So they do ship ammo by rail. Do a Google Earth of McAlester, OK. Then look just to the Southwest. Old Army ammunition plant but now the largest store of Artillery shells and other ammo in the United States. Apparently there are millions and millions of artillery shells stored there. They have a large batch stored in the container section apparently ready to ship out in an emergency. Check out the flat cars with containers on them. Don't know what if any ammo is in those but I am curious how they ship that across the United States. Regular trains or special trains?
My residence was Colton, CA in 1973 and I had been in the Antelope, CA (Roseville, Sacramento area), and the news was mentioning the disaster transpiring in the Antelope area. A Southern Pacific military munitions move had blown up in town and obliterated everything. There was a 7-11 store wiped out, and I remembered that very store when in that area a few months earlier. So, CMStPnP, that is what came to my mind about your post! It seems Benson, AZ had something similar occur soon after.
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/46526/dot_46526_DS1.pdf
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAR7502.pdf
I believe the Benson train was a section of the Blue Streak Merchandise. See the 'crater' picture in the report...
The account of the Roseville accident contains detailed information about the routing of the block of cars involved.
croteauddSo, CMStPnP, that is what came to my mind about your post! It seems Benson, AZ had something similar occur soon after.
I saw remnants of a train in a siding North of Bowie, TX a few weeks ago that had a BNSF helper engine with a former stainless steel streamlined CB&Q passenger sleeper with BNSF decals (roof of the passenger sleeper was brown with rust which I did not think happened to stainless steel) and a string of empty flatcars, which got my mind wondering on this whole topic. Could have been remnants of a work train or could have been an ammo train. The siding was in the middle of nowhere in Texas moonscape country.........couldn't believe they left a locomotive out there.
For those that might not be aware, that part of Texas is Autobahn rules territory. Unwritten social compact. Speed Limit is 75 everyone does 85 some faster and no speed traps, the law posted is you have to keep to the right lane except for passing (I think that is for Trucks because some have speed Governors). So the answer is No I did not see the reporting marks on the flatcars.
CMStPnP (roof of the passenger sleeper was brown with rust which I did not think happened to stainless steel)
Oh yeah, depending of the nature of the particular variety stainless steel CAN rust, it just takes longer for it to start.
CMStPnP I saw remnants of a train in a siding North of Bowie, TX a few weeks ago that had a BNSF helper engine with a former stainless steel streamlined CB&Q passenger sleeper with BNSF decals (roof of the passenger sleeper was brown with rust which I did not think happened to stainless steel) and a string of empty flatcars, which got my mind wondering on this whole topic. Could have been remnants of a work train or could have been an ammo train. The siding was in the middle of nowhere in Texas moonscape country.........couldn't believe they left a locomotive out there. ...
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Car may have been parked, long term, in an area where industrial pollution deposited the roof 'patina' you are seeing.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Pullman-Standard 'streamlined' cars only have stainless sheathing; the framing is cheap and causes terrible galvanic-corrosion issues in old or neglected cars.
OvermodPullman-Standard 'streamlined' cars only have stainless sheathing; the framing is cheap and causes terrible galvanic-corrosion issues in old or neglected cars.
It caused it in ALL the cars so constructed.
OvermodPullman-Standard
I think it was a Budd built car but I am not an expert and I was flying past too fast to really look more than a glance.
I remember most of the Burlington 'Silver xxxx' cars being true Budd construction.
I do not recall seeing pervasive roof corrosion on any shotweld-framed car. That would suggest the previously-given explanation: that it is piled-up dirt and mold, or it had been painted or coated at some point
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