CP 8000 leading B725-12 east on the Rochester Subdivision at Jordan, NY.
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| Under an overcast sky, B725-12 is eastbound on Track 2, passing by the Jordan Industrial Lead. |
On a dreary fall day in Central New York, Canadian Pacific (CP) 8000 added pop of color to the landscape. CP 8000 and Norfolk Southern (NS) 4334 are leading loaded ethanol train B725-12 east on CSX's Rochester Subdivision. The train was handed off from CP at Bensenville, Illinois. CSX will take the train to Sewaren, New Jersey. Once the train was unloaded it came back west through Central New York as train B726-17, on November 19, 2022.
Photograph taken on November 14, 2022, at Jordan, New York.
There's a box car behind the two engines. Is there a purpose to it?
ReplyDeleteThat's actually a covered hopper and is a buffer car. Though, a boxcar could also be used. On loaded and empty ethanol and oil trains a buffer car, or two, is required by federal regulations in both the US and Canada. At least one buffer needs to be between the engines and tank cars. A second can be placed on the end of the train. This second buffer car depends on the requirements of the railroads hauling the train. Per Union Pacific's requirements, the buffer car needs to be loaded with an inert material that won't shift during movement.
Deletehttps://www.up.com/customers/bulk/ethanol/unit_train/index.htm
Thanks Tom
ReplyDeleteGreat catch! Interesting info about the buffer car. I think I knew that they used them before but didn't know about the load.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shelly.
DeleteIn the US the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requires them. However, it seems it is up to the railroads to determine how many are used and where they are placed. There needs to be at least one buffer car between the railcars carrying hazardous cargo and the locomotives. Basically, a buffer between the flammable cargo and the ignition source (e.g. the locomotives).
Makes perfect sense.
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