CSX Transportation Historical Society

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Freight Car Cornucopia - 05-15-2020

Rail Fan Adventure --

Lots of unusual stuff (at least around here) to shoot lately.

1. LEHX is Lehigh Cement. LEHX covered hopper 5093 is obviously ex-Maryland Midland. Eastbound leaving Cumberland for Hagerstown on local D720-11. Lehigh has a facility at Union Bridge MD on the MM. Mexico MD. 10-11-2019.
LEHX is Lehigh Cement. LEHX covered hopper 5093 is obviously ex-Maryland Midland. Eastbound leaving Cumberland for Hagerstown on local D720-11. Lehigh has a facility at Union Bridge MD on the MM. Mexico MD. 10-11-2019.

2. MWTX (Midwest Ethanol Transport) tank 112662 at Shelby KY on 02-15-2020. It was built by Trinity 03-2007. That logo really jumps out!
MWTX (Midwest Ethanol Transport) tank 112662 at Shelby KY on 02-15-2020. It was built by Trinity 03-2007. That logo really jumps out!

3. TILX (Trinity Industries Leasing) tank 192360 has the “Renewable Products Marketing Group” logo seen on many ethanol tanks through here. Built by Trinity 04-2008. Leaving Shelby KY on K447 03-22-2020.
TILX (Trinity Industries Leasing) tank 192360 has the “Renewable Products Marketing Group” logo seen on many ethanol tanks through here. Built by Trinity 04-2008. Leaving Shelby KY on K447 03-22-2020.

4. NYC (CSX) gon 585187 has 1995 cubic feet. It is ex-Conrail class G47, nee-Penn Central. Shelby KY on 04-04-2020. The history of these former CR and PC cars is no secret. Those roads stenciled the former road name and number at the top of the last panel on the right.
NYC (CSX) gon 585187 has 1995 cubic feet. It is ex-Conrail class G47, nee-Penn Central. Shelby KY on 04-04-2020. The history of these former CR and PC cars is no secret. Those roads stenciled the former road name and number at the top of the last panel on the right.

5. NYC gon 578525 has a load limit of 194,000 and a volume of 2,262 cubic feet. It is ex-CR class GR52C nee-Reading class GHy. CSX now has the NYC mark and used it on many or all cars acquired in the Conrail merger. NS has the CR mark, but occasionally you see it on CSX cars particularly MW or non-revenue which would probably not go off line. Shelby KY.
NYC gon 578525 has a load limit of 194,000 and a volume of 2,262 cubic feet. It is ex-CR class GR52C nee-Reading class GHy. CSX now has the NYC mark and used it on many or all cars acquired in the Conrail merger. NS has the CR mark, but occasionally you see it on CSX cars particularly MW or non-revenue which would probably not go off line. Shelby KY.

6. These gons were all loaded with debris from the big derailment at Draffin in February 2020. NYC gon 578525. Shelby KY.
These gons were all loaded with debris from the big derailment at Draffin in February 2020. NYC gon 578525. Shelby KY.

7. CSX MW gon 916338 is ex-NYC (CSX) 588522, exx-CR, nee-Penn Central 577490.
CSX MW gon 916338 is ex-NYC (CSX) 588522, exx-CR, nee-Penn Central 577490.

8. CSX MW gon 916338. Shelby KY.
CSX MW gon 916338. Shelby KY.

9. CSX MW gon 915923 is ex-NYC (CSX) 577143, ex-CR 577143, nee-PRR 387719. Shelby KY.
CSX MW gon 915923 is ex-NYC (CSX) 577143, ex-CR 577143, nee-PRR 387719. Shelby KY.

10. CSX MW gon 977514 is ex-ACL 98807. Pullman Standard built these at their Bessemer AL plant in 1966 for ACL. The class K-22s were the last before the merger with SAL. Shelby KY.
CSX MW gon 977514 is ex-ACL 98807. Pullman Standard built these at their Bessemer AL plant in 1966 for ACL. The class K-22s were the last before the merger with SAL. Shelby KY.

11. CSX gon 707939 is ex-B&O 350178, ex-GONX (TTX Co. – Railgon Co.) 350178. Not numbered in the MW 900000s, but demoted nevertheless. Shelby KY.
CSX gon 707939 is ex-B&O 350178, ex-GONX (TTX Co. – Railgon Co.) 350178. Not numbered in the MW 900000s, but demoted nevertheless. Shelby KY.

12. C&O gon 356355 will become CSX 707616 hopefully. Shelby KY.
C&O gon 356355 will become CSX 707616 hopefully. Shelby KY.

13. C&O gon 356355. Shelby KY.
C&O gon 356355. Shelby KY.

14. SBD MW gon 479784 was previously L&N 172008. Notice the “MW” markings on many of these cars to indicate they are now in non-revenue service. These 70-ton cars were also built by P-S at Bessemer AL in 1966. That plant is gone now. Shelby KY.
SBD MW gon 479784 was previously L&N 172008. Notice the “MW” markings on many of these cars to indicate they are now in non-revenue service. These 70-ton cars were also built by P-S at Bessemer AL in 1966. That plant is gone now. Shelby KY.

15. CIGX (CIT Group) gon 802136 is ex-Tomahawk Ry. LP, now a Genesee & Wyoming Inc. short line in Wisconsin. Built by Gunderson Concarril in Mexico in 06-1999, it has a volume of 2,780 and a load limit of 219,700. Gunderson Concarril is a joint venture between The Greenbrier Companies Inc. and Bombardier formed in 1998 to build cars in Mexico. Shelby KY.
CIGX (CIT Group) gon 802136 is ex-Tomahawk Ry. LP, now a Genesee & Wyoming Inc. short line in Wisconsin. Built by Gunderson Concarril in Mexico in 06-1999, it has a volume of 2,780 and a load limit of 219,700. Gunderson Concarril is a joint venture between The Greenbrier Companies Inc. and Bombardier formed in 1998 to build cars in Mexico. Shelby KY.

16. CIGX gon 802136. Shelby KY.
CIGX gon 802136. Shelby KY.

17. QTTX flat 131101 (TTX Co.) is hauling a wide plate of metal. Seen leaving Shelby KY on Q692 on 04-05-2020.
QTTX flat 131101 (TTX Co.) is hauling a wide plate of metal. Seen leaving Shelby KY on Q692 on 04-05-2020.

18. PRSX (Progress Rail) gon 7121 is ex-BN 567871, nee-Colorado & Southern (a Burlington subsidiary) 567871. Shelby KY. 04-05-2020.
PRSX (Progress Rail) gon 7121 is ex-BN 567871, nee-Colorado & Southern (a Burlington subsidiary) 567871. Shelby KY. 04-05-2020.

19. SPSX gon 323005 (Steel Processing Services (Progress Rail)) is ex-NDYX, exx-NOKL (Northwestern Oklahoma Railroad), exxx-GROX 81115 nee MILW 81115. Progress now operates the former Mansbach Metals in Ashland, so it is hard to say whether those wheels and axles will be refurbished or scrapped. Shelby KY. 04-05-2020.
SPSX gon 323005 (Steel Processing Services (Progress Rail)) is ex-NDYX, exx-NOKL (Northwestern Oklahoma Railroad), exxx-GROX 81115 nee MILW 81115. Progress now operates the former Mansbach Metals in Ashland, so it is hard to say whether those wheels and axles will be refurbished or scrapped. Shelby KY. 04-05-2020.

20. SPSX gon 323133 has the same history as 323005. That’s a lotta’ weight in those cars! No wonder gons sag! Shelby KY. 0701
SPSX gon 323133 has the same history as 323005. That’s a lotta’ weight in those cars! No wonder gons sag! Shelby KY. 0701

21. The SV&E Sub. doesn’t see much traffic these days, so a bunch of gons were stored on Esco siding which has spring switches. CSX gon 707782 is ex-B&O 350021 nee GONX (Railgon Co). Esco KY. 04-11-2020.
The SV&E Sub. doesn’t see much traffic these days, so a bunch of gons were stored on Esco siding which has spring switches. CSX gon 707782 is ex-B&O 350021 nee GONX (Railgon Co). Esco KY. 04-11-2020.

22. CSX gon 708893 is ex-C&O 351132 nee-GONX (Railgon). Notice the numbers have been painted on the inside of the bodies. Esco KY.
CSX gon 708893 is ex-C&O 351132 nee-GONX (Railgon). Notice the numbers have been painted on the inside of the bodies. Esco KY.

23. CSX gon 482423 was P&LE 47314. Esco KY.
CSX gon 482423 was P&LE 47314. Esco KY.

24. CSX gon 482488 is ex-P&LE 47399. Note this car has bulkheads but 482423 doesn’t. Bet this car made a few trips to National Tube in McKeesport a few times. P&LE derived considerable income from car hire/leasing of their huge fleet. In fact there is a book devoted to P&LE gondolas! 04-11-2020. Esco KY.
CSX gon 482488 is ex-P&LE 47399. Note this car has bulkheads but 482423 doesn’t. Bet this car made a few trips to National Tube in McKeesport a few times. P&LE derived considerable income from car hire/leasing of their huge fleet. In fact there is a book devoted to P&LE gondolas! 04-11-2020. Esco KY.

25. CSX gon 482488. Esco KY.
CSX gon 482488. Esco KY.

My thanks to Carl Shaver for digging up the history of many of these. With precision scheduled railroading and the present downturn in business car fleets of the big 7 will shrink even more. I look through various color and black & white rolling stock books and only sigh. Yes we all saw them but didn’t pay any attention. Engines and passenger cars were always the focus. Fallen flag cars because of their age are almost gone from revenue fleets. The mills and plants of the heavy industries that needed the cars pictured above are fading fast. Better pay attention to a freight train when it passes by.

Train images used by permission of Everett N Young