Covered Hopper Cornucopia

CEFX 380187

I've personally designated this year as The Year of Photographing the Mundane. As I stood trackside on September 19, just west of Belleville, Ontario watching CN No 369 wander westward, I noted and photographed some mundane cars. Actually, perhaps they're more interesting than they are mundane. Or perhaps it's just that I was able to find something interesting about each one. Midwest Railcar Corporation (MWCX) has cobbled together a fleet including ex-General Chemical, AGP Grain Co-operative and ex-Peavey cars:

MWCX 460956

Also in the fleet, an ex-CEFX, exx-LDCX, exxx-MILW:

Ex-Milwaukee Road MWCX 460616

Building America with higher, graffiti-defeating reporting marks:

UP 93662

The Crandic has been stencilling their fleet with names of employees:

T

In memory of Crandic employee Gerald E Goodwin CIC 2086

In recognition of Crandic employee Todd Robinson CIC 2119

The conspicuity decals and graffiti brighten up this CN car:

CN 388520

Once the restencilling begins, who knows where it stops and what these cars originally were. Likely Transportation Corporation of America:

GROX 813170

Official-looking DRA graffiti on this little salt car:

CRDX 20451

And bringing up the tail-end, Sid Richardson carbon black:

SRCX 1557

I'm reminded of this Covered Hopper Train of Thought post from 2010. Certainly covered hoppers are among the most frequently-observed car types these days, along with those blackish tank cars.

Running extra...

Brian Sulley shared some dusk photos of venerable Ernestown station. Brian explored the station area and notes that it is still an impressive structure, especially in the evening light. Brian also managed to photograph a CN westbound behind engine 2894, taken at 1809. Thanks, Brian!

Speaking of industrial/rail archaeology, Dennis DeBruler kindly shared a photo of a former Manitoba-leased Pillsbury covered hopper car which I've added to this post. Dennis is also a blogger and I highly recommend his data-dense Industrial History blog for anyone itching for a look at Midwest railroading and the industries served. Thanks, Dennis!

I've found there are three types of people in this world of ours: there are those who can count, and those who can't count. If you are counting, this post is the the 371st posted, and with 29 in draft form, that makes a total of 400 Trackside Treasure posts since 2008.