This had to be the ultimate in bottom dump coal hopper trains. It was brought forth by the BNSF back in the 1990s and consisted of 19-20 articulated aluminum hopper cars, each over two-hundred feet in length. The cars featured automatic bottom dumping doors. Was called out of the Gillette Loading Pool one day to load a test train consisting of three or four of these cars. We loaded it at Jacobs Ranch Mine and it took quite some time to do so. The mine loadout facility was simply not geared to load cars of such length.
Saw this train depart one of the mines. It grossed about 20,000 tons and had three SD70MAC units on the point and two more shoving on the rear. Quite a sight.
Does anyone know if this train remains in service? It was taken o/s in the late 1990s account cracks forming in the aluminum frames, or so I was told. Never saw it again up to late 2000 when I left the Gillette terminal.
Saw this train depart one of the mines. It grossed about 20,000 tons and had three SD70MAC units on the point and two more shoving on the rear. Quite a sight.
Does anyone know if this train remains in service? It was taken o/s in the late 1990s account cracks forming in the aluminum frames, or so I was told. Never saw it again up to late 2000 when I left the Gillette terminal.
You can't go home again- Thomas Wolfe