Western Railroad Discussion > Interesting trains on the BNSF Transcon

Yesterday I caught two eastbound trains on the BNSF Transcon at Williams, Arizona.  Both trains were made up of new trailers being delivered to their customers.  All the trailers were spotless and had no seals or locks on the doors.  The majority were WalMart trailers. Not sure where they were manufactured, but I found this interesting.

---

---

---

If a trailer is never going to carry a TOFC load,
is the maker still likely to ship it by rail?

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If a trailer is never going to carry a TOFC load,
> is the maker still likely to ship it by rail?

I don't believe the WalMart trailers are used in TOFC (just containers), so I guess yes.

.

---

---

Interesting new trailer deliveries regardless of how they will be used in the future. The locale leads me to believe these are new trailers were manufactured in Mexico but I'm certainly open to correction. A few short 55 years ago we had a local factory that built Trailmobile semi-trailers. I always thought it strange they would build a plant in the mid-Atlantic states near a major city and then predominantly hire workers from the West Virginia (Appalachian) former, coal mining regions. Similarly but seemingly more effective was moving manufacturing operations into the former coal mining regions as was done near Hazleton, PA. Then again it is all about politics not practicalities!
 I did have a friend who was living locally and hired by Trailmobile when he graduated high school. He served as a rivet "bucker" I believe they were called, and later assembled air brake lines on the trailers. He eventually bought a foreign car repair business with another friend. Foreign car business and friends long gone into the mist of time. The Trailmobile factory was closed and sat empty eventually became a frozen food distributer. The frozen food company, "Rotelle" closed some years later. I believe the rail siding has been long since removed and today about half of the building is a bathroom, I'm not sure what to call it, toilets, sinks etc. and decorations distributor and store. The other half is an adult retirement community. Too weird!
Gonut

Video of both trains.

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If a trailer is never going to carry a TOFC load,
> is the maker still likely to ship it by rail?

The railroads have a cheap rate for empty containers and trailers, whether they're brand new like these or several years old like on "B4" trains.  There are a lot of B-PHXLAC4, B-NBYSBD4 and BSSELAC4 trains with JB Hunt, FedEx, UPS, YRC, etc. containers and trailers.

mapboy

> The locale  leads me to believe these new
> trailers were manufactured in Mexico but ...

Didn't notice he said Williams, not Williams Jct.
So not on the Transcon, if he meant what he said.

New trailers not intended for intermodal use have temporary lift points attached under the side rail.  Usually rough cut 2X10.  These are removed when the trailer is put into service. 

Eng.Shadetree

shadetree Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> New trailers not intended for intermodal use have
> temporary lift points attached under the side
> rail.  Usually rough cut 2X10.  These are
> removed when the trailer is put into service. 
>
> Eng.Shadetree

I could be wrong, but I think trailers with roll up doors or without dual lock-bars per door are not intended for regular intermodal service. 

I expect that this will the the only train ride for most of these trailers.

If you watch the video I clearly caption it was Challender which is Transcon.

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > The locale  leads me to believe these new
> > trailers were manufactured in Mexico but ...
>
> Didn't notice he said Williams, not Williams Jct.
> So not on the Transcon, if he meant what he said.

Posted from iPhone