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  2. Mis-routed Cars ... was Re: [Non-DoD Source] Re: [RealSTMFC] Help Identifying Unusual Boxcar (MoPac coke service?)

Re: Mis-routed Cars ... was Re: [Non-DoD Source] Re: [RealSTMFC] Help Identifying Unusual Boxcar (MoPac coke service?)

Charles Peck
 

This topic reminds me of a story I heard from back in the steam era.  The Louisville & Nashville tried to deliver two tank cars to an online consignee.  The consignee had declared bankruptcy before delivery and the shipment was refused.  The L&N tried to return the cars to the shipper but the shipper refused to accept the return.  The owner of the cars refused to accept the cars in their loaded condition so they were parked off to one side of the yard and more or less forgotten.  The contents of the cars was some sort of an acidic stuff. I never heard exactly what.
After having sat for several years, someone noticed parts of one car getting rusty and that there were no weeds within ten or fifteen yards of that car.  Clearly there was a leak.  
Being as frugal as the L&N was, after some testing, this abandoned cargo was diluted by some large factor and used as weed spray along the tracks.  Long before EPA, etc. of course. 
I cannot swear to this story as it was told to me long ago. But I rather liked it. 
Chuck Peck


On Mon, Mar 8, 2021 at 6:08 PM Paul Koehler <koehlers@...> wrote:

Tony:

 

Almost correct it was the 999 track, which only was located in the computer.  As soon as the correct location for the car was identified the car was sent to that location.

 

Paul C. Koehler

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Tony Thompson
Sent: Monday, March 8, 2021 12:05 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: Mis-routed Cars ... was Re: [Non-DoD Source] Re: [RealSTMFC] Help Identifying Unusual Boxcar (MoPac coke service?)

 

I remember former SP employee Paul Koehler telling me that at Taylor Yard in LA there was a "99" track where you put cars with problems such as missing paperwork. He remembered a depressed-center flat with a huge crate on it, that was in that category. The yard foreman said, "Put in on the 99 track, but it won't be long. Someone will be looking for that load."

Like most railroads, SP numbered yard tracks. 

 

Tony Thompson

 

 

 
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