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| Motive power today looks like three AC44CWCTEs; 6998 (I think, its hard to read the number), 5600 and 5643 |
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| At the siding in Milliken |
Saturday, August 16, 2014
UP Trains on Friday
I followed one long UP train with just grain from E-470 up 85 through Brighton, not to bad from the car. The sidings at Milliken were full, I need to figure out what industry that is right there, it gets a lot rail service. Looks like short grain cars and tank cars, maybe they do fructose there.
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Great pictures as always.
ReplyDeleteSome notes, of course. ;) The short covered hoppers are sand cars. Usually used for fracking sand. I know they're shipping A LOT into the Johnstown area.
Operationally speaking, what you saw in Milliken was a drop off by a mainline crew. LaSalle has 4 local crews (Conductor, Brakeman, Engineer)running 4 different local “jobs”, and currently 10 extra board trainmen (Conductor, Brakeman) and 5 extra board engineers, that cover vacations/sick days as well as covering locals that go over their 12hrs. When a train comes off the main line and a Lasalle crew isn't available, AND the mainline crew is qualified, they'll take the train to Milliken and tie it down (set the hand brakes and secure the train).
When a Lasalle crew is available, they'll pick up the train at Milliken, or take it from the mainline crew at LaSalle, and then pull it up to Johnstown where the Great Western RR takes over. Iv’e heard tell, that the Great Western isn’t always ready for them at Johnstown, so they’ll leave the train there for them. The Great Western crews then deliver and pick up all over the Fort Collins area, including both the Budweiser brewery and the bottle plant in Windsor. Other businesses that I know of are Vestas and an ethanol plant also near Windsor. There is also a crude oil loader near Fort Collins, but I have no idea exactly where.
Wow, didn’t expect that to be quite the wall of text it turned into. :) Let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Oh, and your rolling stock is looking great! :)
If its post 1940 its definitely not my strong suit. Sand for fracking, no wonder those cars are short, they would get heavy fast. I wasn't aware of any fracking going on in that area. There are an awful lot of oil wells going in up that way lately though. I'll have to look for the crude oil dealer one of these weekends in Ft Collins.
DeleteA wall of text like that is a welcome addition!
Nice pictures. The weathering and decals on the box cars look good. I managed to find some pan pastels at a local Aaron Brothers. Have yet to try them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sean! I was hoping to add some streaking but I'm having difficulty pulling off the effect. I think you will like the Pan Pastels, they are a lot easier than the jars of loose pigment, they should last forever too.
ReplyDelete