Genesee & Wyoming salt hoppers.

Went out to do a bit of local railfanning the day after Thanksgiving..
didnt find much of interest, but I ran across some of the ubiquitous G&W salt hoppers..took some shots for future modeling reference..

http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/sh ... 02&cat=653

yes, these hopers might be a bit boring..I wish the G&W would at least put a cool logo or something on them!
but even though they might be bland, nothing says "G&W" to me like a long string of short grey hoppers.
If you ever want to model the G&W, a string of 20 or so of these is a must!

I got to thinking..
why are these hoppers all the way up to Brooks ave yard in Rochester??
G&W drops off the hoppers to R&S at Caledonia, then they must go to the NS interchange at Silver Springs right??
so why drag them up to Rochester? seems like a big waste of fuel..
or..does R&S drop them off to CSX in Rochester??

Scot

I've seen them in long strings at both interchanges you mentioned. I've also seen strings of empties come off CSX.

Charles

I have seen a few of the larger hoppers with a simple snowflake on the side..there aren't many of them, but I usually see at least one in the string of cars at the Mount Morris mine every time I drive by on 390..

so..how about this for a design!



yes, I know painting cars costs money..and I cant blame G&W for being frugal..but still..image a string of these!

Scot

Great idea for the snowflake on a hopper full of road salt.

But wouldn't it be better if the lower part of the snowflake was melting??

as many as 30+ G&W Cars can be seen showing up on Finger Lakes to take down to Watkins Glen down to eather Cargill and U.S. Salt. Cars seem to go both ways thow becouse I have spoted them little 35 footer and 50 foot G&W Cars comeing and going to both CSX and Norfolk Southern. Cars go eather North or South. To my Knowlage not one has ever wondered threw Auburn going east or west sents FGLK Took over opration in 1995.

CSX used to take strings of them at Watertown, there is a lumber yard or something in Watertown on I believe Burdick St. that takes delivery of these cars and has a huge salt pile. Some of the surrounding towns get their salt here as opposed to the alternative which is to have it come by water to Ogdensburg which is what they used to do I think. I have not seen any new salt so far this year though there still is a salt pile there so maybe later when they need it. Their has been some fighting going on between the lumber yard and the houses in the neighborhood because the salt blows on to their home and cars and supposedly does some kind of damage. They also don't like the noise from the rail traffic. Below is one of the locals with a string of salt cars.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=58822

The R&S delivers on average about 30 - 70 salt loads to CSX at Rochester,
Goodman st, yard dailey 5 - 6 nights a week, higher during the fall and winter. CSX forwards the cars east to New England and the Tri-State area, and west to Canada and Ohio valley regions to numerous customers. East Bound loads are usually picked up by Q366 for classification at Selkirk, west bounds are picked up by any of the 625's, 633's, 627's, etc. forwarded to Buffalo, classified and sent on in other trains. Some does get sent to Syracuse and forwarded up to Messena or points North.

scottychaos wrote:I have seen a few of the larger hoppers with a simple snowflake on the side..there aren't many of them, but I usually see at least one in the string of cars at the Mount Morris mine every time I drive by on 390..

so..how about this for a design!

yes, I know painting cars costs money..and I cant blame G&W for being frugal..but still..image a string of these!

Scot

Scot -

I submit rather than a snowflake, a stylized image of a rust-rotted automobile might be more appropriate on the side of a salt car. (I'll offer my badly corroded '91 Plymouth "winter rat" as a prototype! )

Seriously, your snowflake design looks great! Would be neat to see strings of cars so decorated running up and down the R&S.

...FB

or a image of a Super Sized bag of fries from Mickey D's as they contain
about as much salt as your typical G&W hopper.


......steam on.....
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