Western Railroad Discussion > 1st Train on TCWR to Bongards Siding 9-14-2008

Last night on the evening of 9/14/2008, BNSF 5033 and BNSF 5067 (not sure if this second unit is correct, but there were 2 C44-9W's nonetheless). They brought the first empty ethanol train for the newly-finished (YES, NEWLY FINISHED!!!) siding at Bongards!!!! The siding at Bongards will help increase storage capacity on the TCWR's east end for unit trains (unit Renville coal, unit ethanol, and unit DDG). TCWR has been having capacity issues with the addition of the unit trains and Shoreham-Montevideo container trains that began operating on the line in 2007. Until now, loaded unit trains were stored primarily at the sidings in St. Louis Park and Minnetonka and sometimes even in the siding just west of Cologne.

I think the train in question may have been this one, which followed the Milwaukee 261 into Minneapolis Junction, MN for a crew change and turned onto the Wayzata Sub on 14-September-2008. The power was BNSF DASH9-44CW's #4373 and #5033, and after those first two cars, it was solid ethanol.

I almost didn't take this picture as the conditions were non-ideal and the power wasn't exactly interesting, but now I'm glad I did.

Maltby Turn out.

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That probably IS THE FIRST ETHANOL TRAIN that went out to the brand new Bongards siding on TCWR! You captured a historic event on film and should take satisfaction in knowing that...even if it was cloudy...so what?!?! I like the pic at any rate! Thanks for sharing!