Bakken Oil Unit Trains

Anyone know if the cars are standard 50' Tank cars or GATX  TANK TRAIN?

Good question.  I'm currently not in a position to spot the CP train but I'm hopeful that someone will catch it and report in. 

I have been told that the CP trains will be runnning with DPUs which has required some quick training for the NS crews operating between Buffalo and Binghamton and east of Harrisburg.  Haven't heard if BNSF is doing the same.

This additional traffic on the western Tier and on the CP/D&H to Sunbury may explain why NS is initiating scheduled traffic on the eastern Tier between Binghamton and New Jersey.  Coupled with the Portageville bridge project, the new container yard at Mechanicville and yard expansions at Sayre PA and Cornng's Baker Street, the formerly "sleepy" Southern Tier line is coming back to life in a hurry.

Poppyl

For the most part, they are general purpose carbon steel tank cars.  The demand for them, between ethanol and crude oil, has caused one heckuva spike in tank car lease rates over the past 18 months.

Curt

Sounds like the Harwood-Houston oil shuttle (see related post.)