Got stuck by a unit tank car train (not a TankTrain) on the BNSF (with NS power) the other day in Downers Grove.
I couldn't help but notice both the first and last cars bookending the train were covered hoppers. It stuck me that these might be "buffer cars" to protect the engine crew and the end of train.
Is this a way of doing things nowadays with unit tank car trains, the way BNSF does it or does it depend on the cargo?
Inquiring mind wants to know.
Rusty
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Yes, those were indeed "buffer cars", and that is pretty much how most of the oil/alcohol trains operate now.
Thanks.
Rusty
Rusty, I saw one of those unit tank trains, exactly as you described, a couple months ago at Northtown, just outside Minneapolis. I'm guessing that they are running multiple times per week, if not daily. More guessing, Canadian or maybe North Dakota oil eastbound?
they are running from Bakken all the way to Anacortes north of seattle.... cheaper to rail then build a pipeline! I heard there are 40,000 tank cars on back order with manufucturers...
The backlog of new tank car orders is such that a tank car ordered today, will not be delivered until the second quarter of 2014. And this is pretty much across the board, regardless of manufacturer. Because of the demand, tank car lease rates are going through the roof. Although UTLX and ARL are practicing some pricing restraint, GATX is adjusting their lease rates on a monthly basis now.
Rusty they place buffer cars at both ends of the train so that all that needs to be done once the train has been emptied at destination, is attach the power to the opposite end. This eliminates any need for switching the buffer cars.
Curt
Rusty, I saw one of those unit tank trains, exactly as you described, a couple months ago at Northtown, just outside Minneapolis. I'm guessing that they are running multiple times per week, if not daily. More guessing, Canadian or maybe North Dakota oil eastbound?
There is currently one Bakken unit train daily on NS bound for Jersey. May go to two consists later in 2013. CSX is scheduled to start up one or two dailies to the former Sunoco refinery south of Philly very soon. Tankers remain a serious constraint, as noted.
Poppyl
The backlog of new tank car orders is such that a tank car ordered today, will not be delivered until the second quarter of 2014. ...
Sounds like toy train shipping schedules. 
I guess the toy train importers are following the prototype to a T with their delivery schedules as well!!! 
David
Shipping oil by train made the front page news here today. This is the only link I can find to the story:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=54&articleid=20121229_54_E6_CUTLIN523231
Plenty of oil trains on the CP are making it all the way east to the Port of Albany on the Hudson River for unloading. Most of the recent yard capacity expantions along the former Delaware and Hudson are for these oil shipments.
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