Grain Trains (RJAY/AYRJ)

(Couldn't find this topic on the search function, so started it. If it's a redundant, my apologies.)

On 05-17-2013/~0930 and from west to east, BNSFs 9874, 4764, NS 3471 (yup -- a 20-year-old SD40-2, but with glistening paint) and BNSF 7383 were doing the old back-and-forth in East Fitchburg doubling an MT Grain Train before heading up Da Hill. Although I had heard the more formal symbology used over the radio on earlier days, "Grain Train" was the {i}nomme du jour.[/i]

jaymac wrote:. . . NS 3471 (yup -- a 20-year-old SD40-2, but with glistening paint) . . .

I believe that unit is around 33 years old, based on the data I've seen. That still makes it considerably newer/younger than anything else on PAR's roster!

(The newest locomotive that they own, as far as I can tell, is probably MEC 606, built in 1978, at 35 years old. Many of the Helm units currently being leased were built in 1980; if PAR buys those outright, they'll be the first locomotives in the history of the company [or the history of B&M and MEC for that matter] that were built after the 1970s. Progress!)

Ah, there's nothing quite so beneficial as either other-generated humility or -- as exemplified by messed-up formatting -- self-generated humility!

On 06-14-2013 at 0722, D-3 initiated a conversation with the Grain Extra, advising that MBCR 412 was late, so doubling the train would similarly be late. A few other conversations took place while I was in Gardner, and at 0945 when I was down Da Hill, the doubling was still a work in progress. Pumpkins and a Pony were hemmed in by scheduled and extra MBCR moves, all of which pointed to the Gardner-to-ED stretch of D-3 probably being a crowded place on Friday 13 + 1. BNSFs 793 and 5617, NS 3470, and BNSF 5048, despite all the power and all the MT cars, were going not very far not very fast. The crew referred to the train as AYRJ, as did D-3 after a bit, and the power presented the interesting spectacle of having an NS unit in basic black and white look sharper than a trio of Pumpkins, some of whom had oil schmutz wiped off their body numbers.

On 08-07-2013 at 0815, BNSF Pumpkins 4720 and 4947 (that's right -- just two) were sitting on the west end of a bunch of MT covered hoppers at the west end of East Fitchburg.

Sometime on 12-28-2013, there could/should be an AYRJ. Just before 0600, D-3 gave a 241 to BNSF 7625 at the Willows, and at 0710, BNSFs 9908 and 9503 were sitting WB at Fitchburg. Per Jim Kane's photo and captioning ( http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=213011" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ), RJAY was an all-Pumpkin consist, including HLCX 8145, which may or may not be part of the WB. As of 0730, I heard no further radio business with the 7625.

Great picture. The pumpkin train hauling grain! Keen