Over the weekend I saw something different on BNSF’s Aberdeen subdivision. That is the ex-Milwaukee line between Aberdeen SD and Sioux City IA. It was a unit train of over 100 identical centerbeam flatcars going east. The cars were empty and bore the reporting mark “ATW”, which is the Atlantic & Western, a short line with a few miles of track in the Carolinas.
I know there is a building boom in western North Dakota but have doubts that they are using a building materials in unit train quantities. The only other explanation I can think of is that they were in storage in some out of the way place and were being retrieved. In any event, it was different from our usual mix of grain, alcohol and rock trains.
ATW (Atlantinc & Western) owns many solid orange box cars. Most of which are stored up around the Gary Indiana area. Might be pulling them out of storage. Or moving to a storage location.
I wonder if it was an empty windmill unit train coming from somewhere up north? BNSF Logistics has an operation by a fertilizer plant baloon track along I-29 just west of Worthing, S.D. I’ve seen unit trains of windmill towers and blades come through town headed there for unloading. My brother in law is in the wind business, a hot spot right now, is up by Mobridge. Maybe BNSF Logistics has a similar unloading sight up there?
The original post noted that this was a train of centerbeam flatcars, used to carry lumber and other building materials. I missed that on my first read-through of the post too. [:-^]
Norris, Center-beam flats wouldn’t be usable on a blade-runner. I suspect that these are, in fact, being removed from long-term storage. Numbers of the ATW cars might tell a little about them…if they are older, smaller-capacity cars they might just be sold off for scrap. Otherwise, consider it just another sign that things are improving.
With all the drilling up in North Dakota - my guess would be the train is for hauling drill pipe and casing for the wells. Going back empty for the next load. As much drilling I hear about they are using a lot of pipe !
In the 1950s when the oil boom hit Colorado and New Mexico, that gave the D&RG Narrow Gauge a new lease on life. And the line was busy hauling lots of pipe to the oil fields. Also the famous Gramps Tank Cars, to haul the oil out.
Interestingly enough, there was an east bound train pulling empty centerbeam flatcars on NS’s former Wabash main line, this past thursday. It seemed odd at the time, and now even more unusual in context with your sighting.
Steve, Center-beam cars wouldn’t be the car of choice for pipe, either–that would go on long flat cars with temporary or permanent side stakes. The center divider would limit the loading, or increase the height (making it more unstable), not to mention making it impossible to unload from one side.
When there is a High demand for one Commidty like right now Drill Pipe well lets just say the companies that want it will say I do not care GET IT TO ME. I hauled Steel coils in a Reefer with them Eye to the Sky before and Blocked in. Hauled Aluminum Slabs in a Dry Van that were in there. Hauled Copper Plates in Reefers. Right now with the Drilling pipe shortages if you can get it to the area you have a Advantage to drill. Right now they need it and would shove it into a Box car if they could.
Flair enough. It must have been hard to be an Italian a lot of centuries before there was an Italy. Even though he was a Roman, I know he made some darn good salad dressing.
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