Logistics…We’re going into the holiday season this year, and the news tells us products are short in inventory, and slow in arriving.
Being busy the last few weeks, and being between model RR projects, I’ve had trouble coming up with good research topics – until…I tried to order some Christmas gifts online. Logistics…When it’s going well, our lives seem seamless. But when delays and low inventory enter into the logistics cycle…That leads to thinking about railroads and the transportation system they provide!!!
And what more represents the logistics provided by the railroads than a long train of hoppers, going across a bridge! This is a train of 51 empty coke hoppers crossing the Mingo Creek Viaduct in Crookham, PA. The viaduct stands a towering 195 feet above the creek. The locomotives are a pair of Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40-2’s. Train # WE 615 has engine #6385 leading # 6359 , circa 2016.
A couple notes on the photos I selected today: They’re not vintage (unless a couple pics from the ‘70s & ‘80s count as vintage – and you’re a bit younger than I am). Also, there’s only one pic of a steam loco – very untraditional of me! But, late era railroading is the epitome of mass transportation – long trains of intermodal freight with generic diesel-electric engines MU’d in numbers…and with the bold, traditional “Santa Fe” lettering down the side! “Late in the afternoon of June 1995, a westbound Santa Fe intermodal crosses Bridge 873.8 east of Sais in New Mexico’s Abo Canyon. A trio of GEs in Super Fleet warbonnet dress power the train—C40-8W Nos. 943 and 933, and C44-9W No. 631.”
For us enthusiasts, railfan excursions are a critical part of the railroads. And, part of transportation is crossing remote areas – like winding through Deschutes River canyon in Oregon. Late in 2016, Southern Pacific 4-8-4 #4449 made a trip to Bend, OR, for the first time in 5 years. This is a shot high above one of the twin bridges a few miles north of Maupin on the southbound run to Bend.
Moving from long trains crossing bridges in remote scenes, we go to classification and train building – the yards. This is a pic of the train yard in Roseville, CA. This yard has amazing symmetry from ladder tracks to ladder tracks.
In Lincoln, NE, the first train on the Burlington & Missouri RR arrived from Plattsmouth on July 26, 1870. Here is modern Lincoln with a good sized classification yard. Again – nice symmetry.
…and a fantastic shot from a helicopter of the large BNSF’s Tennessee Yard, Capleville, TN.
Yet small errors can cause major hiccups in logistics. I don’t usually show train wrecks – unless I’m looking at the MOW equipment doing the cleanup. But this incident looks straight out of a model RR’ers nightmare where someone threw the turnout under your lead loco! “CNR SW1200RS #1212 had a bit of an oops when trying to negotiate the turnouts at Hamilton Junction, Ontario. This accident tied up the Grimsby Sub to Niagara Falls and Fort Erie for a while which caused diversions over the Beach Sub until this was cleaned up.”
…And since we’re showing a lot of bridges: CSXT locomotive #128 hangs by a thread as only rails support a loaded Centerflow after the concrete bridge support decided to take a 30 degree lean. Result – logistics problems!
…And getting away from wrecks, what havoc track issues play in logistics. Looks like a washout below a roadbed fill. At least these rails have rusted tops – probably seldom used or abandoned.
If you want to see logistics in prime play, go to the Pittsburg steel mills…large trains pulling heavy loads, winding through hills both rural and urban. Here, three MP15’s and a train of loaded slabs rolls onto the southbound main as they pass the old receiving yard.
…another load of slabs being pulled by a Union Railroad EMD MP15DC # URR 10 (lead loco), East Pittsburgh, PA. It looks like the holding tracks on the left are for scrap steel loads – a great view of gondolas both loaded and unloaded.
Union Railroad EMD MP15DC # URR 22 (lead loco) pulls a train of empty hoppers at East Pittsburgh, PA. The same holding tracks are beyond and below. This view gives us a better view of the mill behind and the overall layout of tracks, mill, and the part of urban Pittsburgh as the backdrop.
Four large road diesels pull a long mixed train. Montana Rail Link’s ML (Missoula to Laurel) freight curves eastbound along the Missouri River through Lombard Canyon, Montana, on August 9, 1996. Logistics often times require long winding paths along waterways to avoid the rugged and steep terrain.
On August 27, 1996, Burlington Northern eastbound freight No. 110 with 5 BN SD40-2s snakes along the mountains and through the snowsheds at Blacktail, Montana, on BN’s line over Marias Pass. Again, a long winding path through the mountains with snow sheds to try and keep traffic moving during the winter months.
BC Rail GE C40-8M (Dash 8-40CM) # BCR 4606 (lead loco) at Gibbs, British Columbia, Canada. Not only a desolate winding path through the mountains, but the competing road transportation has to take a similar path alongside the rail.
“Keep your hands inside the ride at all times” A tight squeeze represents the carving of the path into whatever the terrain provides. This is Youngstown & Southeastern # 8343 leading the way. The foreground shows just a dusting of snow that helps reveal a few discarded tires along the tracks.
Sometimes, in lieu of winding around the steep terrain, tunneling through becomes the best solution. An eastbound mixed manifest lead by some Warbonnets leaves Tunnel 10 as it climbs to the top of Tehachapi Pass. I count six locos for the pull uphill.
Weather plays a factor in transportation logistics. Chicago and North Western SD40-2 No. 6860 leads a freight at Butler Yard, Wisconsin, on a snowy February 20, 1986. Trailing is a former (still in green) Burlington Northern SD45 and two GP7s. They haven’t gotten out the plows yet, but…
Transportation is not just freight (and railfan excursions), but includes passenger service. Chesapeake & Ohio GP7 #5843 switches next to Baltimore & Ohio E9A #1457 leading Amtrak #50, “The George Washington.” #50 has stopped for passengers at Charlottesville, VA in September 1972. That’s a pretty nice size station with a medium length platform. This is a great representation of the early days of Amtrak.
Sometimes you just have to show modern pics! I see so many photos that I like – that tell a part of the railroading story. But, I tend to stick to the era and trains that I (or the club) model. When I drifted into this topic, it allowed me to pull some nice photos a little more modern than my typical ones.
Thx,
Kevin
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