Car load photos pt5, tank loads!

Here are some photos for all you military guys out there...

Tanks on DOD flatcars! Now you see why these cars have six-wheeled trucks.

A detail shot of the tie-down chains securing the tank to the car. Note also the cable wrapped around the tank's barrel to secure it as well -and what appears to be cardboard covering openings on the front of the tanks! As far as I know, the only model of these DODX cars was a brass import from several years ago, and I'm not sure how easy they are to find now (or who imported them). The M1A1's are available in HO scale from Herpa.

This car appears to be a converted 89' intermodal flatcar. Or it may have been built in this configuration for the DOD. Either way, it can only hold one tank, despite its length, due to its conventional four-wheeled trucks.

Another detail shot of the tie-down chains. Visible under the tank, and at the top of the photo, are intermodal-style container pedestal tracks and stowage; these can also be seen on the end of the other DODX car as well. Apparently these cars also haul military containers as well.

The other side. Notice that these cars are painted red instead of green like the six-wheeled cars. And notice also, that these cars don't seem to get the graffiti that the boxcars in the background have!

More tanks. They were being delivered to the Pennsylvania National Guard, fourteen in all.

Car load photos pt4

More car loads...

A Department of Defense heavy duty flatcar loaded with a M1 Abrams tank and what looks like a tank recovery vehicle. With a load like this, it's a good thing the flatcar has six-wheeled trucks!

Near the tail end of the same train, was this gondola with a steel coil load. If you look closely, you'll see that the car looks to have brackets mounted inside to keep the coils in place. Note also, that the coils are loaded over the trucks at the ends for weight distribution.

Here's what to do with all those "frets" left over from those etched metal kits; cut them up and load up a former coal gon from the seventies with them!

A (partial) shot of the other car. I wonder if someone would be interested in making junk loads for the taller coal gondolas?

Another scrap load I would like to see is shredded scrap, like these car loads. And behind these six cars, are three more loaded with old, broken ties.

Car load photos pt3

More loaded freight cars...

Two centerbeam flatcars, loaded with lumber; with plastic sheeting covering the entire load on the first car, and almost the entire car on the second!

Next, two Kasgro Rail flatcars specially equipped to carry cable reels. While these two can only carry three each, I saw at least one that can carry four reels.

Finally, two shots of an often-seen, but seemingly never-modeled piece of equipment; a car designed to carry -and place- pre-fabricated switch assemblies! The long flatcar behind it looks to be a converted piggy-back car, now in use for carrying long steel loads, such as pipes or rebar. And notice that following the flatcar is a spine car!

Car load photos pt2

More freight car loads...

Three flatcars loaded with sections of a brand new track alignment machine and ballast tamper, on it's way to CN. Now you can really have fun with those Custom Finishing track machine kits!

Car load photos, part 1

For all you modelers out there, here are some photos of loaded freight cars from here in Central Virginia.

A scrap metal load with what looks like part of a building roof! This gon actually stayed in Montview Yard for several weeks before it was finally taken to its destination!

For those of you who wondered about the tie loads from Moon Dog Railcars for the Exact Rail Centerbeam flatcars, here they are!

Here are more examples; these are the longer switch ties, and they have yet to be creosote-treated.

Two more photos of interesting loads; granite blocks! Now you have an excuse to put small pieces of gravel in your gondolas!

Also, note the ex-Sealand Twin-Stack in the background. Now re-lettered for CSX, this is the prototype for the A-Line car; note how faded the car has gotten!

BIG LOAD AT MONTVIEW

This past week there was a big load at Montview Yard.

This Siemens Schnabel car was sitting in Montview with a huge generator load.

Detail shots of the car and load.  Note that the generator was built in Charlotte, NC. Note also that the car is marked "DO NOT HUMP LOADED OR LIGHT". Yes, let's roll this thing down a hill and see what happens!

The caboose. For those looking to model it, its an ex-CP Rail 'van', the same as the Rapido Transcona Yard caboose; BLMA makes the roof top a/c units.

There was only one idler car; this OTTX flatcar. This train was headed north; to where I don't know.

DUPONT TRAINING CARS IN TOWN

Last month, a set of training cars were siting in Montview Yard.                                                               

The caboose has not only lost all of its windows, but has also had a rooftop a/c unit added.

 The boxcar in the set. Like the other two cars, it is a mobile classroom to help train crewmen and emergency personnel on how to respond to an accident involving hazardous materials.

The tank car. Not being a railroad employee, I don't know how the interior is laid out, but I believe the multiple domes, fittings and hatches are to train personnel on the different fittings found on various tank cars.

Another intersting find last month was these cars. Former ACF Coalveyers, they have since had extensions added to raise their height and make them more useful in their new role hauling scrap metal.

Seen in all of these photos is this building. Modeling details include the vending machine, outdoor bench, trash cans, fire extinguisher by one of the doors, security lights on the end and the vent in between them. The "M1" sign is the shop building number, and the other sign on the wall lists the proper hand signals to use. The white lines show the vehicle lanes around the building, and a collision post protects a tank beside the vending machine. Note also, the blue flag laying on the ground beside the truck.