CSX Weed Train (jbakko, this one's for you!)


IronBeltKen

IronBeltKen

Lazy Daydreamer
I was driving back to my house and when I went over the Woodstock grade crossing, I saw a CSX B36-7 waiting in the passing siding. I had missed lunch and was awfully anxious to fix myself a sandwich, but as I walked to my back door a little voice seemed to whisper in my head: "Go to the crossing with your camera right now, FOOL!" Fine! I thought, my stomach can wait another 10 minutes; my collection of local photos didn't include a B36-7, might as well get one now.

Here is what I saw when I got back, I couldn't have been there more than a minute or so when the CW40-8 came thru:
 
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**WAIT - There's MORE....!

And those are just the locomotives!

Josh, I thought you might appreciate these weed-killer tank cars and the Asplundh control car:
 
Ken What is the Asplundh control car used for? I have never seen one in Central Indiana at least cannot remember seeing one.
 
leghome said:
Ken What is the Asplundh control car used for? I have never seen one in Central Indiana at least cannot remember seeing one.
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Larry,
That's where the spraying is done from; I saw a few guys sitting in there when I walked up for the close-up shot.
 
So I waited to view this last for that!?

(kidding)AWSOME Ken, I'm gonna ad those cars to my "prototype research" folder on my computer, and see what I can discover, might make for a neato train to run on my layout! Now to get more info into what each thing does in the train, lol!
 
That might be a pretty cool job to have.. get to see the parts of the RR that most people dont. I do agree that this train would make a neat-o special train to run on our layouts. Would be nice to see the car in action maybe? If you snap anymore photos make sure you share em!
 
4Starcstms said:
... Would be nice to see the car in action maybe? If you snap anymore photos make sure you share em!
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Actually I did get to see it operate. Immediately after that Eastbound freight passed, this train was cleared to go (I had already climbed back into my car and put away my camera, dang!:rolleyes: ) - and as soon as that first tank car was across the road, stuff started spraying out of a nozzle just outside the forward truck. That's what led me to believe this is a 'weed killer' train. I think they probably use each of those tank cars in sequence, putting another one online as the previous one runs dry.

BTW that last car is just a utility boxcar, nothing different structurally.

jbaakko said:
AWSOME Ken, ..., might make for a neato train to run on my layout!
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Josh, I think you could kitbash a few of those Athearn bb 62ft tank cars very easily; that control car, OTOH, might be more of a challenge...!
 
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CSX_road_slug said:
Josh, I think you could kitbash a few of those Athearn bb 62ft tank cars very easily; that control car, OTOH, might be more of a challenge...!
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Josh, can handle it. BTW Josh, I'll need mine in Grande paint...;)
 
Ken what's the stuff on the roof of the converted box car, look's very full of pipes

Josh i'll take mine in BN green if your building, it'll be easier if you make a few;)
 
CSX_road_slug said:
Actually I did get to see it operate. Immediately after that Eastbound freight passed, this train was cleared to go (I had already climbed back into my car and put away my camera, dang!:rolleyes: ) - and as soon as that first tank car was across the road, stuff started spraying out of a nozzle just outside the forward truck. That's what led me to believe this is a 'weed killer' train. I think they probably use each of those tank cars in sequence, putting another one online as the previous one runs dry.

BTW that last car is just a utility boxcar, nothing different structurally.

Josh, I think you could kitbash a few of those Athearn bb 62ft tank cars very easily; that control car, OTOH, might be more of a challenge...!
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Wait you confused me! was the nozzle on the tank car, or the one on the control car!?

The boxcar on the end is easy! oh wait, err the Control car, looks to be a 50' car, take a boxcar, chop it down, add some good ribbed ends, make the sides with sheet styrene and a riviter, cut some wholes for windows & doors, add the back deck with all the appropriate lines & nozzels, add a rool up garage door on the front, and I'm basicaly done! Woho sounds easy (not).

grande man said:
Josh, can handle it. BTW Josh, I'll need mine in Grande paint...;)
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LOL, I'll work on that one ;)
 
NS attire for me Josh. I wouldnt think it'd be TOO hard. I saved the pics for future refrence.. might be a good winter project
 
jbaakko said:
Wait you confused me! was the nozzle on the tank car, or the one on the control car!?
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Both, actually; if you look really close at the angled view of the first tank car [forward truck] you'll notice the nozzle is sort-of "pointing" at the first of the truck's 3 springs. I noticed there's also a nozzle directly under the cab of the control car. Maybe they dispense different types/blends of herbicides from the various nozzles...(?)
 
Yeah, i was missing the tank car nozzel in the first shot, got it now... Now to work this one out. the Athearn 62' cars are nice, but not quite "perfect" as you notice all the lines, and the domes & railings are different then Athearns. I've been scouring all tank cars I can find and nothing is "perfect" so it looks like that'll have to be kitbashed too! Upon staring I also noted that the control car might actually be 60', as it looks close to matching the length of the tanks. The ends are quite simple, just a matter of adding some aftermarket/kit ones, and th sides will just be simple scribed (they look ribbed, not rivited, can't really tell). Then adding all the various lines & the nozzles... We'll see how long this can take!
 
Was it just a 50' box? Have any shots? I'm gonna try to "replicate" this exact train...

EDIT: I'm gonna go with Walther 65' LPG tanks, modified of course, but they look much closer to the ones in your pictures then the Athearn 62' ones!
 
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jbaakko said:
Was it just a 50' box? Have any shots? I'm gonna try to "replicate" this exact train...
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WOW Josh, I had no idea you'd take it this far..:eek::D Sorry I don't have any shots of the trailing boxcar, but I can tell you it was just a garden-variety CSX waffleside with the original reporting marks painted over for MOW service.
EDIT: I'm gonna go with Walther 65' LPG tanks, modified of course, but they look much closer to the ones in your pictures then the Athearn 62' ones!
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Hmmmm, hope you can find some of those on eBay - they're listed as discontinued in the Walthers online catalog.:(
 
Josh you might wanna put a few of these trains together eh? I think you'll have plenty of orders .... btw I'll need mine for NS :D
 
CSX_road_slug said:
WOW Josh, I had no idea you'd take it this far..:eek::D Sorry I don't have any shots of the trailing boxcar, but I can tell you it was just a garden-variety CSX waffleside with the original reporting marks painted over for MOW service.
Hmmmm, hope you can find some of those on eBay - they're listed as discontinued in the Walthers online catalog.:(
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Shoot there's no devils horn Smiley!!

Yeah the Undec ones, there's 4 on eBay right now, lol!!
 
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