Ten covered hoppers were on the rear of the consist of Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014’s final few days of its two month trip to the southwest. On the eve of November 25, 2019, the train arrived ... (more)

Chicago & North Western covered hopper No. 490403 has just been rebuilt at Union Pacific’s car shop in De Soto, Missouri, and awaits stripping of its old paint in the sandblasting bay of the pai... (more)

A covered hopper rolls through the computer-controlled retarders at East Hump while being sorted for eastern destinations at Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard in North Platte, Nebraska, on May 3, 2011... (more)

Is This Where You Wanted the Grain Delivered?

While on a trip to see C&O 614 pull a trip from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, we had some time to look around the Steel City. At McKees Ro... (more)

Remember Kids, Don't Put Empties at the Front!

At 8:40 PM on the evening of July 5, 2019, westbound manifest 34A derailed the first 11 cars as it entered the main arc of Horseshoe Cu... (more)

Oops...

At 8:40 PM on the evening of July 5, 2019, westbound manifest 34A derailed the first 11 cars as it entered the main arc of Horseshoe Curve. The three locomotives remained on ... (more)

An old covered hopper in the BNSF yard at Frannie, Wyoming, reveals its previous owner on June 28, 2018. Built in December 1974 by North American Car, the Rio Grande logo still shows nicely throug... (more)

You had one job!
A covered hopper built by Trinity Industries in 1989 shows off a different approach to the CSX lettering scheme typically seen on the sides of that railroad's freight ... (more)

Two freshly-rebuilt and repainted Chicago & North Western covered hoppers (Nos. 490213 and 490878) sit just outside the Union Pacific’s De Soto Car Shop in Missouri on the afternoon of September... (more)

A worker in the Union Pacific car shop at De Soto, Missouri applies Union Pacific logos and “Building America” slogans to the side of Chicago & North Western covered hopper No. 490093 on Septe... (more)

Undecorated (almost)
A Chicago & North Western covered hopper gets a fresh coat of gray in the paint shop at Union Pacific’s car shop in De Soto, Missouri, on September 28, 2011. Most... (more)

Chicago & North Western covered hopper No. 490304 is in the middle of an overhaul at Union Pacific’s De Soto car shop in Missouri on September 28, 2011.

Two workers at Union Pacific’s car shop in De Soto, Missouri, are almost finished sandblasting Chicago & North Western covered hopper No. 490561 prior to a new paint job on September 28, 2011.

A covered hopper coasts down the hump of Argentine Yard and into its 62-track bowl yard, as the next cars wait up the hill. Argentine Yard handles thousands of cars a day over this hump, as the la... (more)

All in a Day’s Work

The Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern serves a small explosives manufacturing plant at Mount Carmel Junction, Pennsylvania. Since there is no runaround track ... (more)