Everything/Anything CF&E thread...

[bnsf8000]

Thanks very much for the info CG Tower. I never actually checked for NS/CFE connection in Lima. You would have thought I might have did that once upon a time.

8/31/11. WB LIFW at 2:45PM with CORP 4024 running solo with 55 cars. There were 21 grain cars [2AGP, 2 Cargill], 4 empty steel flats for SDI, 11 tank cars for Bunge, 4 loaded gons, 5 ballast hoppers and 10 box cars. Creeping along at no more 10mph. Not sure what the deal is on that.

Couple of potash cars down by the Scott Equity elevator including Potash Corp. with new logo may be the same one as before .

PW

[midland sub]

The tie and surface project around Van Wert is just a scheduled track project. Nothing exciting, just some proactive work like CG said. You can tell who's paying for the project by the quality of the stone used for the ballast. The pics of the work @ the Fort Wayne message board show RA is paying for this. They typically buy the lowest (i.e. cheapest) quality stone available. Which usually is the same low grade stone one buys for a driveway. You can see part of the stone ended up being tamped into dust. Those HMJX cars are (or were) owned by National Lime & Stone in Lima on the I&O. National supplies the stone for the CFE and the north end of the I&O. If and when NS pays for more track work on the CFE, you'll start seeing the better quality stone National has piled up in Lima being used.

[bnsf8000]

I'd pretty much agree with you on that Midland and CG. What there doing on the CFE mainline is what they did last year in Van Wert. It really looks at this time it is just typical RA/CFE MOW work. At least they will be through VW, Delphos and they did drop ballast in Middle Point also. Just a little ballast in Middle Point no new ties. I concur it is cheap ballast and little of it. Anything will help especially when the MOW gang goes through. They have also dropped some skimpy new ballast from Middle Point tho the westend of VW. No MOW work yet.


PW

[AARR]

Interesting info about the ballast, midland. I will nbe looking at ballast a lot differently than i have in the past

[bnsf8000]

9/6/11. WB I believe LIVW. It had CFE3886? leading long hood forward and 16 cars. Pulled onto the Cincinnati Northern. Had 10 tank cars and 6 covered hoppers. These cars may very well been at the Van Wert Terminal. I haven't been up around the diamond to check if they left anything in VW. Came in at 1:35PM and left heading EB as VWLI didn't see it leave town. Still had traffic backed up moving at no more than 10mph.


PW

[bnsf8000]

9/6/11. WB at 11:20PM through Van Wert LIFW with IORY 4036/ CFE 3880 leading and 76 cars. Loaded very heavy with 48 or so loaded gons [is this pig iron?], 12 grainers, 6 tanks, 5 ballast hoppers: HJMX, 3 empty steel flats and 2 box cars. Rolling along over by Convoy between 35-40mph. This train was way after the VW turn:LIVW came to VW and left EB as VWLI with mostly VW Terminal traffic. No cars in VW north of the diamond on the CN.

9/8/11. WB at 12:05PM with CFE 3880/3886 with 3880 long hood forward and 12 grain cars. It was rolling just west of Van Wert at a mind numbing 10 mph or so. It had 12 grainers including 6 Cargill: CGEX, CGOX and SAMX. 1 each of FMLX, AFSX, CSYX, NYDX, CEFX and 1 ex AGP: MWCX.

PW

[bnsf8000]

9/8/11. EB train FWLI through Van Wert at 4:10 PM with CFE 3886/3880 and 28 cars. It had 10 ballast hoppers on the headend: 5 RMGX and 5 HMJX, 9 tank cars all for Bunge, 9 grainers: 8 Cargill and 1 lonely Bunge bringing up the EOT. Above post has WB turn info.

PW

[bnsf8000]

9/12/11. Atlas/CFE have begun MOW work in Van Wert. There's around 6 or 7 pieces of MOW equipment on the mainline and assorted Atlas/CFE trucks by the diamond in town. They MOW'd in Delphos at least on last Saturday by the FW board. Don't know yet if they MOW'd where they dropped just some ballast or not between Middle Point and just east of Van Wert. They've also dropped some ballast and new ties over by Warsaw, IN per the FW board. Hey, anything helps.

PW

[bnsf8000]

9/13/11. Early this morning WB CFE train LIFW at 12:35AM . Leading were CFE 3886/3880 and 40 cars. In the train were 20 grain cars: BNGX, CSYX, FMLX,and a couple BN, 9 box cars: 4 CN and some TTX, 5 loaded gons, 4 tanks for Bunge and 2 empty steel flats. They stopped at the diamond and lit a flare and then proceeded WB. EB FWLI went through VW around 6:05AM this morning.

Atlas/CFE are still doing MOW trackwork in VW today. Probably pretty close to finishing up on the mainline. Around 12 or so MOW pieces equipment on the track, plus plenty of Atlas/CFE trucks running around. This should take care of through Van Wert pretty good.

PW

[bnsf8000]

9/14/11. WB CFE train LIFW at 10:15PM with CFE 3886/3880 and 15 cars. Had 1 CITX covered hopper, 1 tank car, 3 plastics hoppers that will eventually go to CSP here in VW and 10 ballast hoppers: 5 RMGX and 5 HMJX. Looks like Atlas MOW crews are done in Van Wert. Looks like it will help. Atlas hirail boom truck was picking up ties or stacking along the ROW today.

PW

[bnsf8000]

9/15/11. WB at 10:16PM was LIFW. Leading were CFE 3886/3880 with 52 cars. In the train were 36 grain hoppers: CSYX, FMLX, AGP and a few CP/SOO among others, 10 ballast hoppers upfront: 5 RMGX and 5 HMJX, 4 tank cars for Bunge and 2 loaded gons. Train rolled through town and slowed somewhat after getting to the westside of Van Wert. Track looks pretty good all the way through VW since the Atlas MOW crew did their work. It'll do for now, it was needed.

PW

[IORY_fan]

Anyone know if FEC 505 & 506 are still on the CF&E? Havent seen anything about them in a while

Thanks

IORY_fan

[bnsf8000]

IORY_fan, I haven't saw FEC 505/506 in quite a long time. The last time I've saw them was when they were still running in tandem on the LIFW/FWLI turn. My friend Bill said he had seen one of them close to a month ago. I'd like to know where there they are also. I was wondering if they were on the I&O north of Lima. Even Midland and Redside have said nothing about seeing them south on the I&O. I never heard that they went back to the FEC. Or could they be OOS at this time?

PW

[IORY_fan]

[quote="bnsf8000"]IORY_fan, I haven't saw FEC 505/506 in quite a long time. The last time I've saw them was when they were still running in tandem on the LIFW/FWLI turn. My friend Bill said he had seen one of them close to a month ago. I'd like to know where there they are also. I was wondering if they were on the I&O north of Lima. Even Midland and Redside have said nothing about seeing them south on the I&O. I never heard that they went back to the FEC. Or could they be OOS at this time?

PW[/quote]
Well, I know they are not on the south end of the I&O here in cincy, they might be on the Wheeling for work possibly or maybe workin Lima on the CF&E. There has been nothing on the FEC group about them returning there and they are pretty on top of things on there motive power wise.

I know I&O could you another 4 axle or 2 down this way....... PIR 2342 is finally pulled from the deadline with a possible Novmber/Decemeber return to service & CEFX/IORY 9400 is still down with traction motor problems. Look for 9400 to get IORY initials sometime this month with 9500 getting IORYed late this month early next month.

IORY_fan

[midland sub]

Last I heard the FEC were not leaving RA properties and will not be. They are an asset owned by another Fortress owned property that would otherwise be sitting idle. Keeps the money in house for Fortress.

[That Guy]

505/506 are still on the property. They have been working FTW do to the amount of tonnage that has been moving. RA and FEC have split and RA bought all the 38's from FEC that have been farmed out to RA properties across the US and RA leased all the SD40's farmed out. This happened about 2 months ago.

[bnsf8000]

9/20/11. EB CFE train FWLI. Rolling on the high iron with CFE 3880/3882 and 90 cars. Train was very heavy on grain cars: Most of the grainers were for Bunge and others including several NOKL, 12 gons, 2 coil cars and 3 tank cars. Train went through Van Wert at 8:35PM.

There are 2 OMYA plastics hoppers behind Mace Body Shop for CSP in VW and approximately 20 soda ash covered hoppers at the VW Terminal LLC.

The Atlas MOW work crew didn't work the CFE track in the country like they did through town. The ballast out there has not been tamped or anything. Don't know if they're coming back later to do it or not.

PW

[bnsf8000]

Has anybody heard if the RA/CFE are still going to build the new engine/car repair shop/ office in Fort Wayne. This was announced in the media I think around Spring. It has been very quiet since then about this. Is it still going to happen or not? Or is it just taking more time to get to it. I believe the article I read said they planned on being built by Sept./Oct. of this year. Just wondering. TIA

PW

[IORY_fan]

[quote="That Guy"]505/506 are still on the property. They have been working FTW do to the amount of tonnage that has been moving. RA and FEC have split and RA bought all the 38's from FEC that have been farmed out to RA properties across the US and RA leased all the SD40's farmed out. This happened about 2 months ago.[/quote]

Hey That Guy, any idea if those FEC 38's that RailAmerica bought will get relettered? Or just stay FEC?

Thanks

IORY_fan

[midland sub]

Hey IORY_Fan,

They're supposed to stay FEC for the time being. Fortress is still trying to unload the FEC, so I doubt they do anything until they sell the FEC (which probably won't happen for what Fortress needs for it). At least that what somebody who probably knows said- not who we both know...