Railroads: Locomotives, Bridges & More
October 30, 2013
October 22, 2013
October 10, 2013
October 9, 2013
October 7, 2013
More Harrisonburg Railroads:
Let's begin our tour around Harrisonburg Railroad system with a closer look at the TRACKMOBILE 4000TM mobile railcar mover (or switcher). Trackmobile diesels are very versatile for use at grain elevators and other industrial locations since they can operate on the railroad tracks or on the ground. Here are two more photos of the 4000TM at the Cargill feed mill in Harrisonburg (1 Kratzer Rd.).
A 4000TM Rail Car Mover, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (I) (17-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
A 4000TM Rail Car Mover, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (II) (17-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
While the 4000TM is no longer being manufactured (at least it is not listed on the Trackmobile web site), this model is available as used equipment. And here is a file showing the specifications of the 4000TM. And here is a photo of a 4500TM (similar to the 4000TM )in ground driving mode.
A number of the railcars I have seen around Harrisonburg have rather artistic graffiti painted on them. Here are some examples. Whether it is done for the art of it or for gang competition, I can only guess, and I like to think of it being to allow some young persons an artistic outlet.
A Graffiti-painted Boxcar, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (15-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
A Close-up of the Left-hand End of a Graffiti-painted Boxcar, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (15-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
A Close-up of the Right-hand End of a Graffiti-painted Boxcar, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (15-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
While the railroads still play a very important part in the industrial life of the United States of America, train stations/depots used for passengers and freight are definitely past their heyday. Here is one in Harrisonburg near the R. S. Monger and Sons, Inc. lumber business.
A Once Bustling Train Depot, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (15-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Below are three photos of Excess Height Cars. These are boxcars that are taller than the normal boxcars.
Excess Height Car (I), Harrisonburg, VA, USA (19-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Excess Height Car (II), Harrisonburg, VA, USA (19-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Close-up of an Excess Height Car, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (19-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
According to the "Norfolk Southern Diesel Locomotive Roster" maintained by Chris Toth, engine 9633 is a GE Dash 9-40CW locomotive that was built in 02-2001.
The NS 9633 Locomotive Staring Down the Photographer, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (19-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
And I still have more photos that I have not yet posted. Hope you are enjoying this tour around Harrisonburg.
October 22, 2013
The Railroad in Harrisonburg: How Big?
Of the 17 railroad related photos I published in September (plus 4 related photos), all were taken in Harrisonburg, VA, USA, or within a mile or so of this small city. (The population estimate for Harrisonburg made by the US Census Bureau is 50,981 people in 2012.) And here in October I have added another 31 photos from Harrisonburg. Until I began taking these train photos, I would never have believed that rail transportation was this important here nor that the equipment was as diverse as it is. But I plan on keeping enjoying my discoveries in the months ahead!
After noticing the small "back-hoe" shovel on top of a gondola rail car (see the photos posted on October 10), I wanted to get a closer look to see what was inside the gondola car and how the back-hoe was stationed. So two days after taking the first photos, I took the two below. (Note the interesting graffiti. It has weathered a bit since Stephan Brock photographed this Conrail 556062 gondola car in May 2008.)
Conrail 556062 Gondola Rail Car, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (11-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Since I took the above photo on Saturday, the rail car was still parked in the small Norfolk Southern rail yard on Sunday. So I got a closer shot and then several from on top of a bridge. (See several photos below this.)
Conrail 556062 Gondola Rail Car with Back-Hoe, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
On that Sunday (October 12), I also photographed two engines that I had not yet seen. The first one is of NS 6901 along with a close-up of its cab.
Norfolk Southern Locomotive 6901, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Close-up of the Cab of Norfolk Southern Locomotive 6901, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
According to the "Norfolk Southern Diesel Locomotive Roster" maintained by Chris Toth, engine 6901 is a NS EMD SD60 locomotive that was rebuilt from locomotive 6567. The original engine was built in 07-1985 and rebuilt in 03-2011.
Engine 6901 was hooked together on October 12 with Engine 9633, so I took its photo again. Chris Toth cites 9633 as being a GE Dash 9-40CW locomotive.
Norfolk Southern Locomotive 9633, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
From the Cantrell Ave. bridge, one can look down on the small NS rail yard. This is what it looked like on Sunday, October 12. There are two engines and three gondola cars. Let's take a look at each of these in turn.
The NS Rail Yard on a Sunday Afternoon, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
This low-sided gondola rail car, Southern 65963, is listed by RR Picture Archives as having a dry capacity of 2244 cubic feet and a load limit of 155500 lbs. Southern is now part of the Norfolk Southern system. Read more about its history on the main NScorp web site.
Gondola Car with Rail Ties, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Here is the second gondola car in the chain, NS 990084. The RR Picture Archives refers to this as "MofW Equipment." MofW stands for Maintenance of Way, that is, equipment that is used to maintain the railroad tracks, etc. Carrying rail ties seems to fit this bill just fine.
Another Gondola Car with Rail Ties, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
The last car in this chain is the one shown at the beginning of this post, Conrail 556062 gondola car. And now from above the top of the car, one can clearly see that there is a small Caterpillar back-hoe sitting nicely inside of the gondola car so that it can pick up rail ties and move them in or out of the car.
CAT 314 LCR Back-hoe in Gondola Car, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
The "back-hoe" is technically a Caterpillar 314D LCR Hydraulic Excavator. According to its specification sheet it has a 10-foot length of track on the ground and is 8.2 feet in width from outside of one track to the outside of the other one. CSX gives the inside dimensions of its plain gondolas as 9 to 9. 5 ft. So the CAT can just fit inside the gondola car.
While I was on the bridge, I also took photos of the two locomotives from above.
NS 9633 Locomotive, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
NS 6901 Locomotive, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (12-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Finally, as a teaser, here is my first photo of the switcher engine that pulls grain cars around at the Cargill feed mill in Harrisonburg (1 Kratzer Rd.). Later I did get a couple of better photos, and I'll post them in time.
A Switcher at the Cargill Feed Mill, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (15-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
And I have about 25 more railroad photos to post when I have time to process them all. So, "you all come back!"
October 10, 2013
More All Kinds of Stuff--Railroad Stuff!
So here are the rest of the photos from our short drive on Tuesday afternoon.
Below are two views of locomotive Norfolk Southern 9225 (a GE Dash 9-40CW locomotive that according to www.NSDash9.com was built in May 1998).
Norfolk Southern Locomotive 9225 (long view), Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Norfolk Southern Locomotive 9225 (up close), Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Nearby a number of older gondola cars that are hooked together are being unloaded. Since there is no rotary car dumper here (across from R. S. Monger & Sons), a backhoe shovel is loaded unto a car and the load is shoveled off.
Low-sided Gondola Cars Being Unloaded, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (I) (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Low-sided Gondola Cars Being Unloaded, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (II) (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Low-sided Gondola Cars Being Unloaded, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (III) (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
The gondola car above was photographed in 2009 by Greg Wiltsie at Gallitzin, PA.
And a railroad in good repair needs new ties and rails thus generating old ties and rails that need to be disposed of.
New and Old Railroad Ties, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Old Rails, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
That concludes the posting of my 15 photos from Tuesday. Come back later and see what else we have found.
October 9, 2013
All Kinds of Stuff--Railroad Stuff!
Yesterday afternoon before I began my sleep study in the evening, Elsie and I drove to several local railroad sites. So now i have 15 photos to share. I'll trickle them in over the next few postings.
First are several photos of the train depot at Pleasant Valley, VA, USA. Pleasant Valley is a small community in Rockingham County south of Harrisonburg. The old depot is along the present-day shortline, Shenandoah Valley Railroad.
Pleasant Valley Train Depot, Pleasant Valley, VA, USA (I) (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Pleasant Valley Train Depot, Pleasant Valley, VA, USA (II) (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Pleasant Valley Train Depot, Pleasant Valley, VA, USA (III) (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Just a bit north of Pleasant Valley (at 1025 Willow Springs Road, Harrisonburg, VA) is a huge R. R. Donelly printing plant that almost dwarfs the small community with respect to area covered.
Box Car at R. R. Donelly, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Directly west of the Donelly plant (across the railroad tracks) is Packaging Corporation of America (930 Pleasant Valley Road, Harrisonburg, VA).
Excess Height Car at Packaging Corporation of America, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
A few blocks North we found a tank car for liquefied propane gas.
Tank Car, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Back in Harrisonburg proper, we discovered a regular box car near the Cantrell Ave. (soon to be renamed for Martin Luther King, Jr.) bridge over the railroad tracks.
Box Car, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
And just 100 yards or so up the tracks we found the Norfolk Southern GE Dash 9-40CW locomotive #9633. According to www.NSDash9.com, this locomotive was built in February 2001.
Norfolk Southern GE Dash 9-40CW locomotive #9633., Harrisonburg, VA, USA (8-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Well, there will be more tomorrow or at least by the weekend.
October 7, 2013
More Tracks and Rolling Stock
I have not gotten any more photos of locomotive engines, but here are some different sections of tracks and rolling stock.
First are two photos I took in the rain this morning of Norfolk and Southern grain cars behind R. S. Monger and Sons, Inc., a lumber company in Harrisonburg, VA, USA.
Norfolk Southern Grain Cars, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (7-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
As
Close-up of One End of a Norfolk Southern Grain Car, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (7-Oct-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Just over a week ago, I went hunting for where the Shenandoah Valley Railroad began in Pleasant Valley, VA, USA, and ran to Staunton, VA. It is a shortline railroad for hauling freight to connect to Norfolk Southern in Harrisonburg or CSX in Staunton. In Harrisonburg, the SVRR begins where the photo below was taken or possibly a bit further south. I'll have to take a another road trip to check this out. The R. R. Donelly printing plant is to the right of the tracks and a pipe manufacturer/shipper is to the left.
Train Track Next to R. R. Donelly, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (27-Sep-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
Below is a flat car awaiting its load of pipes.
Flat Car Ready for Pipe, Near R. R. Donelly, Harrisonburg, VA, USA (27-Sep-13; © Richard L. Bowman)
There is always more to learn about railroads and life!
--©2013, Richard L. Bowman
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