TBX 3401 :: TrainBoard Lease Car!!

Mark Watson Mar 28, 2010

  1. ppuinn

    ppuinn Staff Member

    2,377
    1,444
    55
    TBX 3401 and several empty gons were picked up by the Kickapoo Job, but I got a shot looking past the scrap yard scale house as the empties were pulled onto the P&PU main.
    [​IMG]

    Before crossing the Illinois River to return to the P&PU's East Peoria Yard, some of the cars, including TBX 3401, were dropped off in the BN Peoria Short Yard. They were quickly put into BN Train 105 going from Peoria to the BN Yard in Galesburg Illinois.

    I managed to catch one last picture of TBX 3401 in Peoria as it passed the CNW Adams Street Yard before it went under the Adams Street Viaduct. There are a few scuffs and scrape marks from the scrap metal load, but, all things considered, the new paint job is still looking fairly clean. We'll see how long it lasts...
    [​IMG]

    Next destination: Colorado (by way of Galesburg, Illinois)
     
  2. TwinDad

    TwinDad TrainBoard Member

    1,844
    551
    34
    Nice to see all this detailed "business" with the TBX car... and some very nicely detailed scenery, too!

    It's like a routine "day in the life" ...
     
  3. Nick Lorusso

    Nick Lorusso TrainBoard Member

    1,751
    260
    37
    Looking good guys. I hope I'll be far enough into scenery for the next car.:tb-cool:
     
  4. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

    6,000
    1,317
    85
    Last I herd, TBX 3401 was en-route to Colorado via BN. I was feeling a little curious today, so I called the BN hot-line to inquiry on our special car's whereabouts.

    Well, long story short, BN has apparently LOST TBX 3401!! Though the BN rep sounded fairly convincing, I couldn't help but think something suspicious might be going on which she wasn't telling me.

    She said their records report the last known location was Sterling, so we know the car is in CO. Anyone out that way be on the look out! We have a lost rail-car on the loose!! :eek:
     
  5. MOPMAN

    MOPMAN TrainBoard Member

    1,429
    1
    23
    Did BN lose the car or the USPS? :D
     
  6. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

    6,000
    1,317
    85
    Definitely BN. I decided I better call again and speak with a supervisor.

    I explained to the gentleman that I was simply looking for an update, but that the lady I spoke with earlier said they had no records of TBX 3401 after the train passed Sterling. The train made it safely to Denver, but TBX 3401 seemed to have vanished.

    Even stranger, the supervisor said he'd check with the lady I spoke with earlier. Well after being on hold for several minutes, he came back and said the lady denied ever speaking with me!

    What is going on here! It's some sort of conspiracy I tell you! ;) :D

    Thankfully Colorado is full of railfans. I'm sure someone will track down our lost car. ;)
     
  7. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Talked to a buddy down in the BNSF North Yard in Denver and something is up! He saw a white gondolla come into the yard that might be our beloved TBX#3401 and the Yard Master was told that BNSF employees where to keep there distance from it. Something about the load was off limits. I will try to get off work early on Friday and see if I can spot anything in the yard and report back...

    :tb-confused: :tb-confused: :tb-confused: :tb-confused:​
     
  8. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    22,015
    27,409
    253
    Being in Denver, all the secrecy; the vanished cars might have ended up at Rocky Flats hauling some "sensitive" materials from the DoE facility....:mconfused:
     
  9. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Friday - April 30th, 2010 (BNSF North Yard in Denver, CO)

    WOW, what a day. Just as I was getting off work my buddy down at the BNSF Yard told me he can tell the TBX#3401 was getting ready to leave the yard so I got in the car and raced down to the yard. I was any to get a couple of shots from the tower before I got back into my car to get to another section of that yard...

    [​IMG] - [​IMG]
     
  10. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Friday - April 30th, 2010 (BNSF North Yard in Denver, CO)

    I next got over to Clear Creek JCT and was able to catch a few shots from just outside the fence. Could just barely see the train as it passed behind other cars sitting in the yard.

    [​IMG] - [​IMG] - [​IMG] - [​IMG]
     
  11. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Friday - April 30th, 2010 (BNSF North Yard in Denver, CO)

    I got back into the car and had just enough time to get one shot as it approached Utah Jct...

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Friday - April 30th, 2010 (BNSF North Yard in Denver, CO)

    I was a bit concerned I would loss track on it as it left the yard as it could have gone a few different directions at this point and being rush hour I had to take a chance on which way it might go so I headed over to C&S JCT and glory be I got lucky...

    [​IMG] - [​IMG] - [​IMG] - [​IMG]
     
  13. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Friday - April 30th, 2010 (BNSF North Yard in Denver, CO)

    Obviously whatever is underneath that tarp must be important as they had folks watching it very closely from both cabooses that had on each end. I have not seen a setup like that since the Schnabel Car was here...

    [​IMG] - [​IMG] - [​IMG]
     
  14. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Friday - April 30th, 2010 (BNSF North Yard in Denver, CO)

    I knew with traffic being bad I would have to try to get way ahead of the train so I got onto the highway and headed toward Boulder and cut over to Rollins so I could get one more shot before it went into the Tunnel District. I sat there for a good couple of hours a nothing! I buddy back at the yard called me as I was heading home and he said the train had just returned to the yard but TBX#3401 was not with it. He sent me this photo he took from the tower with what little light was left. There is only a couple of places the train could have gone and returned in that time frame so I will try to get over to them this weekend and see if I can spot where they left the car at...

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

    6,000
    1,317
    85
    Man, 3401 is being quite elusive! You dont suppose someone saw you taking photographs and decided to abort whatever they were moving do you? :eek:

    Be careful this weekend. ;)
     
  16. RBrodzinsky

    RBrodzinsky November 18, 2022 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

    5,685
    2,780
    98
    why do I now have "Secret Agent Man" running through my head?

    "...they've given you a number, and taken away your name"
     
  17. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Well, the wife kept me busy most the days with Honey-Do tasks so it was late afternoon before I got a chance to head out to see if I could spot TBX#3401 and being this time of year good old afternoon showers are possible. Well, it stayed dark and cloudy with a good wind blowing but no rain/snow and I did finally find it near Idealite JCT over near the Rocky Flats Plant and the GWA (Idealite) Cement Plant & Quarry. It was just sitting there between an old ATSF Steamer and a unmarked caboose...

    [​IMG]
     
  18. Stourbridge Lion

    Stourbridge Lion TrainBoard Supporter

    16,680
    130
    184
    Next thing I knew a really hard gust of wind from the north came through and that brown tarp came fling off as I was taking a couple of shots before anyone knew I was around. Well, I tell you I got the heck out of dodge as soon as I got these shots and I don't want to know what I saw. I felt more then warm as the wind crossed from where the car was sitting and where I was hiding and I'm still not feeling very good... :(

    [​IMG] - [​IMG] - [​IMG]
     
  19. TwinDad

    TwinDad TrainBoard Member

    1,844
    551
    34
    Yikes!!

    I would have been high-tailing it, too! That looks like some nasty stuff!!!

    How did you do that???
     
  20. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

    6,000
    1,317
    85
    Oh man! Whatever that stuff is, it looks to have infected the pixels of your photos as well!! I feel all stuffy and I have a headache! ;) :p
     

Share This Page