Canadian Railroads > Inland Cement Cadomin Limestone Train Part 2 - Rolling Stock

Rather than wait for Freight Car Friday, I thought I'd post these up today. They follow from my first post today; again, photos taken May 21, either near Duffield, near Range Road 30, or at the east end of Carvel, Range Road 22. I have only seen the Inland Cement train twice before, many years ago, and in both cases, with short covered hoppers that have the rollers for opening the hatches for top loading. This is train U724, Cadomin to Edmonton, and there were three styles of three-bay open hoppers; I'm posting two shots of each.
1. This is PWCX 11 (Inland Cement reporting marks; see logo/lettering as well), one of a fleet of I don't know how many, but all we saw were single or two-digit numbers. It was built 7/97, and has a 2300 cu. ft. capacity.
2. Companion PWCX 10, showing the other end of the car, with protected air reservoir. My buddy noticed that these cars consistently had the extended side sheets crunched at the top, suggesting they're gripped in some kind of rotary operation for unloading (then why have hopper doors on the bottom?). Anyone knowing more about this is invited to weigh in. I'd like to know more.
3. The second type of car seen is exemplified by TILX 24004, Trinity Industries Leasing/Trinityrail built 7/07, IL 29"10", capacity 2400 cu. ft. There is no evident crunching of the side sheets on this, or its trailing sister, but see the next one and the puzzle remains.

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4. An elevated view of one of the Trinity hoppers, showing the other end, this is TILX 24008, with crimped side sheets at the top.
5. One of three of these dotted through the limestone train, this is GACX 204238, also 2400 cu. ft., and built 9/06. Looking carefully at the panel that has the GA and 204, you can see that its reporting marks used to be M**X, and the road number started with a 4, and maybe was only four digits long. Does anyone know its history, or the meaning of the yellow dot?
6. Sister GACX 204242 has a different "logo", a red-on-yellow SG. Is this familiar to anyone? These cars have a Miner Enterprises automatic operating mechanism, push-button control of the doors for the three bays. The end ladders are a contrast to the other two styles of hopper, whose flat end sheets allow for grab iron ladders.
Fred

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The SG logo is that of Standard General. A construction company and aggregate supplier who happens to haul a great deal of gravel from their pit in Fox Creek to their unloading and distribution depot in Acheson.

I would guess the crimping of the side sheets of the cars came from times when they had been loaded at the quarry by wheel loaders instead of a bin load out.

Brian

Posted from iPhone

the black cars were built at National Steel car in Hamilton Ontario.

Mike Bannon
St Catharines, ON