Railfanning container operations

This railfan trip we look at intermodal container operations at two locations. 20 foot containers and 40 foot containers are handled at different terminals. 20 footers are transloaded at Kenton Freight Forwarders. They are not equipped for the 40 footers. 40 footers are transloaded at Quinn Intermodal Terminal at Davis.

Kenton Freight Forwarders (KFF) - 20 foot containers are handled by the stacker seen at rear of photo.

KFF also handles LCL (Less the CarLoad/ContainerLoad) shipments and provides local pickup and delivery. 

A stack train arrives at Quinn Intermodal Terminal. 40' Containers are transloaded by the straddle crane seen at rear.

Tower QT oversees all movements at Quinn Intermodal Terminal.

40' containers waiting to be loaded once the incoming containers are removed.

Intermodals at Kenton

Intermodal traffic is way up. Here are some pics from operations at Kenton Yard. Cars are Tyco flats modified to hold containers. Containers are scratchbuilt from this article >> http://rickmillsproject.com/mrr/containers.html

Conrail interchange power

The Conrail interchange run usually occurs in the dead of the night, but here we have a daylight photo of the usual power on the interchange. GP40 3072 assisted by a vintage F9A 2975, seen here rolling past the lumber yard at Kenton.

Cape Ann HQ

It's not too hard to find the general offices of the Cape Ann. Especially at night.

VIA Rail 4708

The shortest route between Montreal and the Maritime provinces is right through Maine, so we see VIA Rail passenger trains often. Here VIA F9 4708 leads the consist. 

This loco, and its consist, were a project I worked for a model railroad group to see how low-cost a full passenger train could be modelled. This loco and its 4 car consist came in at $40.52 by buying used and repainting. Here is an article on exactly how it was done.

MEC in the hole at Pamola

Here we see the Maine Central interchange run just clearing the signals at Pamola siding. This is a runaround siding, so next the loco will cut off, run around the train, grab the caboose, and head back the way it came.

MEC caboose 5036 is a Tyco, from my original train set when I was kid, so it is about 50 years old now. It was originally silver and lettered for Southern Pacific. Here is an article on how it was upgraded. Here is an article on how the block signals were scratchbuilt.

CR 21105 with pulpwood load

Conrail 21105 is seen rolling through Cascade with a load of pulpwood logs.

This car is a Tyco bulkhead flat which has been repainted for Conrail. The log load was painted in more realistic colors than the original pumpkin orange. First the entire load was painted dark brown, almost black, so the spaces between logs would be dark. Then it was brush painted with a couple shades of lighter browns.