Unit Trains...Post your pics & videos here.

Last week I was at a sonwriter's retreat at The Garrison Institute in Garrison, NY, which has beautiful views of the Hudson River and West Point. 

One morning, I saw a unit freight train of endless container cars pulled by 2 CSX diesel locomotives. I could not believe how long it was; it must have been a few miles long. 

I don't have any container train cars but do enjoy running unit coal dump and oil tanker trains. I also have an MTH Proto 3 CSX diesel, which enables me to kind of re-create the train scene I saw on the Western side of the Hudson last week.

Arnold

Arnold, tanks a lot!

first time out attempting to use IPad to make a movie.

doooh! Next time may be better. Lol

Unit train on the mining line. The electric railroad only has ore cars and one small passenger car. Copper ore is all it hauls. Don

scale rail posted:

Unit train on the mining line. The electric railroad only has ore cars and one small passenger car. Copper ore is all it hauls. Don

Awesome unit mining train, Don.

I find the traditional sized Postwar cars, like the coal/ore dump cars, work well for making unit trains. Their smaller size makes for longer unit trains running through reverse loops.

Arnold

I know I posted this once before - my NYC Milk and Cookies train!!!

Here's some pictures to view, while search for a video.

Getting a tiny bit better at using my IPad (except for finger sweep).

here is Wabash 2339 and unit train of tankers.

NYC F3 with unit tank train

Unit trains, eh?

Autorack train. With "flat wheels":

A different autorack train. Without flat wheels

Got Grain? I do.

Got some doublestacks too:

This one's "hot to trot":

See train? Think grain. Completely different consist than the earlier one:

Ore...you might like some jennies. Got lots of those.

51 in this train. So much weight the lead trucks of the front half of the train apparently lifted off the railheads (listen to the rail joint). I think I have 75 of these cars now.

Canada checking in...eh?

This train when next it runs will be significatnly longer. I lost track of just  how much though.

Traditional MPC autoracks get in on the action, with possibly the smoothest acceleration of the truck-mounted can motored Geeps you've ever seen.

This one will also be longer the next time it runs, possibly 37 cars.

---PCJ  

Railride, you are King of the Unit Trains. Great videos of all your unit trains pulled by multiple locomotives. Arnold

Here's one of my favorite unit train videos:

My military train from a few years back.....not exactly a unit train, but of a single theme....

Peter

For those of you who love long unit trains like I do, a major decision for you to make is whether or not you want reverse loops.

On the positive side, reverse loops allow for continuous running and change of direction so your trains go somewhere and then return as in real life.

On the negative side, reverse loops obviously  limit the length of your unit trains.

Got to make sure my train won't crash into it's own caboose. LOL, Arnold

Putnam Division posted:

My military train from a few years back.....not exactly a unit train, but of a single theme....

Peter

 

Peter, you sure maintain a strong national defense on your empire.

Here's the original thread video......

Peter

What about the cost of purchasing numerous similar train cars to make a unit train?

Over the years, I've purchased 7 or 8 Postwar coal dump cars, oil tanker cars, and milk cars to make unit trains. The PW oil tankers are the most economical, only costing $5 to $10 a piece. Ones with rust are particularly desirable because they tend to be more realistic and less expensive.

Anyone have a strategy for economically getting numerous similar cars to make a unit train?

Arnold

In other words, what are the best ways to economically get the same or similar train cars in quantity?

here are links to a few of mine. Too large to post.

https://youtu.be/x8mz2nWzy_k

https://youtu.be/ld-5DbJNje4

CNW ore cars, 40

Burlington Northern coal drag making its Sunday morning run:

Arnold

Rusty

My Tropicana unit train......

Peter

I just added a few 6456/6476 LV hoppers to my active roster.  I installed MTH trucks so they track better and made coal loads so they look better.  I have a few more LV hoppers that need the trucks switched out so I’m looking for some bargain priced MTH trucks.

Pics of my Weaver TOFC unit train. I could not find the video which shows a longer TOFC unit train............Paul 2

I found the last video I shot which shows more TOFC's. Since then I have aquired more.  I hope I did this right to show the video. Paul 2