3x CN SD75I on empty grainer on BNSF OT Sub.

[robjacox]

Another BNSF Oregon Trunk Sub. heads up! It has been a crazy 2 weeks here in central Oregon.

At 5:30pm Wednesday (5-11-11) a northbound empty grain train with pure CN power pulled into Bend, OR. It did a quick crew change and rolled north. Power was CN SD75I's 5791-5683-5793, the train is sold gray CEFX and TILX 3-bay covered hoppers.

I understand that this same train went south, loaded, last Thursday, and had a BNSF Dash-9 on the lead, the 3 CN SD75I's, then a pair of BNSF Dash-9's mid-train, and two more on the rear. A report from "another" web forum said the CN units were coming north on a manifest, and the 100-car train was split up into two groups of 50 cars, likely due to short sidings on the Gateway Sub.?

Regardless of that piece of info, the power is obviously running with at least half of the train. In the full-size photo I took showing the whole train, I can count at least 50 cars here, definitely not 100.

This is one of the most unusual trains I've seen come through Bend in my 17 years of living here. Unfortunately, it was overcast & I lost any decent lighting as soon as I got to the train.

 

[Jon Bentz]

Are these potash trains? We've seen a few of these on the Bellingham Sub recently.

 

[robjacox]

Are these potash trains? We've seen a few of these on the Bellingham Sub recently.

I guess it could be potash. No idea where it unloaded, but it was back in Bend 6 days after it headed south.

RRF member "OT Local" thinks this may be a "regular" mystery train that comes through at night?

First time I've seen anything like it, though.

 

[SP&SFan]

Edited: CN SD75's on the OT Sub..

All-

This was posted by a friend on the 'other' website about the details of the mystery train going south on May 5th...


"For everyone interested, this train is the 2nd of 6 or 7 heading for California. It is a loaded Canola Meal train from Canora,SK for a feed dealer near Guernsey,CA. The first train was symboled G-VBTGUC but it would appear the symbol has changed for this train. It may be moving to a different feed lot closer to Modesto perhaps. The power configuration is 1BNSF ? 3CN SD75s on the head end, 2BNSF mid train and 2BNSF tail end DPU for a 4x2x2 power set up. The 3 CN SD75s will likely be the sole power when it comes back home empty as was last time. Hope everyone can track the progress of this train. Trace number is CEFX 352140 and it shows departed Wishram,WA this morning just after 0700. Happy Hunting. "

FYI - This is the return trip north from the said train in the post from the other website.. So, I would think that it would be a X-GUCVBT or something similar to that...

There is going to be another 4 to 5 trains with the G-VBTGUC/X-GUCVBT symbols as they are shipping the Canola meal from Canora, SK to Guernsey, CA....


SP&SFan

 

[otlocal]

Hasn't come this way yet,also MoW was talking to DS this morning(10:00am)No trains called at this time, either end of OT,,if he DP'd Wishram O7:00 he should have showed around noon or later, around here ,hasn't happened.He may have got held somewhere.

 

[SP&SFan]

OTlocal,

See my edited post above.. I was responding to Robjacox's post of CN SD75's heading north with what looked like an empty grain train back to Canora, SK for another load of canola meal..

SP&SFan

 

[robjacox]

I really want to see one of these trains pulling Lava Butte Summit south of Bend, or if I had enough heads-up I'd love to get him between South Junction and Paxton pulling out of the Deschutes River Canyon. If only the CN units would lead the southbound/loaded train!

 

[otlocal]

Rob,The so called "MYSTERY" train i mentioned,was in Dec or Jan , and had auto racks....SP&S,Thanks for clearing up the direction,as two where mentioned.

 

[SP&SFan]

Try to post advance notice...

OT & Robjacox,

If I see that the next s/b canola train is coming down, I'll make sure that you get a heads-up about it...

Yes, I would love to see it pulling between South Junction and Paxton.. That would just be awesome!!!! I've railfanned the OT one time south of Maupin and it was last October.. All we got that day was one s/b out of Wishram at 0400 hrs and two/three northbounds...


SP&SFan

 

[robjacox]

OT & Robjacox,

If I see that the next s/b canola train is coming down, I'll make sure that you get a heads-up about it...

SP&SFan

Thanks, I might even take the day off of work...

 

[otlocal]

CN grainer S/B,OT Sub,running 3x3x2,Lead unit 7871,5023,CN2604,x624,4598,654,xDPU's 4392,5352...Through Redmond.Or 08:15AM.....

 

[BCR4601]

Heads up down south on the OT.Another CN/BNSF canola train headed your way to Gurnsey,Ca.

 

[otlocal]

Thanks,any idea on location or time?

 

[BCR4601]

xrossed the border yesterday am

 

[cp1400]

The CN powered canola train was past Marysville, Wa on Sunday June 26 around 16:30.

CN 5613 SD75I
CN 2453 Dash 8-40CM
CN 2652 Dash 9-44CW



cp1400

 

[otlocal]

The thumb nail has the 5613,would this be the train i'm looking for ,or is it the 5713?

 

[robjacox]

Doesn't matter what's on the lead now, it'll most likely end up with a BNSF leader and BNSF DPU's midtrain and at the rear.

They should have fun getting it down the OT with all the long detour trains.

 

[Ballard Beaver]

They should have fun getting it down the OT with all the long detour trains.

which detour trains are you referring to?

(by the way, yesterday i was in vancouver WA and saw a train of all white Interstate trailers on flat cars around 11pm, i imagine it was headed to the OT sub; the vancouver yardmaster referred to it as a "seattle baretable")

 

[robjacox]

which detour trains are you referring to?

(by the way, yesterday i was in vancouver WA and saw a train of all white Interstate trailers on flat cars around 11pm, i imagine it was headed to the OT sub; the vancouver yardmaster referred to it as a "seattle baretable")

We've had quite a few trains through town in the last couple of days - more than normal - and they've been BIG. This morning we had two southbounds within an hour that were 6500' + plus long with DPU's. Normally we get one a day, and we had one late Sunday evening.

A posting on a popular pay-to-be-told-your-stupid forum indicated BNSF was running 2 n/b and 2 s/b trains down the OT and Gateway subs, they have strange symbols are destined for points east.

I saw or heard six trains during daytime today.

 

[otlocal]

Very good Rob,that's funny as hell.,LOL.I counted atleast 10,and that's only the ones i counted,yesterday was most likely a recent record.I wonder if ES44, is getting any work done down there,...Ballard Bever,i heard that a train ,like the "Seattle Baretable"you mentioned left Bend,around 5pm,yesterday.