CSXTHS - Rail Fanning - Coal Car Cornucopia

Coal Car Cornucopia - 12-12-2023

Rail Fan Adventure --

Here are a few interesting pieces of coal rolling stock that I’ve seen lately.

1. PMRX 840097 is Progress Metal Reclamation. The Load limit is 229,100, 3,744 cubic feet and build built by Freight Car America at Roanoke in 06-2009. Shelby KY. 04-27-2014.

2. NS “High Top” coke hopper 802858 is class H63AR. It has a load limit of 217,800 lbs. and a volume of 5,465 cu ft due to the extended sides. It was built 07-1978. Weller VA. 04-23-2023.

3. APOX (Alabama Power Co.) 14316 is at Martin KY, on 05-11-2023. It has a load limit of 236,500, a volume of 4,200 cu ft and was built by Freight Car America at Danville IL, in 07-2005.

4. Coupled in the same train of empties was RWSX (Georgia Power) 050480. This car has a load limit of 237,200, a volume of 4,209 cubic feet and was built by Trinity in 04-2005. Georgia Power likes to use the year built as part of the car number. These cars used to be dedicated to Georgia Power’s Robert W. Scherer coal fired power plant near Macon GA. The Scherer plant is/was the 4th largest power plant in the U. S., and the largest that is/was coal fired. One unit of the four has supposedly been shut down, and another is scheduled for 2025. This plant burns Power River Coal coming to Memphis on BNSF and delivered by NS. My opinion is that the curtailed coal deliveries to the one unit has put some of these cars in Georgia Power’s pool. Georgia Power and Alabama Power are both part of Southern Company. (Plant Scherer – Wikipedia). Martin KY.

5. CSX coke hopper 298124 on w/b B157-19 at Willard OH, coke express bound for a steel mill in northern Indiana along the lake. This car has a load limit of 201,900, a volume of 5,300 cu ft and was built by Freight Car America at Roanoke in 06-1997. It is slightly smaller than the NS “High Top.” 05-21-2023.
CSX coke hopper 298124 on w/b B157-19 at Willard OH, coke express bound for a steel mill in northern Indiana along the lake. This car has a load limit of 201,900, a volume of 5,300 cu ft and was built by Freight Car America at Roanoke in 06-1997. It is slightly smaller than the NS “High Top.” 05-21-2023.

6. CSX 837440 has a load limit of 207,800, a volume of 3,433 cu ft and was also built by Freight Car America. Willard OH.

7. NS shuttles a train of Vansant coke over to Williamson every few days. Most of this goes to northern Indiana also. WCCX is Rail Connection LLC. It was previously JTSX, Consolidation Coal and originally Westmoreland Coal. The car has a load limit of 225,200, a volume of 4,000 cu ft and was built 08-1977. WCCX 900490. Williamson WV.
NS shuttles a train of Vansant coke over to Williamson every few days. Most of this goes to northern Indiana also. WCCX is Rail Connection LLC. It was previously JTSX, Consolidation Coal and originally Westmoreland Coal. The car has a load limit of 225,200, a volume of 4,000 cu ft and was built 08-1977. WCCX 900490. Williamson WV.

8. Also at Williamson on 06-08-2023 was AEX 23851. AEX used to be The Andersons, a big grain supplier, but now this reporting mark is listed as American Industrial Transport Inc. The “GATX” has been painted over. This car has 227,300, 3,771 cu ft and was built by FCA at Johnstown in 07-2007. Williamson WV.
Also at Williamson on 06-08-2023 was AEX 23851. AEX used to be The Andersons, a big grain supplier, but now this reporting mark is listed as American Industrial Transport Inc. The “GATX” has been painted over. This car has 227,300, 3,771 cu ft and was built by FCA at Johnstown in 07-2007. Williamson WV.

9. AEX 18429 is 202,100, 4,000 cu ft and built 12-1974. Williamson WV.

10. TVAX 680315 hopper has 235,400, 4,300 cu ft and was built by Johnstown America (fka Bethlehem Steel). It’s full of PRB coal at TVA’s power plant at Kingston TN. In a few years this plant will be history also. 09-14-2023.

11. TRLX is Infinity Transportation 2020. According to Eric Neubauer (my go-to now on rolling stock matters) these strange hoppers were built by Richmond Tank Car Co. in 1978-79. Originally SSIX (SSI Rail Corp.) 5001-5082, they have gone through a number of owners/lessors including Celtran Inc, Midwest Energy Services, Unitrain Inc., Mitsui Rail Capital, and Midland Manufacturing Corp. before TRLX. TRLX 78182. Ivel KY.

12. What are those round holes for? And the vent above it on both ends? TRLX 78208. Ivel KY.

13. These were on a westbound manifest freight at Ivel KY, and appeared to be loaded with petroleum coke or stoker coal. 11-18-2023. TRLX 78181.

14. TRLX 78218 hopper has a load limit of 195,000 and was built 03-1979. Passing Beaver Junction KY empty on the an eastbound freight train. Richmond Tank Car was headquartered in the Houston TX area. I didn’t find anything in the two Car Builder’s Cyclopedias that I have (1961 and 1974). A subsidiary, Richmond Leasing Co., filed for Chapter 11 in 1987.
TRLX 78218 hopper has a load limit of 195,000 and was built 03-1979. Passing Beaver Junction KY empty on the an eastbound freight train. Richmond Tank Car was headquartered in the Houston TX area. I didn’t find anything in the two Car Builder’s Cyclopedias that I have (1961 and 1974). A subsidiary, Richmond Leasing Co., filed for Chapter 11 in 1987.

15. TRLX 78212 hopper was in the same eastbound freight as above the same day near Pikeville. This car is 195,000, 4,000 cu ft and built 02-1979. Pikeville KY.

16. CSX 378272 has 203,000, 4,040 cu ft and was built 09-1978. It is ex-GRDX (Grand River Dam Authority). A bunch of these identical tubs were being unloaded at KRT in Ceredo WV, on 11-25-2023.

17. KRT 1200-1201 are taking a break this Saturday. Ceredo WV.

All for now.

Train images used by permission of Everett N Young.