Yes, they run through Oxford on the Cincinnati-Indianapolis line about six times a day--and increasing in frequency. They are more gray than beige, and remarkably free of graffiti. They are usually part of mixed freights, although in the majority. I exercise at a gym when the 8:30 (or so) westbound freight comes through. Sometimes it is led by five engines, with 150 hoppers. There are many grade crossings through Oxford, so I get stuck many times running errands. I have learned to categorize trains, and hence my wait, by the direction and number of engines on the front. Five engines going west = 150 car grain or soybean train. Two engines going east = 30 car mixed train, half hoppers, half tankers. Four engines going west = 100 cars, half hoppers, 3/8 tankers, 1/8 gondolas. Five engines going east = set the snooze alarm.
Heck yeah!!! I love the "EarthWorm" trains!!!! I have all Intermountain cars. All 30 of the older logo plus 12 more that I renumbered. All 24 of the new swoosh logo and 6 of the light grey NAHX hoppers. It looks spot on at the NTRAK shows!!! No pics though sorry.
Here's one taken at Tower 17 in Rosenburg, Texas: And the Kansas City Southern version, known around here as the Taco Belle:
I see these cars every night in Richmond, Ca. on the UP. Very odd looking compaired to regular old PFE type cars. I guess when I see them, they're getting ready to head east.
What an impressive module/layout!!! You've got to tell and show us more of this one! How long and tall is that curved trestle? A unit train AND a high curved trestle?!?! THAT'S RAILROADING! Glad to see I'm not the only one with a covered hopper addiction. Don't run the worm trains (yet), but nothing beats a string of covered hoppers!
"Earth Worm" I love the name but:? - Um, please help me out here. Does it refer to any uniformly colored covered hopper train or is it the BNSF brown swoosh?
Decided to get my 5161's out today for some photo's. Pics are kinda blurry, didnt realize it until i got home. Pics were taken on a friends layout.
RBeyer, looks good, but you need to mix in a couple gray lease hoppers for the true prototypical look. Being a big fan of BNSF shuttle trains you'll notice some NAHX or NLRX cars mixed in to fill out the numbers when the BNSF 5171s get bad ordered. And while I'm talking prototype, you will see GEVOs at the front of a unit train (it only takes two to pull a loaded shuttle train) you are more likely to see H2 Dash 9s on the point. Has anyone here built a shuttle loader/unloader for their earthworms?
Good call on adding some leasers in Karl. I quickly threw that train together to snap some shots. I had to add the MRL SD40 in, you occasionaly see them snuck into some of the grain trains coming down the Columbia Gorge headed for the terminals on the Columbia and Puget Sound area. Rob
trestle mod with "worm train" Midniteflyer can give you all the details about his mods. The trestle mod is part of The Grande Railroad Gang modular group in Western Colorado. The photo is from a show set up spring 2009 in Greeley CO. I am leaving a pdf of our setup at the November 2009 GTE show in Denver. 58 modules and approximately 10 scale miles of two-track manline. The diagram only shows mainlines and passing sidings. Central Yard has 17 yard tracks and will hold about 1500 cars. Little Yard will hold about 500 cars and some of the other areas are industrial switching yards. The diagram also does not show hidden staging yards as well as the North Fork branch that is on another level. We plan on being at the Denver GTE fall 2010. We welcome non-members to come and run at shows. We use NCE DCC. If you plan on visiting the Western Slope of Colorado, contact us to see if we are running at our Montrose members house and we might be able to arrange a visit. Thanks.
Here is my video of the earthworm pulling into Winslow AZ for a crew change. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELyCn0SFCU4
How cool! Is that a mountainous run? I've never seen BNSF running midtrain DPUs on shuttle train in MN or the Dakotas (kinda flat up here).
The train in Winslow is headed for the central valley of California via Tehachapi. Watching this train negotiate the curvy 2.5% down-grade in the pass is epic: flanges, brake-shoes and dynamics all squealing to beat the band. You get a palpable sense of how heavy this train is. Two thumbs up! The consist in UPturbinefan's video is standard: 4 units up front, 3 mid-train, about 70 cars back, and 2 rear-end helpers, as much for braking as pushing. It's usually 110-120 cars total. Great thread!
CEFX Gray Greenbrier hoppers are the most common leasers, if not only, on shuttle trains in this part of the country. Occasionally, BNSF will mix in older Thrall hoppers in BN, ATSF, and BNSF schemes so there are many options to a modeler. A loaded train weighs around 16000 tons, so while they could be pulled by two engines, three are needed should any grade be encountered or if track speed is a consideration for velocity on that section of line.
Intermountain has announced another run of these hoppers, in both the swoosh and the circle herald. I think it's time to add to mine.
Missable204 I have a video of a mixed trinity 5161 and thrall hopper train going through Flagstaff AZ. I also have a new one of another earthworm coming through winslow AZ at this years Santa Fe Mini Meet. Now if i just fine the time to edit and upload the videos
