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What are these long cars with E P I C 'containers' loaded on them?

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  • Member since
    March 2018
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What are these long cars with E P I C 'containers' loaded on them?
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Thursday, May 30, 2019 10:10 PM

I was watching a train video earlier and at the 7 minute 59 second point, I noticed some very long cars on the NS train carrying low grey containers with the word epic loaded what appeared to be stretched out spine cars of a sort. Have never seen these before. Can anyone tell me what these cars are? What the containers are for? Whats inside of them? Here is the video so ya'll can check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQzm9xaZCls

Thanks for any insight!

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
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Posted by chutton01 on Thursday, May 30, 2019 10:24 PM

Trash / Waste / Contaiminated Dirt / Sludge containers - models of both the containers and articulated spine cars are available such as for N scale and on Shapeways for HO, among others.
ETA: Forum thread about the prototype: Thread Link

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  • From: Canada, eh?
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Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, May 30, 2019 11:29 PM

BNSF UP and others modeler
...Have never seen these before. Can anyone tell me what these cars are? What the containers are for? Whats inside of them?....

If you'd been trackside, the smell would have told you what was in them.

Wayne

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Duluth, MN
  • 424 posts
Posted by OT Dean on Friday, May 31, 2019 12:15 AM

BNSF UP and others modeler

I was watching a train video earlier and at the 7 minute 59 second point, I noticed some very long cars on the NS train carrying low grey containers with the word epic loaded what appeared to be stretched out spine cars of a sort. Have never seen these before. Can anyone tell me what these cars are? What the containers are for? Whats inside of them? Here is the video so ya'll can check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQzm9xaZCls

Thanks for any insight!

 

Golly, I thought you were referring to the man who dropped off the other side of the hopper car and hoofed it off through the weeds!

Deano

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Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Friday, May 31, 2019 10:49 AM

doctorwayne

 

 
BNSF UP and others modeler
...Have never seen these before. Can anyone tell me what these cars are? What the containers are for? Whats inside of them?....

 

If you'd been trackside, the smell would have told you what was in them.

Wayne

 

Well, NS doesn't really run where I live so, unless BNSF or UP pull them too, I would not have had a chance to "smell" them. Not that I'd want to anywayLaugh

And yes, I have been trackside before.

Thanks chutton01 for the links. Does anyone know where one might find an HO scale model of the spine car itself?

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
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  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, May 31, 2019 11:15 AM

 That's right down the road from me (well, not too far). I more or less live along that same line.

 Conrail used to run a unit train of those trash cars out of Philadelphia. Caught it a few times at the east portal of Flat Rock tunnel while otherwises parked on the Schuylkill Expressway trying to get into the city.

 Also was to the area where the quarry is, at the time they were reopenign it. It's on the very end of what used to be the W&N branch of the Reading.

                   --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
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  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,767 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Friday, May 31, 2019 3:34 PM

There were also similiar container that Norfolk Southern tried to use for coal.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2801020

Now they're also in trash service and are slightly different in shape and that they can't be double stacked.  They're frequently mixed in with EPIC containers.

  • Member since
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  • From: SE. WI.
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Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, May 31, 2019 4:26 PM

BNSF UP and others modeler
Well, NS doesn't really run where I live so, unless BNSF or UP pull them too, I would not have had a chance to "smell" them. Not that I'd want to anyway

The BNSF does run trash trains from the Seattle area, to a landfill.  It's a double stack train, the containers have tarps on the top. I think they are 48'

If you Google trash trains, you'll find'em.

The guy I bought the pneumatic bulk trailer from, in Shapeways, also makes EPIC containers.  3 different types.

For the spine car, I'm going to bash some Athearn fuel foiler cars.

The EPIC containers are 20' long.

Mike.

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Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Friday, May 31, 2019 4:55 PM

Yeah, I know about BNSF trash trains with 48' double stacks... I have some cars to model that.

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 688 posts
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Saturday, June 8, 2019 10:14 PM

Yikes! I'm a diehard rivet counter and all, but I don't thing I'll go THAT far in my modeling.Laugh Too bad the railroad had to make itself a nuisance. Certainly doesn't encourage new train lovers.Whistling

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

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