For the past three weeks or so there have been unit trains of crude oil going westbound on the Portland & Western in Rainier Oregon. The empty traind go back about two days after they come in loaded. A check around and the oil is loaded on a barge at Clatskanie and the barge is then taken to Cherry Point Washington to a refinery there. The Oil cans are supposed to be a short time thing as rail servise is being built to Cherry Point. Most of the time the oil cans are powered by Canadian Pacific GE C44-9's or AC4400's. Two in teh lead and one pushing in DPU mode on the rear. The trains are 100 cars long.
Got some video of the oil trains but no photo type photos. I'll have to get the still photos. Beside the CP power the BNSF adds their big GE's too. The trains are sure impressive going through town in the middle of "A"Street
Got some video of the oil trains on "A" Street in downtown Rainier. The trains are 100 cars long plus a ideler car on each end. A bit of a change in power too. Sometimes BNSF provides power for the trains. All the power is big units such as GE Ac4400's or EMD SD70MAC'sand SD70ACE's The tracks were completely rebuilt several years ago from Portland to Clatskanie. The jointed 80 pound rail was replaced with 130 pound ribbon rail. All new ties too.
Two oil trains yesterday. The first at 06:00 and the second at 13:20 BNSF power on both trains. Gig GE's and a SD70ACE for power. I think there was a GE GEVO unit on the second train.
With the drop in oil prices there has been a drop in oil trains through here. There was about two per week but now it's more like one every two weeks. Had a oil train today. BNSF power on it. Up front a SD70ace followed by a GE AC4400 then on the rear anotehr GE in the form of a C44-9.
