Triple Crown...still with long string of trailers...

[Modelcar]

...Was bike riding on our trail today and happened to be at the depot...{now trail head}, as Triple Crown slipped by on parallel track {to trail at that point}, and it was pulled by 2 6-axle engines with 138 trailers and noted quite a few of them were 53 footers. That makes a long train.....and removes 138 trucks from highway congestion...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Was bike riding on our trail today and happened to be at the depot...{now trail head}, as Triple Crown slipped by on parallel track {to trail at that point}, and it was pulled by 2 6-axle engines with 138 trailers and noted quite a few of them were 53 footers. That makes a long train.....and removes 138 trucks from highway congestion...

Just out of curiousity, how often do you see TC trailers pulled on streets and/or highways down your way?

I'm seeing more and more everyday, I guess coming out of the local hub to streetside destinations.

It really looks like NS is going to make that work

[Anonymous]

The business of Triple Crown must be growing at a fast pace. I see a couple of TC trains a day, one going each way. They contain ex UP and Amtrak trailers mixed in with their own.

NateF40Amtrak
clevelandtrains.net

[Modelcar]

...I've seen very few trailers of Triple Crown on streets or highways in our area but no terminal near here.....My bigest surprise was the 53' units....The train was slipping by almost silent with an exception of a few boggies had some small flats on wheels making some noise....otherwise it was really quiet and smooth rolling by my vantage point. As I've related before, we have a big curve and elevated to cross over city streets just beyond the depot area and I was watching if it slowed for movement up and around that curve, but it did not...In fact it seemed to pick up a bit of speed as about half of the consist had passed by my location....When I think how may trucks that removes from long haul on highways it is a good feeling to see so many trailers traveling in such a manner...I think, progress.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...I've seen very few trailers of Triple Crown on streets or highways in our area but no terminal near here.....My bigest surprise was the 53' units....

Yeah, it amazes me sometimes to see a TC rig on the asphalt headed over the main highways, I guess to other destinations without off loading facilities. Bet the truckers love them.

I even saw a couple TC trailers sitting in TOFC arrangement, which I never expected to see...

[MP173]

Model:

What time does the TC go thru Muncie?

That was a huge train. Here in Valpo they dont run nearly as large. In fact, I have seen several inbounds to Chicago with 30 - 50. Of course they run two inbounds to Chicago in the morning (261 and 264). Combine the two and it would be pretty big.

ed

[Modelcar]

MP.....It was just a tick after 12:00 noon...Thursday. I've seen it pass thru just a bit later at times.

[Modelcar]

...MP....Some time ago I was in position to count the trailers on the south bound Triple Crown and that one had 140 so perhaps it is in general a rather long train with the business climate we're in now....Keep 'em coming.

[TrainFreak409]

Are we talking Roadrailers, or TOFC? I know that Triple Crown has many Roadrailers, but they do ship TOFC as well. Is it TOFC picking up, or the Roadrailer traffic?

I like Roadrailers, they are my favorite kind of unit train.

[Modelcar]

...We are talking about a train of trailers supported by boggies at each end {between}, the trailers. Your description: Roadrailers.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...We are talking about a train of trailers supported by boggies at each end {between}, the trailers. Your description: Roadrailers.

Yes we are, except...I did bring up the oddity that I saw recentlty, which was a long string of conventional TOFC, with 2 Triple crown trailers sitting on flatcars.

I thought it was neat..

[Modelcar]

..Oh, I suppose that happens at times...Trailers are at a certain location and loads available so the two must be utlized and off they go...on TOFC....

[Junctionfan]

I often see Triple Crown trailers on CP's Tofc hotshot-the Expressway.

[TrainFreak409]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...We are talking about a train of trailers supported by boggies at each end {between}, the trailers. Your description: Roadrailers.

Isn't that what they are called? Roadrailers? Using either Mark IV or V boogies to support the ends, and a CouplerMate up front.

Does Triple Crown use any of the DuraPlate style trailers?

[Modelcar]

TF409.....I'm not familiar with the term DuraPlate trailers...The last Triple Crown consist seemed to be similar to each other with exception of length....Some were 53'ers....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

TF409.....I'm not familiar with the term DuraPlate trailers...

It's a Wabash National trade name for their metal laminated plastic trailers wall system.

Neat idea, I think it is bigger in trucking than road railers. But I think CP has a few

http://www.holberttrailers.com/duraplate.htm

[Anonymous]

Hey, I saw something neat the other day, I saw Triple Crowns "10,000th trailer", got big mural .lettering on the side saying so....

Anybody else seen this one?

[Modelcar]

...I'll be watching for it...Interesting.

[Modelcar]

Metal laminated....what are the stand out differences to watch for in their appearance...?

[Modelcar]

...Ok, Antigates...I checked out your address to see the DuraPlate trailer...and now have an idea of what to look for.....I have seen many smooth sided trailers in the consist but at this point I don't know if I was seeing DuraPlate units....

[TrainFreak409]

Thanks for posting the DuraPlate link, AntiGates! That saved me some explaining.[8D]

I haven't seen the 10,000th trailer in person, but I have seen a model of it. Deluxe Innovation has made an N scale one, so I am looking for that to go with my 10 set of CN DuraPlates.[:D]

[Modelcar]

...You fellows have me curious now.....I'll have to try to be up at the depot around noon next week and see if I can catch the Triple Crown unit again......

[dwil89]

Here is a link to the Triple Crown Company..may shed some light on its scope of operations http://www.triplecrownsvc.com/

[Modelcar]

...The more we dig into this subject I see how a product most likely can ride in this mode of operation and have less damage...Less slack, air ride trailers while on the highway, etc....Interesting.

[M636C]

Sadly, in Australia, Roadrailers are going the way of the Flexi-Van, just being taken out of service as the vans wear out. Our clearances don't allow TOFC or double stacking in the East (East of Adelaide, South Australia) and Railroaders were our best chance to get trailers off the road. It might be possible to put TOFC trailers in well wagons (double stack cars) as I believe NS does in the Eastern USA, but nobody has tried that yet.

M636C

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TrainFreak409

Thanks for posting the DuraPlate link, AntiGates! That saved me some explaining.[8D]

I haven't seen the 10,000th trailer in person, but I have seen a model of it. Deluxe Innovation has made an N scale one, so I am looking for that to go with my 10 set of CN DuraPlates.[:D]

I guess they made that 10K trailer quite some time back, because it looked quite used in person.

I didn't even know that there was such a beast untiil one day I just saw it rolling down the track, and thought "wow"!!

[Modelcar]

M636C.....Our eastern railroads had less clearance many places to carry double stacks, etc....and a massive program was put forth to open up clearance in tunnels, etc. and now major east / west routes through the east and some others have completed many of the clearance projects and allowing these types of loads to be hauled....It was a major effort in many places....and I suppose cost much money to get it accomplished. I don't think the roadrailers are a dying breed here at this time...They sure seem to be busy through this area with the roadrailers....Trains with 140 trailers in a consist.

[MP173]

140 roadrailers seems to be a pretty big consist. I saw one down south of Lexington, Ky at High Bridge with about that many trailers.

Things are really picking up for the end of the year push. NS is running extra intermodals frequently. I heard extra 215 (Chicago -Jacksonville), 233 (Norfolk -Chicago) and 236 (Chicago - Norfolk) last week. These trains are designated by an "I" replacing the first digit. So, an extra 215 is I15.

There also have been a couple of O42's. I was able to observe one and it was empty TTX cars going to Chicago.

I dont know how much of this is due to the chaos created by Katrina(doubtful) and how much is holiday/end of the year rush.

Anti...since you are in Ft. Wayne, what are the TC operations like. I assume it is a big HUB operation with trains from all directions converging and then shuffled and then outbound trains built. How many tracks are there at the yard? How do they shuffle the cars (on the rails, or off rail)? The Chicago inbound trains are thru here about 7am, meaning they would depart Ft. Wayne around 4am or so, are there cutoff times?

From the trade magazines, TC seems to get very high marks from shippers. They obviously have done things very well. It would be interesting to see a comprehensive article (or book) on the history of TC and the operations.

Modelcar...I assume there are only two TC's a day thru Muncie (SB and NB). Any idea of when the NB runs thru?

I know...lots of questions, knowledge is good.

ed

[Nora]

The roadrailers come through work a few times a day and often have 150 trailers. I can't recall ever seeing a Triple Crown truck on the road around here, but the few times I visited Chicago last year I saw a handful of them each time on the way there or back.

That 10,000th trailer passed us a couple months back as we were sitting across the crossing from our house, waiting to get home. Kind of a surprise to see that in the midst of all the other largely identical trailers.

My kids love seeing the TC trains go by for some reason and always let me know when they see one...I've been woken up by "It's a Triple Clown train, mommy!" at 6 AM before.

[MP173]

Ok, I guess I will have to revise my comments.


NS 262 just cleared Valpo (840am) with NS6555 and 9375. I counted 151 TC units, by far the largest I have seen.

This is an unusual TC for me. Normally 262 runs about 8pm. So, I got the chance to get photos of it running into the sun. What a monster train it was too.

So, Anti Gates, if you get the chance...get out there on the NKP west of Ft Wayne for a rare look at an EB.

ed