Bulkhead flats heading north, where and why?

Caught this video below of POSJ leaving Rigby yard with 23 M/T bulkhead flats marked "PEYX". After a quick Google search, it shows the owner of the flats are a leasing company. http://www.linkedin.com/company/transpo ... y-services" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Many of their cars are used for transporting wind turbine blades.

Here's the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOy6PK5YCBE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; The train viewing starts at 4:32 minutes.

The wind turbine blades I saw transported were too long for a bulkhead flat. They were on regular flats with more flats for spacers due to the overhang.

Numbers of the loaded center-beams I've seen on POED have had material under Irving Lumber wrappers. Irving has operations in the Maritimes and Maine, and the logistics/transportation page of the Irving website shows a center-beam being loaded. There may be other companies, as well.

Are they allowing 6 packs again to Keag or would they swap out those 6 packs at Waterville?

newpylong wrote:Are they allowing 6 packs again to Keag or would they swap out those 6 packs at Waterville?

I think the 6 axles restriction is still in place from March. I've not heard/seen any reports of six axles getting up to Keag since, except 606 which came home from NBSR after that mess...I also don't believe there is much in the way of major trackwork going on. I saw a couple machines, tampers if memory serves, in Winn or North Lincoln back on Memorial Day but there was no army of machines, no piles of ties, no pallets of spikes...Infact it looks like the southern part of D1 is getting the attention right now. Piles of ties all through Lewiston/Auburn and up the line into Leeds. A lot of the old ties have been stacked up and there have been crews out a lot lately. Seeing the maintainers van and equipment a lot on the Winthrop siding.

jaymac wrote:Numbers of the loaded center-beams I've seen on POED have had material under Irving Lumber wrappers. Irving has operations in the Maritimes and Maine, and the logistics/transportation page of the Irving website shows a center-beam being loaded. There may be other companies, as well.

The centerbeam flats that Irving uses for their forest products are mostly green,brown,blue or yellow. These 23 cars are all white 60' "bulkhead" flats as shown here: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1846422" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I believe I found the answer to my question as to where the cars are headed for, New Brunswick, Canada for wind turbine imports.

PEYX is -- go figure -- the reporting marks for Transportation Technology Services, which claims on its website -- http://www.railengineer.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; -- to be the leader in wind turbine logistics.

newpylong wrote:Are they allowing 6 packs again to Keag or would they swap out those 6 packs at Waterville?

The 6 axle ban is still in place and to my knowledge no 6 axle power ventures east of Waterville. WABK/BKWA always use GP40's and POSJ will swap power if there is a 6 axle on the train. I've seen SJPO swap GP40's for SD40-2's though. Most likely so those GP40's can be used on the next east bound train.

The bulkhead flats went to NB Southern in Saint John where they were relettered to EMRY and four empties went west today through McAdam presumably heading for the MNR to load something. I would guess if 23 of them came north then they must be for loading something specific.

If they got reletered I wonder if Irving picked up some for wood jobs out of Aroostook?

Just an update on these bulkhead flats. More have arrived and are still lettered PEYX. Presently there are between 25 and 30 in McAdam Yard and they are being modified for log service between northern Maine and Woodland.

Will the origination be on Pan Am?

Off of the MNR. Irving already is sending a substantial number of loaded log cars to Woodland from their land in northern Maine. I suspect they need more.

nice, thanks.

carchecker wrote:Just an update on these bulkhead flats. More have arrived and are still lettered PEYX. Presently there are between 25 and 30 in McAdam Yard and they are being modified for log service between northern Maine and Woodland.

Thank you, carchecker for solving the mystery for the reasoning why this many bulkhead flats were brought north. Now, we need to see some videos or pictures of the new modifications once there in service.