Why the Backup Move

[Bob Bufkin]

Met up with Philip yesterday to give him some parts at Riverdale, MD.  While we were there a Rock Runner (stone train) came off the Westbound wye and passed the station.



It them stopped under the bridge and waited for the signal in the rear to turn green and proceeded to backup to the other side of the wye.



Philip said the saw them do this before.  l was wondering why such an unusual move.  Anyone have any answers?

[asciibaron]

they back into the siding - there is no run around in the gravel yard or on the main.  i have seen all sorts of power on the Rock Runner - notice the close clearance!

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=38.926176811914544~-76.93336849343376&lvl=18&sty=h&where1=Riverdale%2C%20MD

[Bob Bufkin]

Makse sense.  Thanks Steve.  By the way the power that day was 3 GP40-2's and a GP38-2.  Great older power on those trains.

[asciibaron]

Makse sense.  Thanks Steve.  By the way the power that day was 3 GP40-2's and a GP38-2.  Great older power on those trains.

i have seen 80MAC's on that!

[ednadolski]

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=38.926176811914544~-76.93336849343376&lvl=18&sty=h&where1=Riverdale%2C%20MD

Looks like something that would be pretty cool to model to scale in N.  It would fit in a space a little over 8' wide, and could even be done as a walk-in, or perhaps as an extension hanging off a Free-moN or Ntrak module.

Ed

[Bob Bufkin]

Yes Steve, I've also seen SD80MACs on the various stone trains.  Here's one leading long hood first at the stone quarry in LaPlata I shot a couple months ago:



So far as I can figure there are 3 different stone trains, all called Rock Runners.  Anyone know of any others and where they load and unload?

[davefoxx]

Four Geeps in a paint scheme of (approximately) Enchantment Blue with yellow noses is a pleasant flashback for me!  What an awesome catch.  Thanks for sharing.

Dave

[asciibaron]

There are two quarries operating on CSX that have Rock Runners in this area.  One on the former WM at Hanover, PA and the other along the B&O at Millville, WV.


The Rock Runners from Hanover go to South Baltimore and Annapolis Junction, the Rock Runner from Millville, WV goes to Hyattsville twice daily.  I have no info on the Pope's Creek runner - ask Al about that.

[Bob Bufkin]

That answers my questions Steve.  Three different versions of the Rock Runner.  I have been to the facility near LaPlata.  They used a old RI jeep still in blue.

[RockGp40]

That answers my questions Steve.  Three different versions of the Rock Runner.  I have been to the facility near LaPlata.  They used a old RI jeep still in blue.

Here is Jeff's (Fulltritty) picture posted from a June thread:

[davefoxx]

Interesting points about this loco:
1) Check out the pilot.  Was a plow removed creating the huge gap above the rails?  Kinda reminds me of the open pilots on early N scale locomotives;
2) They sure paid a lot of attention to the yellow grabs and handrails.  I wonder if they were all removed for paint or individually masked;
3) If I placed a herald on a model of the locomotive as crooked as that one on the nose, everyone would think it was my poor decaling; and
4) Finally, what is up with those horns?  Are they pointing to each side of the locomotive?

Thanks for the pic, Brian!

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Pilot: possibly, but take a good look at the way EMD pilots are constructed. They just took off the lower plate.

Grabs: OSHA regs might differ from FRA ones. They might just be trying to be covered.

Herald: Yep. That's rough!

Horns: It'd make sense depending on the way the plant is laid out. Remember, they're not blowing for grade crossings as much as plant traffic.

[davefoxx]

You're probably correct, Ed, on all four counts.

Oh, and 5) I love that a GP7 continues to plug on deep into the 21st century when many second-generation and later locomotives have already gone to the scrapheap.  Long live the remaining first-generation diesel-electric locomotives!

Dave

[Bob Bufkin]

I'll second that Dave.  Between that unit and the ex PRR GP9 at the trash facility at Jessup, it's good to see some of the first gen diesels still running.

[Chris333]

There is a CSX stone train here with a long back up move. It is on Ohio Central rails (old Erie mainline), but some how CSX has the contract so they have to switch it.


The guy at the yellow crane is where the unloader is.

The other side of the tracks:

I believe the "crane" is a car shaker if needed.