Coal Car Cornucopia - 10-08-2017
1. KGLX (PNCEF LLC) rapid discharge/rotary coupler hopper 1182. Esco KY (SV&E SD from Myra Mine). 03-21-2015.
2. KGLX hopper 1221. Esco KY.
3. COGX (Rail Connection Inc.) gon 7364, ex-PSCX 364, 203,900, 4000 cu ft, blt 10-1975. In scrap tie service on Appalachian & Ohio RR at Burnsville WV. 07-27-2016.
4. COGX gon 808, ACF “Coalveyor” built 01-1981. 200,000 load limit, 4240 cu ft. In scrap tie service at Shelby KY on 07-25-2015.
5. COGX hopper 99010 on NS at Boomer WV. 03-27-1915.
6. BTCX gon 2475 (Everest Railcar Services) on East Tennessee Ry. at Johnson City TN, 04-28-1915. Scrap loading for Omni Source on former ET&WNC.
7. CMO hopper 506020 (UP) on a westbound empty coal train on CSX’s Indianapolis Line SD at Marion OH, 06-18-2015. CMO was C&NW subsidiary Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Ry.
8. CMO hopper 504274. Marion OH.
9. NSSX gon 1100 (National Salvage & Service Corp.) is ex-WEPX. 210,000 load limit, 4200 cu ft, Ortner 09-1995. In scrap tie service at Shelby KY 07-25-1915.
10. NSSX gon 1179. Shelby KY.
11. APPX gon 99 (Appalachian Railcar Services), built 10-1977, rebuilt 09-1990. In scrap tie service at Shelby KY, 07-25-2015.
12. OFOX (Residco) gon 1608 in scrap tie service at Shelby KY. 07-25-2015.
13. OFOX gon 1356 (Residco), ex-SULX (Sultran). 4400 ld limit, blt 06-1981. Shelby KY.
14. BN hopper 527494 has a load limit of 203,200 lbs and 4000 cubic feet. Built by Pullman-Standard. Wagner KY. 07-26-2015.
15. NS hopper 53078. Natural Bridge VA.
16. New NS tubs 53068 and 53078 were on northbound Roanoke District 815-28 (Roanoke to Shire Oaks, PA 103 mtys) passing Natural Bridge, VA on 07-31-2015.
17. GNFX hopper 91112 (City of Gainesville, FL) has a load limit of 233,700 and a volume of 4000 cubic feet. It was built by Trinity in 09-1992. On westbound empty train leaving Shelby on 09-19-2015. Fords Branch.
18. GNFX 91117. Fords Branch.
After the mothballing of the Kingsport SD between St. Paul and McClure, VA, in mid-October of 2015 and the curtailment of through traffic the variety of coal equipment diminished on the Big Sandy. Luckily the Big Sandy-Kingsport-Blue Ridge SDs (C&O and CRR) were re-opened recently. Northbound Q697 and Q692 operate over the Florence Div. into Shelby where they are combined into a giant Q697 for Russell on the Louisville Div. side. Q696 operates east/south. Most recently Duke Energy (DKPX) coal trains for the Brice power plant near Bostic NC now operate this way daily. And there is an occasional grain or ethanol train.
When I can, I go up to Shelby on Saturday to watch the manifests being combined. There are usually several interesting pieces of rolling stock in these 200-plus car trains.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young