I live close to the NS, AGS Div, north/south between Chattannoga and Bhm. I have seen quite a lot of gon unit trains going both ways, can't see cargo but guess that it is steel slabs. I am assuming that they are loaded one way and return empty. Would like to know where loads originate and where they are bound. I am guessing they are imports. Thanks.
Northtowne
Can't address your questions about this particular train, but I can offer a way to know which way it is going when loaded and empty.
If you look at the side of the truck frames, in the middle you will see the springs in the lower half of a rectangular opening. Sometimes you can tell how compressed the springs are, but that is often difficult to know how much they are compressed without much experience looking at them in both conditions (loaded vs unloaded).
An easier way is to look at the gap above the end of the rectangular box girder in the middle of the opening in the frame (just above the springs). When a car is not loaded the gap above the box girder will be shorter (i.e.: less tall) than the height of the box girder. When the car is fully loaded that upper gap will be taller than the end of the box girder.
It is very easy and quick to tell the difference in the two heights.
Cars are seldom not maxed out in weight capacity, so it is more often than not to be able to tell whether the car is empty or loaded.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Since this Thread is about Unit Gondola Car Moves...I have a request!
Back on April 7th. I saw a unit train of empty, apparently new(?) conventional-style (non moveable ends) gondola cars.
The cars looked to be about 70-80' long, side about 4' high(?).
They had an orange ball painted on their sides, at about halfway on the length of the car.
Insides were sort of a light sandy color, outsides were a light black(?).
All the cars had the ID of WUMX, and 4 digit car numbers...I saw starting numbers in 10__,12__,13__,14__, series. All appeared to be empty. The train was westbound on the BNSF's Ellinor sub ( officially, Main 3, of ElDortado sub), and appeared to be over a mile in length(?)
Carl (CShaveRR) tried on the Umler List; ID of WUMX and WMUX. Could not find an owner listed.
Admittedly, Curiosity got the better of me! So any help in identifying them, would be appreciated!
Thanks, In advance
They are nowhere near 70' long but otherwise look like your description.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?road=MWAX&cid=6
http://www.railcarphotos.com/Search.php?SearchReportingMark=MWAX&Search=Search
"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)
Saw the gon unit train today on the NS going north EMPTY, if that helps. Still don't know origin of cargo (gotta be steel slabs), but they are going south loaded, maybe to the steel mill at Mobile, AL. (that mill is only a finishing mill; they do not smelt the steel).
Do you have reporting marks and car numbers for the gondolas? That information may give an insight into what they carry.
If the gondolas are carrying slabs, my guess is they are headed to the US Steel plant in Fairfield, AL. They closed down the primary steel making facilities and postponed building an electric arc furnace but the rolling mills are still operating.
ericsp Do you have reporting marks and car numbers for the gondolas? That information may give an insight into what they carry.
Apparently, I missed the reporting marks
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3880361
I apparently,mistook the MWAX, and transposed the WM when I read them, and later wrote it down... Dyslexia ? [Should keep my binoculars where I can find them]
Ericsp, again thanks, for your Help! I do appreciate it; Hope also, Carl S. (CShaveRR) sees this as well...I owe him appologies for his time looking in the UMLER !
I did apparently see some of their newer cars Series above 12__ !
And according to the notes on some of the photos, they do seem to roam in the Midwest.. Unusual to see that type of condola. around this area...Most of the ballast trains through here are of the bottom dumping kind, and self-unloading types (HERZOG,GREX). The MWAX cars would seem to specifically require some machine unloading from their open tops?
Northtowne Saw the gon unit train today on the NS going north EMPTY, if that helps. Still don't know origin of cargo (gotta be steel slabs), but they are going south loaded, maybe to the steel mill at Mobile, AL. (that mill is only a finishing mill; they do not smelt the steel). Northtowne
Why does it have to be slabs? The linked photo shows these contained residual mineral or dark stone or maybe slag.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2001583
Going south it's 60C originating from Chicago, northbound its 61C returning empty. All steel slabs. Can't remember the exact mill it's going to I'll have to look next time I catch it.
MidlandMike Northtowne Saw the gon unit train today on the NS going north EMPTY, if that helps. Still don't know origin of cargo (gotta be steel slabs), but they are going south loaded, maybe to the steel mill at Mobile, AL. (that mill is only a finishing mill; they do not smelt the steel). Northtowne Why does it have to be slabs? The linked photo shows these contained residual mineral or dark stone or maybe slag. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2001583
Another question, in my mind is who is the 'entity' controling the routing of these cars? Is it a Steel Corp or one of the Ballast suppliers owning the gons?
There are some movements of coiled steel through this area; in open gondolas, [Hot Rolled products(?)]. Their routing by this area, could indicate destinations in Oklahoma, or Texas(?). They could also be destined for a point off of BNSF's Southern Transcon(?).
samfp1943 Could the 'residual stone' in the empty gondolas be a result of the loading and unloading processes? Steel Slabs, by their very nature would seem to require minimal dunnage, at any handling stage. The stone could be a result of how the slabs are handled by the loading/unloading equipment? Another question, in my mind is who is the 'entity' controling the routing of these cars? Is it a Steel Corp or one of the Ballast suppliers owning the gons? There are some movements of coiled steel through this area; in open gondolas, [Hot Rolled products(?)]. Their routing by this area, could indicate destinations in Oklahoma, or Texas(?). They could also be destined for a point off of BNSF's Southern Transcon(?).
Could the 'residual stone' in the empty gondolas be a result of the loading and unloading processes? Steel Slabs, by their very nature would seem to require minimal dunnage, at any handling stage. The stone could be a result of how the slabs are handled by the loading/unloading equipment?
I suppose in rough handling that stone could get incorporated onto the slabs. Nevertheless, the gons do on occasion haul stone (ballast?).
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=363482
In the above photo, the stone shows above the car sides, but for mineral loads they often trim the load below the sides.
MidlandMike samfp1943 Could the 'residual stone' in the empty gondolas be a result of the loading and unloading processes? Steel Slabs, by their very nature would seem to require minimal dunnage, at any handling stage. The stone could be a result of how the slabs are handled by the loading/unloading equipment? Another question, in my mind is who is the 'entity' controling the routing of these cars? Is it a Steel Corp or one of the Ballast suppliers owning the gons? There are some movements of coiled steel through this area; in open gondolas, [Hot Rolled products(?)]. Their routing by this area, could indicate destinations in Oklahoma, or Texas(?). They could also be destined for a point off of BNSF's Southern Transcon(?). I suppose in rough handling that stone could get incorporated onto the slabs. Nevertheless, the gons do on occasion haul stone (ballast?). http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=363482 In the above photo, the stone shows above the car sides, but for mineral loads they often trim the load below the sides.
This gondola and the one you linked to in an earlier post are Martin Marietta Materials gondolas from the same series that Sam saw. It would not haul steel slabs. They may or may not be the gondolas Northtowne saw.
https://www.martinmarietta.com/Products/
MidlandMikeThe linked photo shows these contained residual mineral or dark stone or maybe slag.
It's dark because it's wet -- see the silt water in the bottoms? I think it's ballast, either cleaned or dirty. It is surprisingly hard finding out what the orange circle means, but I seem to remember there is at least one thread that describes what it connotes...
For many years, I lived by the Conrail/NS Ft Wayne line, in Mansfield, Ohio. I do not remember the Conrail symbol, It would have been MI?? or??MI. NS changed these to 68J and 69J. They were empty and full gondola slab trains. I assume they were loaded at a steel mill in PA and were unloaded at Midletown, Ohio. It has been over 13 years since I lived that way, so I am sure some things may be wrong or just plain forgotten but these trains more or less ran daily. This is the only photo I can find now. Most of my photos and slides (30,000 worth) were destroyed in the flood of 2007. I do remember I have this one though. Nothing special. 68J heading back to pick up more slabs.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=75245
Those empty gondolas go north through Rockwood Tennessee. As ofandyet have not caught one going north and speeding to the nearest overpass to look to see if it is slabs. Last week the northbound had a single 70ac for power.
RME MidlandMike The linked photo shows these contained residual mineral or dark stone or maybe slag. It's dark because it's wet -- see the silt water in the bottoms? I think it's ballast, either cleaned or dirty. It is surprisingly hard finding out what the orange circle means, but I seem to remember there is at least one thread that describes what it connotes...
MidlandMike The linked photo shows these contained residual mineral or dark stone or maybe slag.
The stone in the corners sits well above the wet car bottom and I don't conclude all the stone is wet. It certainly could be dirty ballast, as the material left in the nearest car looks very similar to the ballast along the trackside.
poneykeg Last week the northbound had a single 70ac for power.
Last week the northbound had a single 70ac for power.
Power shortage XD. Train is around 11,000 tons going south and needs every bit of 3 motors to pull the 1.2% grade at Huffman.
MWAX 1001-1590 were built in and around October 2005 by National Steel Car. I'll have to do some traveling to see these cars; they haven't made an appearance up here yet. Perhaps these aren't the cars that the O.P. was talking about (which is why reporting marks and numbers are very important to have, and to report correctly... for Sam). These cars have an overall length of 48'8"; the inside length is 43'10".
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Reporting marks are all NS or CR (old ConRail)
I think "ericsp" is right, they must be slabs Chicago to Fairfield, AL US Steel finishing facility. There are about 3/4 trains per week. Gons are mostly low sides, rough shape, but I guess mechanically road worthy. Thanks to all.
CSX runs steel slabs from the Ashland railway to Hamilton.
stay safe
Joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
Checked today; Paperwork says unloads in Calvert, AL and returns empty to a Mittal foundry in Chicago.
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