Last evening I saw a train that may have been lost. It was pulling through Sioux Falls, S.D. about 8:30. 99% of our traffic on the BNSF line is grain, ethanol and pink rock with DP units on the tail. The train last night had a single ES44C4, BNSF #8109 up front and no DP. It was a long train, perhaps a mile plus. As it came through town, it nearly came to a stop going over the imperceptible grade. I think I could have walked as fast as the train and that's not saying much for its speed. The cars were all dusty, tan, hoppers with 4 doors on the bottom. Each had a stencil about not banging on the car etc. Typical cars were TILX638151, 638192, CEFX398127, AOKX78933. Snooping around on ye olde Internets made me think these cars were usually used for carrying frac sand? About the only oil in South Dakota is at Jiffy Lube. As far as I know, we have no frac sand pits. Should I call BNSF and report a stray?
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Those are dry distillers grain hoppers.
"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)
You couldn't load those puppies with frac sand more than halfway without exceeding the gross rail load.And you'd put your eye out (and damage the lining with the sand).
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)
ericsp Those are dry distillers grain hoppers.
Two answers to that: Away and "hic".
Distillers grain is a distillery byproduct used for animal feed.
Murphy Siding ericsp Those are dry distillers grain hoppers. Would dry distillers grain be going to or from an ethanol plant?
Would dry distillers grain be going to or from an ethanol plant?
Doesn't the process of making ethanol distill it from grain? It would going from a ethanol producer to a customer.
The train you saw was most likely empties, with a single unit being loaded to it's max tonnage rating.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
rcdrye Two answers to that: Away and "hic". Distillers grain is a distillery byproduct used for animal feed.
Ever been to a feedlot where the steers are fed silage with the 'corn squeezin's still there? Them steers are fun to watch and so glassy-eyed the don't care about a thing.
Norm
Norm48327 rcdrye Two answers to that: Away and "hic". Distillers grain is a distillery byproduct used for animal feed. Ever been to a feedlot where the steers are fed silage with the 'corn squeezin's still there? Them steers are fun to watch and so glassy-eyed the don't care about a thing.
BaltACD Murphy Siding ericsp Those are dry distillers grain hoppers. Would dry distillers grain be going to or from an ethanol plant? Doesn't the process of making ethanol distill it from grain? It would going from a ethanol producer to a customer. The train you saw was most likely empties, with a single unit being loaded to it's max tonnage rating.
That makes some sense. It's my understanding that most by-products from our local ethanol plants are trucked to local cattle and dairy farms while they're still in a mushy form. I’ve heard it referred to as mash. To ship it in covered hoppers I suppose they have to dry it first. The economics of making that work must be interesting as every ethanol plant is surrounded by farms.
Murphy SidingShould I call BNSF and report a stray?Stick out tongue
You laugh, but...
The other day we had to go out and recrew a local that was tied down on a branch line. There was a track issue, so the crew tied the train down and taxied home.
It sat there for a day or so until a crew could go and get it (our crew). My conductor is taking off the handbrakes when a nice lady approaches him and tells him (paraphrasing) "..she is so glad someone finally came for that train. She was so worried since it sat there a day and a half and was about to call the railroad!".
My conductor assured her that everything was ok, and that sometimes trains do get parked in seemingly odd places. I'm thinking she was the proprietor of a nearby newer store, since that is a place where that train does get tied down once every couple of lunar cycles.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Aside from being a very good food for cattle and hogs it keeps those animals warm on a cold winter day. The barn can be a bit warm from the cattle , on one time a deer or two would stop by the feeder. Just remembering other times on the farm.
Y6bs evergreen in my mind
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