Western Railroad Discussion > Oil Cans on the Coast Sub

Before I reported to work Saturday morning, I was thinking of several foaming options for Sunday, Amtrak #5 with AMTK 156 on the point coming into California, and the Capitol Corridor/Key Holidays NASCAR train running on the California Northern and the NWP. For the folks who provided heads ups, many thanks, you know who you are.

I came home later in the day, ready to do map research for the NASCAR train between Fairfield and Sears Point (Sonoma Raceway), but before that, I checked my Inbox...

Cajon92 (Ryan) told me of his plans to nab the oil cans on Cuesta:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4063103

Catching the oil cans has been on my To Do List for several years now, and whenever I was informed of its running in daytime, I was too far away, whether I was in NorCal or SoCal. I had about 12 hours to act for this run, so I made it my choice for my Sunday foaming plans and immediately started studying maps of California's Central Coast between San Luis Obispo and San Ardo.

While Ryan ("the human drone")  chose to "Go Metal" for the wide angle scenery of the train, I chose to chase the train trackside, something I'm very comfortable with, and here's the video of that:

In the first clip, I catch the oil cans (empties) arrive into San Luis Obispo for a crew change. The train ran later than anticipated, so I waited in SLO for about 2 hours, but it was OK. I said hello to morning joggers, and talked about the train with couples, parents, kids, and anyone else curious as to why I was standing on the pedestrian walkway looking in to the distance.

I didn't have time to scout around San Luis Obispo, as the outbound crew was ready quickly, so I went to the first crossing north of SLO to catch it depart, second clip.

I went to Santa Margarita next, then drove around to scout a few locations. It was between a curve and a searchlight (signal), and I chose the  curve. The train arrived as I estimated, third clip, so I also had time to get some refreshments for the unusually warm weather before the train arrived.

Atascadero was too close, so I had a choice between Templeton and Paso Robles, and I chose Paso Robles, just because I've visited there during a Coast Starlight joyride on Thanksgiving Day more than 3 years ago. The oil cans rumble by the Amtrak Depot near track speed, fourth and final clip. Entire train is shown for those who like to count cars.

San Miguel could have been another choice, had I skipped Paso Robles.

I also nabbed the train at Bradley, but lighting was mediocre, so the clip is not included. I had planned to meet Cajon92 there, but we missed each other (twice) because I didn't realize his hike down from the Cuesta vantage point would take so long and didn't wait for him long enough. We eventually met up in King City (without use of a cell phone, the old fashioned way - it's called planning ahead of time) and did some quick NorCal foaming, but unfortunately, we missed opportunities (AMTK 156, NASCAR train, MRVSJ) due to the oil cans running later than expected, and nasty traffic on Hwy 101 north of Salinas and south of Gilroy.  

- Crew change at SLO (San Luis Obispo).
- Hazmat placard 3082 for the oil cans.
- Video as described above.

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Great. Why are the cans linked by that big hose on top? I imagined they were linked on bottom.

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

pedrop Wrote:
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> Great. Why are the cans linked by that big hose on
> top? I imagined they were linked on bottom.


15 car cuts are semi-permanently hose connected to expedite loadiing and unloading from one source ...

The cars are linked top and essentially bottom.  There is an air actuated valve on the end of each car, and to load or unload, compressed air is applied which opens all the valves to allow the cars to be pumped out.  With the large hose, it allows vapor recovery, and pressure equalization to help with emissions. The vapor in the empty cars is circulated back into the collection facility  holding tank.  Likewise, they haul a load of vapor from the refinery tanks back to the loading facility.
G

Great video, Charles, a great chase for sure. 

Ryan

cchan006 Wrote:
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> - Hazmat placard 3082 for the oil cans.

What in the wide, wide world of sports?

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pedrop Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great. Why are the cans linked by that big hose
> on
> > top? I imagined they were linked on bottom.
>
>
> 15 car cuts are semi-permanently hose connected to
> expedite loadiing and unloading from one source
> ...
There's actually 13 cars semi permanently coupled together. There are a couple of strings that only have 12 cars each due to cars being bad ordered and set out.
My conductor and I built that train out of the plant in Carson the night before. The train had a total of 76 cars rather than the normal 78 cars (6 strings of 13 cars).-BMT

Posted from Android

Nice work, Charles. I used to shoot more around SLO when I had a daughter in school there.

At least once they went North because of work on the SB Sub and came through Santa Clara. Then Dispatcher Doug kept them on the main for a meet with a Capitol at Albrae, which at theat time (Nov 2000) was pretty rickety.

JIm B

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jimB Wrote:
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> At least once they went North because of work on the SB Sub and came through Santa Clara. Then
> Dispatcher Doug kept them on the main for a meet with a Capitol at Albrae, which at theat time (Nov
> 2000) was pretty rickety.

​Nice picture there. Even managed to get the circus train in the background. It sure looks different there now.

EricSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> cchan006 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > - Hazmat placard 3082 for the oil cans.
>
> What in the wide, wide world of sports?

My thoughts exactly.

Outstanding job as usual Charles, nicely done!

UPNW2-1083 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Out_Of_Service Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > pedrop Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Great. Why are the cans linked by that big
> hose
> > on
> > > top? I imagined they were linked on bottom.
> >
> >
> > 15 car cuts are semi-permanently hose connected
> to
> > expedite loadiing and unloading from one source
> > ...
> There's actually 13 cars semi permanently coupled
> together. There are a couple of strings that only
> have 12 cars each due to cars being bad ordered
> and set out.
> My conductor and I built that train out of the
> plant in Carson the night before. The train had a
> total of 76 cars rather than the normal 78 cars (6
> strings of 13 cars).-BMT
>
> Posted from Android

thx for the correction B ... i thought i read somewhere many years ago there were 15 but i could've read that about the TankTrain that ran from Canada to Oswego,NY

Thanks to all that replyed to my question. I see it was usefull for everybody not acostumed to see those cans.

Pedro

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

They used to run 6 cuts of 13 cars over the Tehachapis from the mid 1980s to October 31, 1996; 4 or 5 SD40/SD45s in the front and 4-6 of the same between cuts 4 and 5. Mountain railroading at it's best. The smoke show at Tunnel 5 above Bealville was a sight to behold. I once saw the helper crew as they exited Tunnel 5 open the windows of the lead locomotive and I swear that there was more smoke in the cab than outside. Boy, did those 645s struggle.

Lane

Looks like a fun little chase, Charles. The cans are always a good time.

I remember the Thanksgiving Day joy ride you mentioned. I think I shot the Starlight that day.

They have been running at 76 cars for the better part of two years now, as I recall. I'm not sure what tragedy befell the two missing cans, but at least one of them left town, dented, on the top of a flat car with the trucks on another flat. I last saw them at Watsonville Junction. There are some pictures floating around somewhere.

Posted from iPhone

I was fortunate enough a few years ago to video and photograph the oil can train that use to run over Tehachapi daily. Comparing those pictures with your video it appears that the the oil cans that ran through Tehachapi had much longer cars. Can you advise me if that was the case?

Thanks for you posting it brought back some great visits I made to Tehachapi many years ago.

Jim
​Hatboro, PA