Trains.com

Color Panels on Coal Cars

9759 views
35 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Louisiana
  • 2,310 posts
Posted by Paul of Covington on Friday, August 14, 2020 12:03 AM

JPS1

I did not see a double rotary car between the two halfs.  But, to be candid, I am not sure that I would have recognized one. 

 

   Quite a few times I have watched coal trains on the Rochelle cam and tried to spot the double-rotary car, but I've never caught it.  All of a sudden I realize that the painted panels have switched ends.  I'm convinced that they exist, and that I just missed them.  It's hard to stay alert for 70 or so cars.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Friday, August 14, 2020 12:48 AM

Paul of Covington
JPS1

I did not see a double rotary car between the two halfs.  But, to be candid, I am not sure that I would have recognized one.

   Quite a few times I have watched coal trains on the Rochelle cam and tried to spot the double-rotary car, but I've never caught it ... I'm convinced that they exist, and that I just missed them.

They have stripes on both ends.  I has a link to a picture of one but it had some weird permission scheme that expired, and in the meantime Paul noted he was well aware of what they looked like.  Use rdamon's picture below for reference.

 

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Louisiana
  • 2,310 posts
Posted by Paul of Covington on Friday, August 14, 2020 1:27 AM

   I know what they look like, I just can't keep my attention focused on every single car.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • From: I've been everywhere, man
  • 4,269 posts
Posted by SD70Dude on Friday, August 14, 2020 1:30 PM

Overmod

Just as a note: unit trains have to be periodically reversed (or their trucks do) to equalize wheel wear.  The easiest way to do this would be just to swap ends on the consist periodically, but this might put the 'wrong end' type out... and over goes your DPU in the dumper, film at 11.  

NDG mentioned in the past that CP would wye their trainsets on a regular basis, usually at the crew change point of Fort Steele, BC.  

Most of the western Canadian mines that CN serves do not have loops, but all three Pacific coast coal terminals do.  So our trains get reversed on most of their trips.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, August 14, 2020 2:28 PM

Overmod
They have stripes on both ends.  Here's a steel example from BNSF.

Can't make the link work!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 2,325 posts
Posted by rdamon on Friday, August 14, 2020 2:36 PM

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