#tofc

[railwayhistorical]

Inter-modal

Following up on the previous post of the yard engine in Bloomington, a northbound freight came along. It seems to be comprised completely of piggyback cars. The power up front is three Paducah Rebuilds and another black Geep.

Again, this is along Illinois Central's line between Effingham, Illinois, and Indianapolis. It was the Illinois Central Gulf at the time after a merger with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio four years earlier.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken October 28th 1976.

[eltristanexplicitcontent]

Monday Morning Action

2-rail O-scale B&O

[20th-century-railroading]

MP 5010, Texarkana, TX

Missouri Pacific train CFZ departing Texarkana with an SD50, SD40-2C, two GP50's, a B30-7A, and an SD40-2 consist. The new SD50 was an unusual visitor as they were initially assigned to Powder River coal trains. The train consist was still 100% TOFC at this time. Southern Pacific had been running doublestack business for SeaLand since 1977 but Union Pacific did not buy in until 1984 when they started operating APL trains between Chicago and LA. In the background the shells of the 10 story McCartney Hotel and Texarkana Union Station can be seen above the train. Thirty years later and both building have yet to be redeveloped.

2-15-1985

[aryburn-trains]

CRI&P - Joliet, IL by d.w.davidson Via Flickr: Westbound Rock Island train No. 7, the Corn Belt Rocket for Omaha, makes its station stop at Joliet Union Station, on March 29, 1970. To offset the train's expenses, piggyback traffic was frequently carried on the rear of the train. Today's train has so much TOFC business that a caboose has been added for the flagman to ride. Notwithstanding the extra intermodal income, the train would be discontinued later in 1970. Photo by David Leonard

[usravenslogistic]

What is Intermodal in Logistics? Different Types of Intermodal Transportation

The word ‘Intermodal’ means using two or more modes of conveyance for moving freight. Intermodal transportation offers a combination of transport solutions: air (plane), land (truck or train), waterways (barge and boat), and sea (cargo). The brokers involved in intermodal logistics are committed to transporting the goods from point A to point B. In Intermodal shipping services, there is always a unique supplier involved, and thus, there are individual contracts. Several transporters join forces in completing this task within the same itinerary, yet using different transport modes: train, plane, truck, and barge, for instance.

Different Types of Intermodal Transportation

There are two types of intermodal transportation:

COFC – COFC stands for container on a flatcar. This is an inexpensive and efficient method for intermodal shipping. All four containers can be loaded onto the car at once.

TOFC – Trailer-On-Flatcar or TOFC is a type of intermodal transportation method where the over-the-road or OTR trailer is placed on the well-car directly.

Both the COFC and TOFC have proved helpful in intermodal transportation as it helps cut down on manual labor. Thus, saving time, effort, as well as money for the shippers.

Why Do You Need Intermodal Trucking Services?

Intermodal services are about finding the right supply chain to maximize value for customers. A logistics  company in US can help you:

Accommodate your freight by various means of transportation.

Easily transport your load to its destination.

Quickly meet shipping deadlines.

Advantages of Intermodal Shipping

There are many advantages of getting intermodal services. Some of them are:

You get direct access to multiple transportation service options.

Intermodal service providers give you competitive long-haul transit choices.

You have cost-saving opportunities.

Offers alternative capacity.

Let’s explore the advantages of intermodal shipping further:

Fast Delivery: One of the advantages of intermodal transportation is that it results in quick freight movement. This reduces the cost and time needed for loading, unloading, and issuing documentation. If we use railways and ferries for logistics, it eliminates unnecessary stops that take too much time.

Lower Costs: You can minimize transportation costs by transporting freight via intermodal shipping. Railways and truck services help save more because railways use less fuel and can travel long miles. Thus, long overhauls won’t be a problem anymore!!

Easy Handling: Intermodal shipping includes containers that do not require individual handling and easily fit into every space. They are easy to use, so it takes less effort to move the shipment.

Good Capacity: You can use intermodal trucks when and wherever needed. Many logistics companies are now using intermodal transportation because of its reasonable price and quality.

Quality and Safe Service: Logistics trucking companies provide one of the fastest services that guarantee secure and reliable cargo dispatch. There are fewer chances of mishaps as trains travel on a fixed track. So, you can quickly unload and load cargo, which speeds up the shipping process.

Convenience: Intermodal transportation has advanced so much today. It is convenient, reliable, and safe. Shippers do not have to worry about their shipping as intermodal logistics have made shipments easier and more accurate.

Flexible transportation: There is flexibility in freight movement under intermodal transport. However, if you have an effective plan, you can save more.

That’s all about the benefits of intermodal transportation.

If this blog was able to convince you and you would like to get the service from a logistics company in US, we are here for you!

Original Source:- https://usravens.com/intermodal-transportation/

[plushfrogg]

Rant Time!

Don’t expect this to make sense, whole thing under the cut

Ok, so, I’m very tiered from work, but, can I just talk about 80’s era railroading? Like, before the big GEVO’s come around, before container traffic was a big thing, like, when you could see 4-5 SD40’s on the head end of a true mixed freight train, like, before UP and BNSF divided up the west and the super seven like, EXISTED??? I have really come around to this era as of late and it just feels so… nostalgic, like yeah, the whole 80’s are nostalgic but just seeing locomotives who nowadays would be puttering around on short lines or sitting in museums actually battling it out on long freight trains or crack TOFC trains just really makes me miss that era, like, nowadays every train looks pretty much the same, just 2 miles of containers behind 2-3 of the same locomotives that you can see anywhere else. Back then the trains were varied, the locomotives were being changed every few years, it all seemed so reminiscent of the years before with the early diesels or even the steam engines, not to mention that they still used cabooses, it’s just, such a good blend of railroading, man, I miss that time.

[marmarinou]

Santa Fe TOFC train seen from the cab of a Soo Line SD60 on the Belt Railway of Chicago

August 1993

Photo by Lonnie Maves (collection of D.A. Longley)

[penn-central-official]

Alright @oroblio time to let you in on a little secret. You won't learn this from Amtrak. In truth, the freight railroads are... Incredibly Lazy.

So, operating a railroad is expensive. One of the biggest costs is fuel. We have to move it around too, and moving fuel makes us no money but requires fuel and crews. Those cost money. We all know this, and we know electricity is comparatively cheap. But the cost of entry is more expensive, like a lot more. It isn't just wires, but the cost to either rebuild existing locomotives or buy all new ones. That said, there are things that would make them reconsider.

In the 1970s global conflict that you should have learned about in school, the united states had an oil crisis you should have learned about in school. Because gas was becoming prohibitively expensive, many railroads began planning to electrify different lines including the ATSF planning to electrify all the way from Chicago to LA and Conrail expanding electrification of the former PRR to Pittsburgh. Other notable changes, the CNOTP, ICG, and even bankrupt Penn Central.

But this all didn't happen. Maybe there was no precedent for electrified freight? Well, no. "Traction railroads" that ran on electric traction predate diesel-electric traction. Often they would be attached to trolley companies, using the same wires to do last mile delivery. One of these remains: the Iowa traction railroad.

What about main lines you might ask. Well, there is the PRR. That one is a bit obvious though, and now would be more recognizable as the NEC. But if any line scared off electrification, it was the Milwaukee Road's Pacific extension.

The Pacific Extension was mostly electrified though with a few gaps in electrification, locomotive swaps were necessary. This, though, would be fine but for the terrible economics of the line. At the time, railroads relied on serving customers, not just destinations. The Pacific Extension... To an extent just didn't. The lines most successful freight traffic was ToFC (trailer on flat car) traffic between Seattle and Chicago. In fact, had the line survived into the modern era it would probably dominate in the modern economy. But in the times of freeway expansion and the slow death of the railroad, the Milwaukee Road was hit hard. It took down the wires, rumor has it they were sold for scrap value to buy just a handful of SD40s.

Complicated economics killed the Milwaukee Road, but other roads may have seen the extreme expense of their electrification as a warning.

Of course, if the government subsided electrification, I suspect that the railroads would not protest. You buy us the wires, we'll rebuild the locomotives. California, with its high emission standards, could take note, though, first they should stop building new freeways: an f40PH pulling dozens or hundreds of people will always have better emissions than this, yet here it is. New freeway sections in Bakersfield. Hypocrisy.

why less electric railway ? why fossil fuel ? why???

Freight railroads are evil

[railwayhistorical]

Southbound Slingshot

This train, called a Slingshot by the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, is southbound in Pontiac, Illinois. The idea was to run several, small TOFC trains each day between Chicago and St. Louis on the former Alton. Every time I saw it the train was mostly empty. The locomotive is ex-GM&O 619, an EMD GP35.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken mid- to late-1970s.

[doomedbythe-narrative]

my standards for books are so funny because I’ll read the most basic brain meltingly hot garbage bullshit but the second I see it being tagged as male protagonist I back the fuck away

[20th-century-railroading]

CSXT - Riverdale, IL by d.w.davidson Via Flickr: A westbound B&O freight with a block of TOFC on the head end is seen entering Barr Yard, in July 1986.

[eltristan]

Hot tofc beebling geep

Circa 1989 - Melrose Park, IL.

Marc Malnekoff photo

[chateautae]

Sammy i just came to say i love your writing! Not just mid but all of it (: thats all

AHH THANK YOU MY LOVE!! This means the world to me 🥺❤️

[adonis-koo]

Lmao at all the asks about smut for wicked 😂 but seriously i love the series 👀 thank you for giving it to us.

HAHAHA it never fails! It NEVER fails and it always makes me giggle you have my utmost gratitude that you guys are loving the series because man!! Everytime I sit down to write for it I always end up having fun!

[usravenslogistic]

Intermodal Transportation - Intermodal Transportation Types & Advantages

Intermodal transportation offers a combination of transport solutions: air (plane), land (truck or train), waterways (barge and boat), and sea (cargo). Both the COFC and TOFC have proved helpful in intermodal transportation as it helps cut down on manual labor. Thus, saving time, effort, as well as money for the shippers. 

[ferret-dartboard-and-arrow-blog]

As the sun sets, a New York, New Haven and Hartford TOFC train speeds north.