Western Railroad Discussion > What are these?

Cars at the Amarillo Railroad museum.  
Thanks in advance.  

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Also curious about the car that looks like a Rotary with out the blades.   

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Part of the cars for the  " White Train " used to carry Nukes from Pantrex Plant in Amarillo , TX  

Thanks for the reply.  We thought it may have been military.  

Also had a helium car.  

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Several good resources on the 'Net about the history of the helium cars. Google is your friend!

TJY

Regarding Picture #2:

Probably a car for the security detail accompanying the shipments using the other cars. While dynamometer cars often had a small cupola like that, the HF antenna of the roof lead me to think "assured communications" in pre-satellite days.

Ray

We had a number of the "white trains" that I worked as a special agent. The first one came up the Joint Line, through Denver, and then up the Front Range. Another one I escorted ran through Kansas City, to the UP to Northport, NE, and then back to the BN and over the BN on Crawford Hill. Chasing that damn train over Crawford Hill was miserable. If you've been to Crawford Hill you know the tracks don't always stay close to the tracks. Plus, the "DOE Courier" car required water occasionally We stopped in Alliance, a stop in South Dakota for water and in Gilette. Driving over the hill at night to stay ahead of the train was excitting!

As I recall, these were warheads out of the Pandex Plant in Amarillo going to the sub base in Washington for the Poseidon missiles. I'm sure the statute of limitatins has run out but I won't tell any stories about t hose trips....  We were told that if the protesters got on top of the cars we were to lay on the ground and let DOE handle it.

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/20 18:13 by mojaveflyer.

We had rgen on the SCL too. I caught one as a fireman and that's all I'm saying.

Sam

miralomarail Wrote:
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> Part of the cars for the  " White Train " used to
> carry Nukes from Pantrex Plant in Amarillo ,
> TX  

There was another to the Bangor sub base: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3160439,3162194#msg-3162194 Date: 08/21/13 12:12 Re: The White Train 7/26/1984 Author: TAW

TAW

So wee the helium cars lighter loaded than when empty? I tried to convince one of our younger club members that they had to stay coupled to stay on the tracks, but fortunately he wasn't buying it.

JIm B

Having both handled these cars over the LA Hump as a Car Retarder Operator years ago, and then seeing the waybills when I was an ATM, the cars weighed about 240,000lbs, loaded or empty.

When the car is empty, the cylinders all contain helium at atmospheric pressure, in other words zero, so the car weighs SLIGHTLY LESS than it does loaded.  When the cylinders are fully loaded, under about 2,200 psi, the car weighs  eight pounds MORE than it does empty, due to the high concentration of helium in the cylinders.  The cars were billed at a carload rate, having nothing to do with weight.
G

mojaveflyer Wrote:
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> As I recall, these were warheads out of the Pandex
> Plant in Amarillo going to the sub base in
> Washington for the Poseidon missiles.

Correct The main two routes were to the sub base in Washington & Charleston, SC.

> I'm sure the
> statute of limitatins has run out but I won't tell
> any stories about t hose trips.

The last white train rode the rails in 1987 so I'm sure your more than in the clear now.

> We were told
> that if the protesters got on top of the cars we
> were to lay on the ground and let DOE handle it.

Never have talked to an actual gurad crew member 7 per train. But rumors of weapons run wild
but most seem to agree that they had the most up to date squad rifle, automatic weapon & grenade
launchers. I assume these were likely carried for tear gas rounds primarily.  I've read about snipers 
as well. Likely it was a mix of weapons carried by the guard crew to provide the best defense possible.

Kris

https://www.amarillorailmuseum.com/white-train

Pantex 

You can tour inside the guard car when the museum is open. It of course has heavy bullet proof walls, gun ports, communications and is fully self contained, with oxygen masks at each gun port in case of gas attack and many other features to protect the cargo. Quite an interesting train.