Western Railroad Discussion > IPFX (former Amtrak ExpressTrak) Reefers

In addition to http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2823816,2824067#msg-2824067

Apparently the old Amtrak ExpressTrak cars have been released from any legal holds and have found themselves a buyer. As I went by 8th street yard in Los Angeles today I found about half of the cars had been moved out of storage and were in the process of having the reporting marks painted over and replaced with IPFX (Iowa Pacific Fruit Express) marks. Although they wont be trailing behind any Superliners anymore I'd expect they'll be inundating some trains somewhere soon enough...

Jaanfo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In addition to
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2
> 823816,2824067#msg-2824067
>
> Apparently the old Amtrak ExpressTrak cars have
> been released from any legal holds and have found
> themselves a buyer. As I went by 8th street yard
> in Los Angeles today I found about half of the
> cars had been moved out of storage and were in the
> process of having the reporting marks painted over
> and replaced with IPFX (Iowa Pacific Fruit
> Express) marks. Although they wont be trailing
> behind any Superliners anymore I'd expect they'll
> be inundating some trains somewhere soon enough...


a bunch of there cars were stored on Amtrak in Harrisburg for years ... i don't know if they're still there ... i remember seeing them up to their sills in water during an Suzie Q overflow from a storm years ago

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jaanfo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > In addition to
> >
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2
>
> > 823816,2824067#msg-2824067
> >
> > Apparently the old Amtrak ExpressTrak cars have
> > been released from any legal holds and have
> found
> > themselves a buyer. As I went by 8th street
> yard
> > in Los Angeles today I found about half of the
> > cars had been moved out of storage and were in
> the
> > process of having the reporting marks painted
> over
> > and replaced with IPFX (Iowa Pacific Fruit
> > Express) marks. Although they wont be trailing
> > behind any Superliners anymore I'd expect
> they'll
> > be inundating some trains somewhere soon
> enough...
>
>
> a bunch of there cars were stored on Amtrak in
> Harrisburg for years ... i don't know if they're
> still there ... i remember seeing them up to their
> sills in water during an Suzie Q overflow from a
> storm years ago



I have noticed several of these cars being interchanged onto the LA Junction railroad. Have never seen nor heard the refrigerator units running.. It must be a customer that receives dry goods of some sort...

Two of them were at the Alamosa depot on July 6 running and hooked up to a generator. Was told they have supplies for RGS passenger service and concerts at Fir (read BEER!).

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Out_Of_Service Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jaanfo Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > In addition to
> > >
> >
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2
>
> >
> > > 823816,2824067#msg-2824067
> > >
> > > Apparently the old Amtrak ExpressTrak cars
> have
> > > been released from any legal holds and have
> > found
> > > themselves a buyer. As I went by 8th street
> > yard
> > > in Los Angeles today I found about half of
> the
> > > cars had been moved out of storage and were
> in
> > the
> > > process of having the reporting marks painted
> > over
> > > and replaced with IPFX (Iowa Pacific Fruit
> > > Express) marks. Although they wont be
> trailing
> > > behind any Superliners anymore I'd expect
> > they'll
> > > be inundating some trains somewhere soon
> > enough...
> >
> >
> > a bunch of there cars were stored on Amtrak in
> > Harrisburg for years ... i don't know if
> they're
> > still there ... i remember seeing them up to
> their
> > sills in water during an Suzie Q overflow from
> a
> > storm years ago
>
>
>
> I have noticed several of these cars being
> interchanged onto the LA Junction railroad. Have
> never seen nor heard the refrigerator units
> running.. It must be a customer that receives dry
> goods of some sort...

Cumbresfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Two of them were at the Alamosa depot on July 6
> running and hooked up to a generator. Was told
> they have supplies for RGS passenger service and
> concerts at Fir (read BEER!).

They also use a couple of those CORX beer tankers (most of which are stored on the SLRG west of Monte Vista and on the Antonito line) for moving water up to Fir for the concession stand and washrooms.

They may also still be using these tankers for moving water for the steamer to LaVeta. The powers-that-be in LaVeta had refused to allow RGS to draw from the municipal water supply (or wanted too much money). Didn't see any tankers in LaVets when I was there last September. After wying, the 18 went off west of town for servicing, maybe they got water rights from an adjoining landowner now.

NZ

Hope the new owner change the trucks. The spring planks on those cars had to be replace after every other trip.

It wasn't the trucks that caused the spring plank problem. Really, it was not the plank itself but rather where the shock absorber was fastened to the spring plank. The breakage in past years was caused by 90 mph operation over the Kansas bolted rail with marginal surface/alignment on the SW Chief route, which will not be a problem in the new service for these cars, which is hauling potatoes from the San Luis Valley, primarily to the Houston area. The cars will have their refrigeration units serviced in Alamosa and we hope to have them in service in September. Two cars are already in service and have successfully handled potato loads.

Frontrunner Wrote:
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> Hope the new owner change the trucks. The spring
> planks on those cars had to be replace after every
> other trip.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/12 13:31 by eee.

eee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It wasn't the trucks that caused the spring plank
> problem. Really, it was not the plank itself but
> rather where the shock absorber was fastened to
> the spring plank. The breakage in past years was
> caused by 90 mph operation over the Kansas bolted
> rail with marginal surface/alignment on the SW
> Chief route, which will not be a problem in the
> new service for these cars, which is hauling
> potatoes from the San Luis Valley, primarily to
> the Houston area. The cars will have their
> refrigeration units serviced in Alamosa and we
> hope to have them in service in September. Two
> cars are already in service and have successfully
> handled potato loads.
>
> Frontrunner Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hope the new owner change the trucks. The
> spring
> > planks on those cars had to be replace after
> every
> > other trip.

Hmmm... Could be those were the two seen at Alamosa on July 6. Sorry I didn't get the numbers.

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have noticed several of these cars being
> interchanged onto the LA Junction railroad. Have
> never seen nor heard the refrigerator units
> running.. It must be a customer that receives dry
> goods of some sort...


Most likely LAJ is transferring them from Amtrak to BNSF (via the WATBAR) to be shipped east