Leo,
Not all RR ties are shipped by truck. I saw three gondola loads, yesterday, sitting in Princeton, IA south of Clinton, waiting to be unloaded. There was a huge stack of them sitting adjacent to the cars, that had already been unloaded. Of course, this is CP Rail territory, today, but BNSF operates over it and it was DRI&NW trackage years ago.
Bill
Fri Feb 26, 2016 8:45 am (PST) . Posted by: Ah Pete you gave me an opening to discuss something I've been pondering for awhile. transfers.
Yes it was Bob Janz who wrote that article in classic trains. I had the pleasure of spending hours with Bob on an couple occasions and I never ran out of questions to ask him. It was he who confirmed something for me that will be featured in a future CNW HS lines issue. I'll let our Q list know when it's published as I think many will enjoy it.
Now back to transfers I often thought it was the giant terminal yards and the related transfers that caused the railroads to lose so much business to the trucks. I recall that in the BN days Cicero had 48 hours as a ceiling before questions got asked why the car was still there.
And the stories I heard over the years from a relative who spent his life as a BOCT yardman on transfers were just amazing.
It was a couple BRHS spring meets ago that a retired yardmaster discussed the number of transfer crews who routinely played cards in the "D" yard locker room after they had died on the hog law.
16 hours to get across Chicago ! There's some great transfer tales in Ed Derouins "The Pennsy in Chicago".
But today we have mostly direct run throughs from road to road,pre blocking,unit trains,etc,etc and still the trucks continue to gain market share. Geez,even railroad ties are shipped by truck !
Leo
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Posted by: William Barber <clipperw@gmail.com>
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