Coming to Denver

William Cowie · Apr 16, 2005

Got lucky and took some pictures - not as good as Steve or Jeremy, but better than nothing. To spare the folks with modems, I posted them in a separate thread.

http://www.trainboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/ubb/get_topic/f/25/t/000415.html?

Perhaps Steve and others can add their pictures to that thread in deference to those who don't have unlimited bandwidth...

Steve Brown · Apr 16, 2005

Those look good to me. I'm working on mine actually I have the Engneeer side and you shot the other so we have good coverage.
Steve

Hytec · Apr 16, 2005

Good Grief...Cowie's shots are fantastic!!

traingeekboy · Apr 16, 2005

So did it make to to Denver finally? Links to picks please.

William Cowie · Apr 16, 2005

Geeky, here you go:

http://www.trainboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/ubb/get_topic/f/25/t/000415.html?

Stourbridge Lion · Apr 18, 2005

Here is another link as well...

http://www.trainboard.com/ultimatebb.php/ubb/get_topic/f/25/t/000416.html

Hytec · Apr 21, 2005

Is anyone trying to get a photo of the Schnabel car in its compressed configuration before it leaves the area? It would be interesting to see the difference in size.

Steve Brown · Apr 22, 2005

Well I tried but I could not locate the car, I found the flats and one caboose. I dont even know if its still in the area. Anyone else have any ideas?

r_i_straw · May 19, 2005

This is from the BNSF email newsletter a few days ago.

BNSF Today for May 11, 2005
_________________________________________________________________

BNSF Earns Heavyweight Title for Transport of Reactor
2005-05-11

BNSF earned a heavyweight title of sorts, last month by teaming up with engineering
firms, manufacturers, departments of transportation and port authorities to plan, direct
and supervise a 1,200-mile, 24-hour a day transport of a Suncor Energy U.S.A. Inc.
hydrotreater reactor.

The 570-metric-ton reactor, at 14 feet in diameter and 115 feet in length, is the
heaviest single piece of cargo ever to unload at the Port of Houston and possibly the
heaviest to move by rail from Houston to its destination near Denver. It will be vital
in refining low-sulfur diesel fuel in order to meet 2006 Environmental Protection Agency
regulations.

"The complex transport went smoothly -- a triumph for the more than 100 people involved
in the move that took more than a year to plan," says Michael Gallagher, BNSF Industrial
Products Marketing.

According to Doug Northup, general director, Service Design, and 32-year railroad
veteran, the entire operation was laid out spreadsheet-style in detailed booklets
distributed to key personnel involved in the move. "A survey and virtual map of the
route were developed in order to plan for every curve, obstacle and anticipated
adjustment so everyone could be as prepared as possible. Numerous tests were conducted,
including testing the rails for weight-bearing and stress capabilities. We also shadow-
staffed the route with emergency personnel and equipment in case of anything
unforeseen," he says.

Northup says this was the first move of this magnitude along the particular route, which
was completed a few days earlier than original calculations.

Another example of intricate timing involved coordinating the transport of the reactor
with many scheduled coal trains that travel southbound along the same route.

"The project was an amazing effort on the part of employees from the Gulf, Kansas,
Southwest and Powder River divisions, and will serve as our template for future complex
moves of this nature," says Northup.

But how is such a "mega load" accomplished by rail? A highly specialized, 36-axle car
called the Schnabel railcar, owned by Westinghouse Electric Co., is uniquely constructed
to handle the task. A load such as the reactor is suspended between two car halves
containing unique "arms" housing self-contained power systems for lifting, lowering and
maneuvering the load as much as 44 inches vertically and 40 inches horizontally.
With a car length of about 231 feet and a height of 18 feet, the Schnabel weighs 370
tons empty and is able to carry an additional 880 tons. The Schnabel traveled a maximum
speed of 15 mph, and was manned on the front and back ends of the load in addition to
the train crew and two locomotives.

The reactor move is an excellent illustration of Team BNSF’s approach to service, and
integrating a network of disciplines throughout the system, including Marketing,
Operations, Sales, Resource Protection, Mechanical and numerous field personnel.

"This was a multi-faceted event that showcased BNSF’s integrated approach to serving our
customers," says Gallagher. Adds Jessie McCabe, director, Sales, "Our service,
professionalism and ability to plan for, coordinate and monitor each intricate step of
this type of move gave our customers confidence that we are right for the job."

Bill Feliss, assistant project manager, Rock-It Cargo, Denver, says, "All of the BNSF
operations and ground crews were great to work with. Without all of their outstanding
efforts, this load would not have gone as smoothly as planned and everyone at Rock-It
Cargo greatly appreciates BNSF in making this a successful move."
Click to expand...

HemiAdda2d · May 19, 2005

Thanks for posting the newsletter!
Seems all are happy about how it went.
Good PR for BNSF as well!

Keith · May 19, 2005

Originally posted by Steve Brown:
Well I tried but I could not locate the car, I found the flats and one caboose. I dont even know if its still in the area. Anyone else have any ideas?
Click to expand...

Last I heard, from Sam Berliner III, after sending him my photos, is that the car is back in Houston.
With another reactor load to Canada, come winter time. Said they wit until the ground is frozen up there!

William Cowie · May 20, 2005

Originally posted by Keith:

With another reactor load to Canada, come winter time. Said they wit until the ground is frozen up there!
Click to expand...

Hmmm... why do you think they need to do that? The load traveled well on thawed ground here...

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Coming to Denver

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