And you wonder what they do with the old cars.........

[traingeek087]

And you wonder what they do with the old cars.........[xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(]......

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=63269

[MP57313]

Do you have any info on where this is located? Were these wreck-damaged tank cars? The reporting marks are clearly painted, and no graffiti. Must not be anywhere near So Cal

[CShaveRR]

The photo location was Albertville, Alabama. The place used to be called Steel Processing Services.

The tank cars with visible reporting marks are Cargill's earliest tank cars for corn syrup; I believe they date from the early 1980s...surprisingly young to an oldster like me. But they aren't very large by today's standards (maybe 10,000 gallons, as opposed to 19,000 in modern corn-syrup cars), so efficiency probably won out. In the lean economy these less-efficient cars would be the ones to go (particularly if nobody else wanted them, either). Now that the economy is supposedly rebounding, we may see some new Cargill 19000-gallon tanks. I haven't heard of any orders, but if that happens, you saw it here first, folks!

[Anonymous]

I've seen similar sights in real life. In Regina, Saskatchewan there's a scrapyard with piles of old rolling stock (mainly covered hoppers) stacked up like that. There are a couple of hoppers balancing rather precariously at the top that I have a feeling would come crashing down if the wind picked up just a bit. Some of the cars appear to have been in accidents, having their sides ripped open, but most don't seem to have anything wrong with them. It really is too bad.

[locomutt]

There used to be one here in Louisville,but it got relocated so they could build "Slugger Field"(for the minor leauge team 'The Bats')
I've gotten some decent pictures there, and been in some of the cabooses that they scrapped.(almost all "Chessie")

[locomutt]

I guess I should have added that not all were "wreck damaged",but apparently just,old,and retired.[:)]

[louisnash]

In the old L&N Decoursey yards in Covington KY they have a scrap yard similar to the one shown in the link. The last time I was there they had a whole lot of old coal hoppers just piled up in a group. The company that is there now repairs RR rolling equipment and I was told they make the frogs for the switches as well.

Locomuttt: I heard that where the slugger field is now was also a rail yard. I can't remember which RR used it. Seems I was told that PRR used it.

Brian (KY)

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by louisnash

In the old L&N Decoursey yards in Covington KY they have a scrap yard similar to the one shown in the link. The last time I was there they had a whole lot of old coal hoppers just piled up in a group. The company that is there now repairs RR rolling equipment and I was told they make the frogs for the switches as well.

Locomuttt: I heard that where the slugger field is now was also a rail yard. I can't remember which RR used it. Seems I was told that PRR used it.

Brian (KY)

Brian,
you are correct,also NYC used it.[:)]

And I had wondered about what happened to Decoursey.
Years ago, Louisville was home to the PRR,NYC,B&O,C&O,IC,Southern,and of course the L&N,plus the K&IT which is now part of the NS family.[:)]

Now basicly,all we have here:NS,CSX<&P&L

[espeefoamer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt

QUOTE: Originally posted by louisnash

In the old L&N Decoursey yards in Covington KY they have a scrap yard similar to the one shown in the link. The last time I was there they had a whole lot of old coal hoppers just piled up in a group. The company that is there now repairs RR rolling equipment and I was told they make the frogs for the switches as well.

Locomuttt: I heard that where the slugger field is now was also a rail yard. I can't remember which RR used it. Seems I was told that PRR used it.

Brian (KY)

Brian,
you are correct,also NYC used it.[:)]

And I had wondered about what happened to Decoursey.
Years ago, Louisville was home to the PRR,NYC,B&O,C&O,IC,Southern,and of course the L&N,plus the K&IT which is now part of the NS family.[:)]

Now basicly,all we have here:NS,CSX<&P&L

I counted the railroads. Louisville was home to eight railroads.They are now ALL fallen flags.[:(]

[locomutt]

espeefoamer,

You are correct,and I could have left a name off the list.[:(]

[conrailman]

They should send all scrap to overseas steel mills or here in the usa to make money. I hated to see all the Scrap just laying around when it should be made into new Stuff[:)]

[Anonymous]

Can't they melt them down and use them for somehting else?

[Anonymous]

20-30 years ago there was a scrapyard just south of Mojave. I remember ther was a sign that said boxcars $50. The catch was YOU had to transport them, and they did not come with trucks. I wonder what happened to that place. There is still some sort of yard there, but it's nowhere near the size it once was.

[Anonymous]

At least a loco is hauling then away, and not a truck!!!!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by talbanese

At least a loco is hauling then away, and not a truck!!!!!

The rolling stock at the scrapyard I mentioned seem to be hauled there by truck. When I first visited it, there was a semi with a hopper car on its side on a flatbed trailer at the scrapyard. When driving in the city that same day, I coincidentally passed a semi hauling a truckless tank car. No doubt it was heading there. The scrapyard is, however, served by rail and uses an Alco S-2 and an ex-BN SW-???? for switching.

Also, a while ago I found a picture on the internet showing some rolling stock all laying on its side at a scrapyard. They weren't all clustered together, but were somewhat spread out. The photo was an aerial view, which made them look like model train cars lying on the floor and was actually pretty neat looking. I tried looking for it to post in this topic, but I can't find it now. If I do, I'll put it here. I saved it when first found it, so if somebody wants to see it I can e-mail it to them.

[Isambard]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

I've seen similar sights in real life. In Regina, Saskatchewan there's a scrapyard with piles of old rolling stock (mainly covered hoppers) stacked up like that. There are a couple of hoppers balancing rather precariously at the top that I have a feeling would come crashing down if the wind picked up just a bit. Some of the cars appear to have been in accidents, having their sides ripped open, but most don't seem to have anything wrong with them. It really is too bad.

Sask Tinplater, I'll bet you've been looking at a pile of stuff ready for the fiery furnaces at IPSCO!
In 1960 my wife and I visited friends in Regina, he, Ted, being a new melt shop superintendent at IPSCO. With great pride Ted took me out to look at IPSCO's source of scrap material, an enormous pile of CPR and CNR steam locomotives, maybe five stories high! It was enough to make a steam buff cry!

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wisser

20-30 years ago there was a scrapyard just south of Mojave. I remember ther was a sign that said boxcars $50. The catch was YOU had to transport them, and they did not come with trucks. I wonder what happened to that place. There is still some sort of yard there, but it's nowhere near the size it once was.

Purdy Salvage, I bought an old issue of Pacific Rail News from I think about 1977 recently, it had an article about Purdy. I make it to Mojave every once in a while. I have seen covered hoppers being unloaded there and a couple of GE 44 ton switchers at the site. I do not recall seeing any cars waitng to be scrapped or that have been scrapped. I do not remember if it is even a scrap yard anymore.

With steel prices on the rise (world wide shortage), I am sure those cars will be melted down, most likely in an electric arc furnace.

I noticed some white tankcars and high pressure tankcars (probably DOT 105A500-W) tank cars in there also.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Isambard

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

I've seen similar sights in real life. In Regina, Saskatchewan there's a scrapyard with piles of old rolling stock (mainly covered hoppers) stacked up like that. There are a couple of hoppers balancing rather precariously at the top that I have a feeling would come crashing down if the wind picked up just a bit. Some of the cars appear to have been in accidents, having their sides ripped open, but most don't seem to have anything wrong with them. It really is too bad.

Sask Tinplater, I'll bet you've been looking at a pile of stuff ready for the fiery furnaces at IPSCO!
In 1960 my wife and I visited friends in Regina, he, Ted, being a new melt shop superintendent at IPSCO. With great pride Ted took me out to look at IPSCO's source of scrap material, an enormous pile of CPR and CNR steam locomotives, maybe five stories high! It was enough to make a steam buff cry!

You are correct, indeed! The scrapyard itself is actually called Wheat City Metals, but it is right at IPSCO and all their metal obviously gets sent there to get melt down. I actually never knew that IPSCO was around for that long or that steam locomotives were ever scrapped there. That's very interesting to know...and also very sad to imagine that sight! They did save one steam locomotive, thankfully. At IPCSO, there are some waterslides as well as some elk in a fenced-in field that serve as a family attraction (if you ask me, putting waterslides right next a steel smelter doesn't quite make sense, but whatever). At the parking lot, CP 4-8-4 #3101 is on display along with a heavyweight passenger car and a wooden caboose. The 3101 is a very rare engine as it is one of only two 4-8-4's that CP ever used. The other (3100) is on display at the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson, Quebec.

[Isambard]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

QUOTE: Originally posted by Isambard

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

I've seen similar sights in real life. In Regina, Saskatchewan there's a scrapyard with piles of old rolling stock (mainly covered hoppers) stacked up like that. There are a couple of hoppers balancing rather precariously at the top that I have a feeling would come crashing down if the wind picked up just a bit. Some of the cars appear to have been in accidents, having their sides ripped open, but most don't seem to have anything wrong with them. It really is too bad.

Sask Tinplater, I'll bet you've been looking at a pile of stuff ready for the fiery furnaces at IPSCO!
In 1960 my wife and I visited friends in Regina, he, Ted, being a new melt shop superintendent at IPSCO. With great pride Ted took me out to look at IPSCO's source of scrap material, an enormous pile of CPR and CNR steam locomotives, maybe five stories high! It was enough to make a steam buff cry!

You are correct, indeed! The scrapyard itself is actually called Wheat City Metals, but it is right at IPSCO and all their metal obviously gets sent there to get melt down. I actually never knew that IPSCO was around for that long or that steam locomotives were ever scrapped there. That's very interesting to know...and also very sad to imagine that sight! They did save one steam locomotive, thankfully. At IPCSO, there are some waterslides as well as some elk in a fenced-in field that serve as a family attraction (if you ask me, putting waterslides right next a steel smelter doesn't quite make sense, but whatever). At the parking lot, CP 4-8-4 #3101 is on display along with a heavyweight passenger car and a wooden caboose. The 3101 is a very rare engine as it is one of only two 4-8-4's that CP ever used. The other (3100) is on display at the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson, Quebec.

I believe IPSCO was founded in 1959, with those locomotives providing the first major source of "grist" for the mill's electric arc furnaces. Thanks for the info on CPR #3101. It looks in pretty good condition. Who maintains it?

[athelney]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Isambard

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

QUOTE: Originally posted by Isambard

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

I've seen similar sights in real life. In Regina, Saskatchewan there's a scrapyard with piles of old rolling stock (mainly covered hoppers) stacked up like that. There are a couple of hoppers balancing rather precariously at the top that I have a feeling would come crashing down if the wind picked up just a bit. Some of the cars appear to have been in accidents, having their sides ripped open, but most don't seem to have anything wrong with them. It really is too bad.

Sask Tinplater, I'll bet you've been looking at a pile of stuff ready for the fiery furnaces at IPSCO!
In 1960 my wife and I visited friends in Regina, he, Ted, being a new melt shop superintendent at IPSCO. With great pride Ted took me out to look at IPSCO's source of scrap material, an enormous pile of CPR and CNR steam locomotives, maybe five stories high! It was enough to make a steam buff cry!

You are correct, indeed! The scrapyard itself is actually called Wheat City Metals, but it is right at IPSCO and all their metal obviously gets sent there to get melt down. I actually never knew that IPSCO was around for that long or that steam locomotives were ever scrapped there. That's very interesting to know...and also very sad to imagine that sight! They did save one steam locomotive, thankfully. At IPCSO, there are some waterslides as well as some elk in a fenced-in field that serve as a family attraction (if you ask me, putting waterslides right next a steel smelter doesn't quite make sense, but whatever). At the parking lot, CP 4-8-4 #3101 is on display along with a heavyweight passenger car and a wooden caboose. The 3101 is a very rare engine as it is one of only two 4-8-4's that CP ever used. The other (3100) is on display at the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson, Quebec.

I believe IPSCO was founded in 1959, with those locomotives providing the first major source of "grist" for the mill's electric arc furnaces. Thanks for the info on CPR #3101. It looks in pretty good condition. Who maintains it?

Hey Isambard/ Sask- Tinplater - you guys seem to have a vast knowledge of old stuff in Canada -- were there any train scrapyards out here in BC ? - Have never seen any , you thoughts!

[Isambard]

QUOTE: Originally posted by athelney

QUOTE: Originally posted by Isambard

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

QUOTE: Originally posted by Isambard

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

I've seen similar sights in real life. In Regina, Saskatchewan there's a scrapyard with piles of old rolling stock (mainly covered hoppers) stacked up like that. There are a couple of hoppers balancing rather precariously at the top that I have a feeling would come crashing down if the wind picked up just a bit. Some of the cars appear to have been in accidents, having their sides ripped open, but most don't seem to have anything wrong with them. It really is too bad.

Sask Tinplater, I'll bet you've been looking at a pile of stuff ready for the fiery furnaces at IPSCO!
In 1960 my wife and I visited friends in Regina, he, Ted, being a new melt shop superintendent at IPSCO. With great pride Ted took me out to look at IPSCO's source of scrap material, an enormous pile of CPR and CNR steam locomotives, maybe five stories high! It was enough to make a steam buff cry!

You are correct, indeed! The scrapyard itself is actually called Wheat City Metals, but it is right at IPSCO and all their metal obviously gets sent there to get melt down. I actually never knew that IPSCO was around for that long or that steam locomotives were ever scrapped there. That's very interesting to know...and also very sad to imagine that sight! They did save one steam locomotive, thankfully. At IPCSO, there are some waterslides as well as some elk in a fenced-in field that serve as a family attraction (if you ask me, putting waterslides right next a steel smelter doesn't quite make sense, but whatever). At the parking lot, CP 4-8-4 #3101 is on display along with a heavyweight passenger car and a wooden caboose. The 3101 is a very rare engine as it is one of only two 4-8-4's that CP ever used. The other (3100) is on display at the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson, Quebec.

I believe IPSCO was founded in 1959, with those locomotives providing the first major source of "grist" for the mill's electric arc furnaces. Thanks for the info on CPR #3101. It looks in pretty good condition. Who maintains it?

Hey Isambard/ Sask- Tinplater - you guys seem to have a vast knowledge of old stuff in Canada -- were there any train scrapyards out here in BC ? - Have never seen any , you thoughts!

Athelney:
I'm not aware of any, not to say there weren't any. Some of the loco/train scrap must have worked its way to Japan, along with all the automotive scrap.

[mudchicken]

Silver Metal Compressing Vinton, TX
Atlas Iron & Metals Denver, CO
Progress Rail Services Pueblo, CO (Outside CF&I Rocky Mountain Steel Mill)

Frequently, tank cars become pipe culverts after removing the ends. (Baytown, TX Ed!)
Grain farmers love old covered hoppers. (especially raised in the air)....ditto aggregate and concrete batch plants....
Four boxcars and some prefab gables make a bulletproof tack barn. Boxcars fell out of favor now that so many sea-cans / containers are available.
Highway departments love the smaller old tank cars for tar storage.
Flatcars are now portable temporary bridges in many places.

[Isambard]

Sask Tinplater:

I believe CPR 3100 is located at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, and not at the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson. See http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/rail5.cfm

Isambard

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

Can't they melt them down and use them for somehting else?

Cleveland Track Material (CTM.....Old Pettibone) takes old railcar axles (wheels removed), heats the axle as a billet and rolls angle bars out of the heated billet/ ingot....absolutely wild to watch the small rolling process after seeing steel rail being rolled......They also have a stamping plant with it to help with step joints.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Isambard

Sask Tinplater:

I believe CPR 3100 is located at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, and not at the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson. See http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/rail5.cfm

Isambard

I suppose that you are right. Thanks for correcting me on that. In regards to your question as to who maintains 3101, I think that it's IPSCO employees that do it. At Christmas time they puts lights on it, which really looks good. Looking at it now, though, it does appear to be in need of a new paint job. The passenger car that's with it is painted entirely maroon, including the roof, without any lettering. The caboose has changed paint schemes over the years. At one time it was orange (again, no markings). Later, it was painted yellow with CP Rail markings, but recently the paint was peeling and it was starting to look REALLY bad, so just this year they repainted it plain maroon, which looks good now, although it would be better if it at least said Canadian Pacific on it.

Another steam locomotive that is preserved in Regina is CNR 4-6-2 #5093, which is on display in front of the city's old Union Station, which is now a casino. I wonder if it maybe came from IPSCO as well originally.

[Anonymous]

When cars get over 40 years old they can no longer be used in interchange service. Certain cars are allowed 50 years. Also, older tank cars that are single hulled or do not meet the new EPA or FRA regs are also being parked in droves. All of these cars will likely meet the torch in the near future.

LC

[Anonymous]

I have a bit of an update about the rolling stock piled up at IPSCO. Yesterday I was in Regina and decided to drive around the area and see if anything had changed. Well, it certainly did. The very large area where all those cars were is now completely empty! I suppose that they've all been scrapped. There were about five truckless IMC potash hoppers sitting by the piles of scrap as well as a few other cars still sitting in another area, but it's nothing compared to the hundreds that were there before. I'm glad that I got pictures of them before.

Something that does have me worried, though, is that when I was last there there was an old NP heavyweight baggage car sitting on a siding. I've mentioned this before on the forums. It was away from where the other cars were and was complete and sitting on the track, which lead me to believe that it was perhaps there for some other reason. I really hope that this never got scrapped! I wonder what ever did happen to it.

[edblysard]

Vantage Properties, on Loop 610, sells sea cans, old 20', and 40'.
Old ATSF tanks are showing up at small trucking companies as fuel storage.

And there is a family, in Seguin on Hwy 90, with a old pullman as a home, and a old reefer and box car as a barn and game room, all tied togethr with covered walkways.
They have a SP caboose out front as a home office, and a SP boxcar with a carport attached as a garage.
It just dont get any beter!

Ed

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Silver Metal Compressing Vinton, TX
Atlas Iron & Metals Denver, CO
Progress Rail Services Pueblo, CO (Outside CF&I Rocky Mountain Steel Mill)

Frequently, tank cars become pipe culverts after removing the ends. (Baytown, TX Ed!)
Grain farmers love old covered hoppers. (especially raised in the air)....ditto aggregate and concrete batch plants....
Four boxcars and some prefab gables make a bulletproof tack barn. Boxcars fell out of favor now that so many sea-cans / containers are available.
Highway departments love the smaller old tank cars for tar storage.
Flatcars are now portable temporary bridges in many places.

[Anonymous]

Up here in Danville, IL there is a scrapping company called Mervis, and we'll bring in old tank cars, auto racks, and gondolas. The only things that come back out are the gondolas full of scrap (usually too high to be safe, so we refuse to pick up!) and also new flatcars that used to autoracks, only they leave a little piece of the side of autorack where the handbrake is, so it looks weird.