Trains.com

The Return of the Railroad Freight House

2330 views
17 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 3,139 posts
Posted by chutton01 on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 8:04 AM

kgbw49

Also, if you look closely in the opening shot before starting the video, on the upper left corner of the warehouse you can see a track that curves around the back side of the warehouse.

Yes, that's the track on the North Side of the building I was talking about a few posts above.  As I mentioned, you can see the track clearer around 0:55 or so in the video, although the East end of the track is obscured to a degress by the superimposed Channel logo.

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • 2,678 posts
Posted by kgbw49 on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 10:16 PM

(41.5859360, -93.5910343)u

https://goo.gl/maps/yfTkm6o5PA9RGpm68

In this photo the roof is under construction and ballast is being laid for connections to several nearby railroads, including one to the southwest.

It looks like it is adjacent to the Iowa Interstate immediately to the north of the new tracks for the transload facility, UP's yard is just to the east, and it appears to connect to the very stub end of the BNSF branch from Albia, IA with the west track for which ballast has been laid in the photo.

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • 2,678 posts
Posted by kgbw49 on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 10:06 PM

Also, if you look closely in the opening shot before starting the video, on the upper left corner of the warehouse you can see a track that curves around the back side of the warehouse.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 10:00 PM

3 years ago I shipped my car to Europe. It went from Toronto to Halifax by CN. I could not deal with CN directly but had to deal with a third party that handled cars. When the car was returned from Europe and arrived back in the CN yard North of Toronto, a guy from CN called me to alert the car shipper to come and collect the car. I asked him if I could go to the yard myself. He said that I could not, but had to deal with the company who sent the car to them. Clearing customs was a pain but it came through without a scratch. 

I do recall going to the station in Amityville, New York to pick up a package at the freight house just East of the station building in what, 1961?. I remember the two seperate buildings. I assume it came by REA because I sure recall their trucks in town but we had to go to the station to get it and it wasn't delivered to the house. The buildings were torn down when they elevated the tracks in the 1960s. 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 3,139 posts
Posted by chutton01 on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 9:34 PM

MidlandMike
I didn't see anywhere where tracks came close enough to the warehouse to un/load directly between rail and warehouse. 


Around 0:55 in that KCCI8 video with the article, you see a track alongside the north wall of the logistic center; towards the east end of that spur there seems to be a canopy over a loading dock, but of course there's a Sky8 logo superimposed over it so its a bit hard to confirm that.  Other than that, they seem to be using forklifts to unload the ladings like lumber or rebar...like many other tranload centers.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • 1,754 posts
Posted by diningcar on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 8:23 PM

MidlandMike
I didn't see anywhere where tracks came close enough to the warehouse to un/load directly between rail and warehouse.

Like BNS-UPS at Willow Springs; perhaps with modifications to accommodate different needs?

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 6,449 posts
Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 6:57 PM

I didn't see anywhere where tracks came close enough to the warehouse to un/load directly between rail and warehouse.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Valparaiso, In
  • 5,921 posts
Posted by MP173 on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 4:59 PM

Somewhere along the line years ago I picked up a 1920's book "The Station Agent's Blue Book" published by Kirkpatrick Publishing Company in Chicago.

This 520 page big book is a reference for Station Agents covering nearly all details from issueing Bills of Lading, Freight Classification, ordering cars, accepting freight, loading and unloading freight, per diem, over short and damage (OS&D), freight claims, diversion and reconsignment, storage, switching, freight bills, station records, monthly reports...and on and on.

Lots of neat stuff in there if you are an old "freight guy" like I was in LTL trucking.  Included in the book are nearly 200 illustrations of forms and reports.

The local freight station used to be an important place in town.

These transload, warehouse, cross dock facilities would be a great marketing tool for the regional and shortlines.  One could truely go "intermodal".

Ed

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 2:08 PM

samfp1943
Seems as oif we are revisited by that 'old saw':

"...Everythng that is old is now new again..."  ?? Whistling

Norris; many of 'old-geezer types  remember when the railroads had 'freight hoses' in about every division point(?)... many times in conjunction with 'Railway Express' delivery areas [REA had at least, a spur track available for 'pool cars']....

The railroads utilized  pool cars to move freight between 'points' on their systems, and when it became larger volumes; they formed thir own trucking operations [MoPac,AT&SF, R.I.are some, I remember].  

Not exqctl;y sure what 'killed' those part of the railroad's participation?  They a;ll; seemed to die sometime started ion the late 1950's and ost were gopne by the early 1970's(?).

The railroads and REA were major presences in most places, particularly in smaller to medium-sized communities(?).         Sears, Roebuck&Co. sold a lot of pre-fabed houses, which were delivered off railroads.  The railroads delivered alot  of major home appliances, many came through various catalogue sales operations.     As they went away, so it seemed did railroad pool car and warehousing delivery services (?)   

That was part of LCL - Less than Car Load services offered by the railroads.  During the 20's & 30's it became increasingly regulate on both the state and national stages and the additional regulations sucked much of the profit from it.  LCL died in the 1950's.  REA Express succumbed to the dying throws of the American passenger train network through the 50's & 60's.

Every 'station' I worked in the 1960's had a 'freight room' that was part of the station and most had Team Tracks.  At the time I was working, nethier of these amenities were being used where I worked.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 1:49 PM

Convicted One

Who was the poster here who used to always groan and  moan about the demise of team tracks?

 

Our re-occuring troll from Cleveland, that's who. Devil

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 1:48 PM

      Maybe I've missed the point. I only point out the lumber because I'm a lumber guy. Lots of other items are shipped through railroad distribution centers in our area. It's nothing new.

     Here's the catch. If you want to cash in on those *huge savings* by shipping something by rail through a reload facility, you have to buy a full train car of the goods. That's about 4 semi truck loads. You then have to pay to have it hauled from there to your facility. Or, you can just pay to have it trucked from the source to your facility. Building materials shipped to us on a rail car are competitive because we have our own rail spur to unload with our equipment and employees. The same materials shipped through any of the 3 reloads near us are not competitive once you factor in the costs involved.

     I know, I know. It's a public-private partnership to try and turn back time. Good luck, and say hi to Marty McFly back in 1955.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 1:43 PM

Who was the poster here who used to always groan and  moan about the demise of team tracks?

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Guelph, Ontario
  • 4,819 posts
Posted by Ulrich on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 1:33 PM

I think it's a great idea... anything to make it easier for the average business to work with rail is a good thing. Most shippers even today are under the wrong impression that rail is only for the large Fortune 100 shippers who move trainloads at a time. The average 20 employee machine shop won't even consider using rail.. Build more transload centers and get the sales people to think retail instead of wholesale.. 

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: South Central,Ks
  • 7,170 posts
Posted by samfp1943 on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 1:07 PM

Seems as oif we are revisited by that 'old saw':

"...Everythng that is old is now new again..."  ?? Whistling

Norris; many of us 'old-geezer types  remember when the railroads had 'freight houses' in about every division point(?)... many times in conjunction with 'Railway Express' delivery areas [REA had at least, a spur/Team track available for 'pool cars']....

The railroads utilized  pool cars to move freight between 'points' on their systems, and when it became larger volumes; they formed thir own trucking operations [MoPac,AT&SF, R.I.are some, I remember].  

Not exqctl;y sure what 'killed' those part of the railroad's participation?  They a;ll; seemed to die sometime started ion the late 1950's and most were gone by the early 1970's(?).

The railroads and REA were major presences in most places, particularly in smaller to medium-sized communities(?).         Sears, Roebuck & Co. sold a lot of pre-fabed houses, which were delivered off railroads.  The railroads delivered alot  of major home appliances, many came through various catalogue sales operations.     As they went away, so it seemed, did railroad pool car and warehousing and delivery services (?)   

 

 


 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Denver / La Junta
  • 10,820 posts
Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 12:38 PM

Still just a twist on the team track/ cross-dock operations with a middleman.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Dallas, TX
  • 6,952 posts
Posted by CMStPnP on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 12:12 PM

Murphy Siding
Well, ok. They're excited about this. I understand. But they're suggesting that one of the items that can be brought through this reload center is lumber? There have been lumber reload centers on rail lines distributing lumber all over the country for the 41 years I've been in the lumber business. In fact, I bet I could find a half dozen right there in the Des Moines area.

Heh, I think you missed the point.   This is cheaper by nature of the fact it is multi-purpose and does not handle just lumber, far more efficient to be multi-purpose and reduces the cost for those that ship lumber this way over having a dedicated facility.    Fractional cost with this facility vs. full cost with dedicated facility for lumber.

They will not have any issue finding customers look at shortlines in Dallas they all have at least one transload facility on their line and direct customers to it in order to generate more revenue.   The concept is proven and is used pretty extensively already.

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 11:19 AM

     Well, ok. They're excited about this. I understand. But they're suggesting that one of the items that can be brought through this reload center is lumber? There have been lumber reload centers on rail lines distributing lumber all over the country for the 41 years I've been in the lumber business. In fact, I bet I could find a half dozen right there in the Des Moines area.

      It doesn't seem like they're building a better mousetrap, or even reinventing an old moustrap. Maybe I'm being too critical. It is Iowa- "build it and they will come" territory. And there is that "public-private" partnership they talked about $$$$. The article sounds like they built this awesome thing and now all they need is customers? Good luck.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,486 posts
The Return of the Railroad Freight House
Posted by Victrola1 on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 11:06 AM

Railport. 

It has become an economic development fad. Every town desires one. Come down with your horse and wagon. Load up what came in on a rail car and take it home. It's not too far from where the old railroad freight house used to be. 

https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-new-railport-set-to-make-des-moines-a-major-train-hub/39139078?fbclid=IwAR1YDcJxDnErGHZcsgVVBb2tfV7spRZZzidGBHdcj-uyLGdbvRsobXUNJJc#

 
 

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy