
- Paul North.
Thanks Paul. Idon’t have my colection with me at the moment, but I would say that’s the one.Wasn’t sure if it was a Trains or CTC Board article. Thanks [8D]
Nice try yourself. Vindication for henry6 about how much contamination of drinking water fracking has caused in Pennsylvania. He was right. He just got a little too vociferous in his language, but his suspension was too harsh, in my opinion.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/29/3477184/pennsylvania-fracking-water-co
As much political spouting a Henry did, he’s lucky he didn’t get banned.
And that’s MY opinion.
I hope Henry comes back and sheds a little light on this.
And good for YOU, too!! So what is “political” about expressing realistic and serious concerns about fracking (which are born out in my posted link, BTW)? There are several people on these forums (AFAIK, not you) who routinely spout their political opinions within their posts or in their signatures, but as long as they toe a corporatist line, I guess that doesn’t count?