BNSF SD40-2 to the Rescue? Winchester & Western covered hoppers.

[UP 829]

Saw an interesting train crawl through eastbound on the BN racetrack yesterday. 2 NS GE 44's sandwiched around a green BNSF SD40-2. The lead GE was laboring pretty good, the -2 screaming for all it was worth, and the 2nd GE was shut down. Not sure if this was a rescue or a fuel saving move. The train consisted mainly of clean 2 bay covered hoppers, many nearly new and neatly marked with a Winchester & Western herald. Anyone know anything about this road and what they haul? My first thought was an ammo train for Winchester arms but then I recalled they were bought by Olin.

[Andrew Falconer]

The Railroad is in Virginia.

To search for it on the web type in: Virginia Winchester & Western

 http://www.varail.com/ww/wwhome.html 

Andrew

[fifedog]

The Winchester & Western is headquartered in Winchester,VA.  It runs from Hagerstown, MD to Gore, VA.  The covered hoppers may be loaded with sand from the Unimin quarry near Gore.  They still run a fleet of first generation geeps.

[CShaveRR]

Did you happen to get numbers off those new-looking WW hoppers?  There are quite an assortment of car designs in the WW fleet--the newest ones I know of were built in Canada by the National Steel Car Corporation.

[miniwyo]

I would estimate that there are 50-60 of almost brand new looking 2 bay hoppers loaded with Frac Sand sitting here in Rock Springs.

[ericsp]

I would estimate that there are 50-60 of almost brand new looking 2 bay hoppers loaded with Frac Sand sitting here in Rock Springs.

They are frequent visitors to the oil field services companies in Bakersfield, CA.

[UP 829]

I didn't get any numbers off the hoppers. The train I saw them in on Saturday also had a large number of new plain grey hoppers with what I think were leasing company reporting marks. I spent a couple of hours watching the racetrack on Sunday morning and saw 3 more general freights that looked like they belonged to NS. They had the center track all tied up and one came through eastbound on the westbound main. These had a few more WW hoppers mixed in. BN trains I would normally expect to see were all running on the Eastbound main so I'm guessing there was some kind of detour or derailment somewhere?

[CNW 6000]

Could have been run through power.

[Andrew Falconer]

Winchester & Western has a fleet of Off-White ACF CENTER FLOW 2-Bay Covered Hoppers that are about 3000 Cubic Foot Capacity. Is this the type of covered hopper?

Andrew

[SALfan]

Am I just delusional (again), or is my memory playing tricks?  I thought Winchester & Western ran on a former Western Maryland line up in Maryland which was mainly east-west.  Or, have they evolved into running Hagerstown MD to Gore VA?  Thanks.

[fifedog]

JOdom - I think you are refering to the MARYLAND MIDLAND.

[MP57313]

The Winchester & Western is headquartered in Winchester,VA.  It runs from Hagerstown, MD to Gore, VA.  The covered hoppers may be loaded with sand from the Unimin quarry near Gore. 

Per the Northeast SPV Atlas, the WW also operates some former Jersey Central trackage in the pine barrens of southern New Jersey.  Same freight - sand.

[UP 829]

Winchester & Western has a fleet of Off-White ACF CENTER FLOW 2-Bay Covered Hoppers that are about 3000 Cubic Foot Capacity. Is this the type of covered hopper?

Andrew

I didn't notice the capacity, but they're small(~40') 2 bay hoppers that would be used for sand, cement, etc. Searching Goggle groups I found a post that mentioned the sand is used for making some special kind of glass.

[SALfan]

JOdom - I think you are refering to the MARYLAND MIDLAND.

 Thanks, I think you're right.  Guess I was having a senior moment (again).

[route_rock]

  Actually UP we can run either east or west on all those tracks there.The middle or Main two is a DS favorite to get Manifest trains or empties out of the hair of Metra trainsI have come out of Cicero on all three mains . So seeing them on one or the other usually means heavy trraffic a derailment or the DS wanting to drive you nuts lol.

  All the power is probably runthrough. Cant picture why they would have a SD-40 in the lead on a hot day!! LOL was used to that little trick.

  Now if they had enough power( or overpowered HA like that happens on trains out of Chicago!!) you have to shut down other units to keep your horsepower per ton at the scheduled level to save fuel.