Ballast Dumping Train in Action! -Herzog GPS with lots of dust!-

A rare and unique train to see is a ballast dumping train in action! These Herzog GPS trains are a sight to see, and integrate modern tech into the railroad scene. They kick up lots of dust, smoke, all the while precisely dropping ballast along the tracks!
Starting off in Plymouth, MN we'll see a KCS SD70MAC leading a C44-9W, SD70MAC, and a freshly repainted CP SD40-2. As the train eases towards the camera, and drone, we'll see how the automated ballast dropping happens. One by one, each car opens its doors, and drops fresh rocks along the ROW. This is done from the locomotive cab; its not only safer then traditional means, but MUCH faster and efficient.
Old school ballast dropping: • Dropping Ballast on th...
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#train #smoke #railway ‪@HerzogCompanies‬ ‪@CPKCrail‬ ‪@DJI‬
Any use of this content without expressed, clear permission is prohibited. For usage, licensing, and other usage, contact me on Instagram at SD457500.
Copyright 2023 Douglas Hildebrandt, all rights reserved.

[@blauer2551]

They need a water car placed somewhere in the mix to knock down the dust

[@dhdisprsmith2296]

Great video Douglas! In all my years on the railroad I’ve never seen these Herzog trains dumping. Very educational!

[@SD457500]

Thank you Gordy! This was a sight to see, and VERY different from anything else I've ever seen trackside. Thank you for watching!

[@18_lbs25]

The Herzog trains ive run dump closer to 30mph. Much quicker than the old manual dumps I used to work 15 years ago.

[@SD457500]

That's what I've heard, and was surprised that they weren't going faster when I shot them. Seeing this at 30mph would have been a sight! Thank you for watching!

[@florencemay6013]

Going 30 mph is too fast as the rock will go all over the a place. 12 mph is the speed. It's called Hi Speed Ballast Train. 12 mph is slow to us but it is fast then manually dumping at walking speed 1-2 mph and have to reverse back and go forward. So yes it is fast

[@chrisbryden8102]

Absolutely incredible how many tons of rock that train has on!

[@SD457500]

It is, and how smooth they keep the train moving while dumping the ballast! Thanks for watching!

[@tedfisk1211]

I have known about Herzog, but never knew how the ballast trains work. It is amazing how it works. Great video.

[@SD457500]

This was my first time seeing one of these trains in person, and it is amazing to watching. Especially seeing the car doors open and close automatically! Thank you for the comment, and watching!

[@lemerdtool]

Finally I have achieved the recognition I have always deserved. The train also is cool.

[@TruthNJustice33]

😂😂, Oh geez, That is something else❗ 😮😮 I never even imagine that trains dumped gravel on the rail tracks. That is totally informative and news to me. Thank you for sharing cool friend.❤

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed the video!! It is a neat operation to watch, and neat to see how they integrated modern tech into this operations.

[@BNSF1458]

What a neat sight! That lashup is just incredible

[@reginald2004]

I think the CP unit might have the monitoring station for the dump controller in it. First time a saw one go by I thought there goes a lot of jobs.

[@SD457500]

It really is, and imagine is the 40 was leading it vs the KCS. BOTH are great looking power. Thank you for watching!

[@b.n1429]

I can almost smell the rock and dust. Great camera work.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Great documentation footage of the ballast dumping. This has come a long way since I started for the CP almost 30 years ago. I used to walk miles dumping ballast and getting very dusty. Have a great rest of your Tuesday.(Steve)

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it! As much as I don't like automation, this way of dropping ballast is SO much more safer, and efficient then prior methods used. Thank you for watching!

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

@@SD457500 Your very welcome and I agree with you.

[@AtlanticPancakes]

I would hate to be a bystander by that train, all that dust would NOT mix well with a person. Great video!

[@Bob.W.]

Great overhead shots showing this train at work. Thx.

[@SD457500]

Thank you very much; glad you enjoyed seeing this unique operation!

[@Nswle]

Thus was absolutely thrilling to watch. Great video...

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for the kind words!

[@gandydancer6853]

Yes, it runs faster and the train is emptied quicker, not tying up the track time. But, at faster speeds the ballast falls further away from track where it is needed. From a surfacing gang view, we spent more time bringing the ballast back up before surfacing and again after surfacing. Sometimes new ballast was out of our reach wasting the dump.

[@SD457500]

That is very insightful, and good to know! While I've heard they can run faster, I was wondering why this particular one was on the lower end speed wise. Thank you for the information, and watching!

[@ianhughes7805]

Incredible, thank you for posting that

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it; this is a NEAT operation to shoot and see in person. Thanks for watching!

[@skimmer8774]

First time I got to see this in operation. Just a fantastic job showing and explaining. Thank you.

[@RailRide]

An interesting thing to catch would be how the hoppers individually pause dumping over grade crossings and switches then resume immediately afterwards. I did spot one instance of a car resuming after a crossing, but it would have been neat to catch both the stop and resume functions.

[@SD457500]

I was trying to get something like that, but it didn't play out with timing/locations I picked. There is one shot for sure that shows that near the end of the video as it passes. It is really cool to witness in person!

[@arailway8809]

Thanks for producing this video. Looks like a smooth operation.

[@lancelane217]

Wow! I must say that is some of the best locomotive action shots ever. Great video!

[@lxndr3299]

Very cool video. Thanks for posting.

[@theeastman9136]

Interesting action and mostly, amazing views like I've never seen before. Thank you.

[@buddyboy66]

Great footage! Thanks for sharing this. Never even knew this was a thing.

[@jackoesterlejr.3454]

Outstanding Video!

[@godtriunealonematters9207]

very cool! thnx for sharing.

[@steventurner820]

Cool to see in action! And also nice to see one of the former BNSF engines, I forget they got those

[@SD457500]

I appreciate the kind words! Yeah, those former BNSF C44s look neat in the KCS patch.

[@GeorgeJansen]

Beautiful video

[@lpsound3434]

Awesome video! Thank you

[@jeffherdz]

Now that was interesting to watch.

[@petesopenrailsvideos]

Great video & commentary and the overhead shots were particularly effective!

[@bourbontrail565]

I learned something today. Thanks!

[@jimsvideos7201]

Great job catching this in action!

[@CSXOhioRailFanPlus752]

Nice Video

[@SD457500]

Thank you; glad you enjoyed the video!

[@marknorthrup7646]

Really great video. thanks!

[@lexpo181]

An excellent video another time! ;) Great job Douglas!

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it! This was neat to see!

[@johnmcgarvie4061]

Cool video. I could smell and taste the dust as the cars were dumping. LOL!

[@StephenCarlBaldwin]

Amazing to watch -- great footage -- high-tech MOW.

[@SD457500]

Many thanks, and glad you enjoyed it! Its so cool to see old school tech merged with modern means.

[@ahtrains]

Nice chase! Can’t always get that many runbys between Plymouth and Loretto unless the train goes that speed

[@SD457500]

Very true! They talked to the dispatcher and said they were going to run around 15mph. Otherwise, I could have only gotten them once. Thank you for watching!

[@radarhec]

Good flick nice job !

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

Very very interesting and your video is much appreciated.

[@SD457500]

Great to hear that you enjoyed it, and thanks for the kind words!

[@mikec3260]

Very informative and fun to watch! Thank you for sharing! Subbed!

[@GreenRC24]

Excellent video!

[@SD457500]

Thank you very much, and great to hear that you enjoyed it!

[@innercityprepper]

the BNSF double line right by my house in St Paul just got concrete ties installed yesterday. I've never seen them in the US!

[@valaksimulations4503]

All over down here on the FEC

[@SD457500]

I saw those staged by Soo Line Jct the other day; definitely something new up here in MN! I know that Division St got concrete ties last year though. Thanks for watching!

[@ScottRails]

That was great, never seen that before.

[@SD457500]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the video! It was really neat to see.

[@RandomRailfan828]

Cool video man, got to see this live once on the FEC and it is very cool to witness in person!

[@SD457500]

Its pretty cool to see first hand, and the automation is something else. Thanks for watching!

[@markhorning985]

So many questions; are the deficient locations uploaded into the gps ahead of time? How does the engineer account for the length and speed to get the right amount of ballast? How do the hoppers know when to open & close at crossings and switches, etc?

[@user-gk8gg1zt7l]

Very good video, like🤩😍🤩!

[@kenrosser8160]

The to men in the truck all so sweep of paved road crossing

[@jojocourtice]

I was wondering about how crossings were handled.

[@alwhalen3488]

@@jojocourtice The flow of ballast stops at the crossings. Everything is pre-programmed with GPS coordinates. The Herzog operator sits in the last locomotive with a laptop and hooks a cable to the cars. Notice all the hoppers have an electrical connector between them. Before arrival the track department will go over the segment and determine how much and what location ballast is needed. This video looks to be the train dumping some ballast prior to a tie job. They are putting down enough stone for what is called a 'skim lift' whereby the tamping crew running behind the tie gang can just lift the track slightly to settle the new ties in with the ones that are not changed out.

[@SD457500]

Spot on reply to that!

[@Paulftate]

slick.. never gave it any thought 👍

[@SD457500]

Its a pretty neat operation to say the least! Saves a lot of time and effort in the process.

[@Paulftate]

@@SD457500 all about Logistics

[@matthewclare934]

Am shocked that the CP put more than 2 engines on that train. Must have been a new hire at the power desk up in Canada.

[@marioxerxescastelancastro8019]

0:39 A KCS locomotive painted in BNSF scheme. Probably it was BNSF’s at some point.

[@SD457500]

Spot on; a number of former BNSF C44-9Ws went to KCS, and wear that patched scheme. Certainly something different!

[@freebird7284]

well thanks, i never knew!

[@PostalWorker14]

Exciting career

[@armageddonready4071]

As the train rolls through one of the most unknown awesome locations in the country. That area going towards lake Minnetonka is a Fortune 500 spot.

[@devodare_chicago7748]

Nice flying.

[@SD457500]

Thank you for the kind words on this! It was a lot of fun to get this with the drone, and it provided some really neat views!

[@carrollcameron7472]

Where and when each hopper starts and stops its discharged is controlled by GPS. The receivers can be seen on the top of the ends of the car. They are at an angle. This is what I've been told and have seen in a YT video of how ballasting has changed.

[@larrybaldridge4078]

Would love to see them drop loads to cover the track with ballast

[@SD457500]

That would have been neat! I think the reason they only dropped on the outer part of the rail was due to new ties going in. Otherwise, I'm willing to bet they would have dropped between the tracks too.

[@rickchaidez5711]

Good video. Looks like a tie gang will be going by there soon that will be a get video, when I started in the trade I worked in a tie gang as a labor. Now I’m a signal maintainer

[@BrianThomson-tr4vp]

Amazing video very interesting certainly wouldn't do anything like this here in the UK 😃

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it! It was a neat and interesting operation to watching.

[@billrey8221]

This was a good video! Well done too....not a lot of talking and got right to the action.

[@SD457500]

I appreciate that, and the feedback! I shoot, and edit to keep things right to the point, exciting, and keep it interesting!

[@AndreiTupolev]

I bet 911 always gets some calls 🚒 whenever that's in action

[@SD457500]

I was thinking of that myself; it was getting a LOT of attention from people on the road, and as it passed by. Thanks for watching!

[@evad1]

Very cool! I've seen these trains literally hundreds of times over the last number of years, but because I live in Waterloo, WI literally 2 track miles west of the Michels Materials Pit these are loaded at, I've never seen one dump! Thanks for filming and sharing! In fact, there's supposed to be an M/T Herzog train from the Cities at the pit for loading later this morning, 6/4. Wonder if it's this one?

[@carlosromanmoreno1144]

Very interesting video and very informative. Incredible what can be achieved with this type of technology. Greetings from Chile.

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it! It is a neat mix of modern tech, with tried and true methods.

[@kenrosser8160]

That's because the track gang can replace the ties

[@SD457500]

Looks like it; they've been dropping LOTS of ties all along this route for the past month. MOW will be kept BUSY.

[@itsruf1]

Observation: Impressive but . . . That crushed stone is just for trimm/ fill in/ looks. The real base is under the timbers. Laid on day one. There is nothing structural seen in this video. Remember

[@NutmegThumper]

Wonder if the conductor can feel the train getting lighter as they go!

[@fiatman71]

Surprised it doesn't start from the rear and unload forward although i guess train handling doesn't matter much rolling along at 15 mph.

[@yindao2830]

It would be even better if there were another set of parallel rail for an expansion of rail service.

[@SD457500]

Perhaps someday if traffic warranted it, it would be cool to see. Thanks for watching!

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

💥💥subscribed 💥💥 Awsum video 🚂😎👍

[@aprilgeneric8027]

so the first part was between zachary and larch lanes of this old SOO Line, now CP rail and then you pick up again at the old farm crossing just past hennipen county 116 and Mn hwy 55 over by mealmans farm (the orange fenced off yard) and the old apple orchard across the hwy in june... i didn't really get to see this train as i was doing some work by the hamel lumber yard but i heard it running behind the fence at the cascades development between the wayzata high school and the lumberyard just before it crosses over 55 at the rail bridge. i used to watch this as a kid where polaris corporate HQ is now up on the hill across from midland nursery when they had LORAMs manufacturing shop test out their track maintenance machines as seen at 4:00...there is and old SOO locomotive still in livery paint on LORAMS parallel line access just to the left there at apache trail. 4:23... your not in loretto as that's townline road and lake sarah hieghts drive in Independence. the only crossing in loretto is hennipen county 19. your actually on the road that goes to my grandparents house on lake sarah and my uncles house is at the other crossing on the other side of the lake over into the greenfield section on lake sarah heights drive which my mom named that cul de sac we had built and then was stolen by the lake residents to rename this road your on. all summer i would see them doing maintenance into buffalo up to the siding just up to the dague ave wright county rd 14 delano crossing along hwy 55 and thats as far west/north as i had got to see. just found your channel, haven't seen if you've got anything on the TC&W in shakopee on MN Hwy13&101 split at what i called the Valley Fair yard as a kid.

[@SantaFe19484]

Nice video! Where does the ballast regulator come in?

[@SCAustin]

Nice Video. I find it interesting that the train empties from front to back. I would expect the rear loaded cars would be stressing the front car with the rear weight.

[@southfork67]

I’d imagine it’s for continuous coverage. You’d have gaps if they started from the rear.

[@GeorgeJansen]

Ooh. That's do many jobs gone. Wow. Let's say railroad car repairman kids /diesel mechanic, electronics, IT, etc etc

[@25mfd]

cool vid... but sheesh ONE MORE example of machines/technology replacing humans

[@SD457500]

Thank you for the comment, and watching! Very accurate comment!

[@jstoli996c4s]

Would you want to shovel all that stone by hand?

[@25mfd]

@@jstoli996c4s when i worked at the railroad they had men who walked along side the cars... as the train moved slowly, the men would open the open the discharge gates, evenly spreading the stone out... no shoveling

[@RickJohnson-sr7xf]

Free fill from ohio...might glow in the dark

[@bretthightower2998]

I would like to see how a ribbon rail train is worked unloading rail segments , and views of the railcars and apparatus used to transport the cargo to the work site . Thank you .

[@SD457500]

That would be cool, and something to shoot down the road. I *almost* got that last year, but missed it by a few minutes. Thanks for watching!

[@PostalWorker14]

If Norfolk Southern maintained their tracks like this we wouldn’t have accidents

[@Petemonster62]

I wonder if those Herzog cars were loaded at the quarry in Waite Park MN?

[@fishydubsfishing6516]

Wow those look like wood ties they stop using wood years ago where I live it's all concrete And Man the train vibrates the house is like you wouldn't believe

[@leandrofr86]

Great Video! Is it Herzog's own system or do they use Miner's?

[@SD457500]

My understanding is that they are using Herzog's system on these types of moves. Thanks for watching!

[@CraigLumpyLemke]

I guess the taggers do a gentlemen's agreement and don't paint over the DOT markings on the rail cars. Thanks, taggers.

[@SD457500]

**Some** taggers are like that, but most paint over anything in their path. :/ I detest graffiti on railroad equipment. Thank you for the comment, and watching!

[@jcpt928]

It's interesting that they empty front to back here. You would think it'd be helpful to have the lighter cars at the back instead of the front.

[@rearspeaker6364]

bad computer programming.............

[@davecruzen9352]

Where do they pick up all this tonnage of ballast? Rock quarries?

[@Kapparie]

Will the rail also be leveled again after the ballast has been added?

[@reginald2004]

Ballast trains used to be a fun job for the train crews. Not so much for the MOW guys.

[@rickkeeton9246]

You’re not wrong! We used to have to open every door, walk beside the train until your pocket was empty while carrying a lining bar to dump the pockets, while wearing a 95 face mask, while walking in the dust! At the road crossings, you would shut your pocket just before the crossing, and open it up just after the crossing!Then close all the doors when the train was empty!

[@southfork67]

What is the origin of calling it ballast? Ballast refers to weight added to something in any other applications I can think of.

[@TweezersUnlimited]

What a consist! This planned to or has it come up the Elbow Lake sub?

[@SD457500]

I think it might eventually go that way, if it hasn't already. I know that they've been dumping A LOT of rock on the Paynesville Sub. I would think they might go past Glenwood too. Thank you for watching!

[@brianniehaus-xi3jb]

Very nice. Until someone loads the wrong rock. Then comes the trackhoe for 2 weeks cleaning out cars .

[@danielhildebrand6892]

Ive got s broken UV filter due to being a but too close at a private crossing. Bounced and hit my lens dead on.

[@falconseyeaerialservicesll8176]

Ouch! 😬

[@SD457500]

Sorry man, that'd hurt, but at least that was all the damage it caused. That was a concern of mine while shooting closer. :/

[@jsmith198095]

How many de railments happen when they do this?

[@anb7408]

Never seen one dump that fast before. Definitely faster than 10-15mph. And from the looks of it, a bit too fast to properly dump the right amount at. Spread too thin.

[@jjano2320]

The rr must use mountains of rock.

[@galewinds7696]

Talk about dusty trails...

[@user-xh5kx4mi1h]

А бетонные шпалы не судьба устанавливать?

[@justnotg00d]

If there is so much dust, why do they not wash the gravel?

[@rkalle66]

How many emergency calls did they get when running alongside the highway?

[@SD457500]

I don't know....but I'd imagine at least one or two!

[@raginroadrunner]

this would get a massive air dust pollution fine in Arizona in the v millions of $

[@darylstorm4277]

Are those solar panels on the cars?

[@SD457500]

That they are; good eye on noticing that. Thank you for watching!

[@curtnicholson7771]

Very interesting but does anyone know where and how these trains are refilled. Is it somewhat similar to the filling of coal cars? Also many many years ago we used to see something on parts of the old Illinois Central’s Freeport Subdivision tracks that resembled a possible type of cinder product perhaps left from steel or coke mills used as a ballast or it was some type of rock that maybe resembled something from a coral reef as there were holes all over in it making me think it was a type of cinder. Has anyone else seen anything like this in their past and does anyone know if this is still used anywhere anymore? ???

[@SD457500]

Thank you for the comment, and watching! These are loaded at various quarries, or load outs, along the line. Go to the to 4:00 mark in this video link, and you can see one of these trains being loaded. Pretty neat to see! kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ27aahoiK5nrsk

[@Theworldasitistoday]

How they control that?

[@b43xoit]

Answered in a comment.

[@tatradak9781]

Does lime have silica in it? Long-term exposure by inhalation may cause permanent damage. This product contains crystalline silica, which has been classified by IARC as (Group I) carcinogenic to humans when inhaled. Where there is blame, there is a claim!

[@kkoch666]

How else can we take away more jobs from the railroad?

[@25mfd]

was thinking the same thing but was afraid to ask... because trust me THEY have an answer... and it ain't a good one either

[@SD457500]

While it still has a crew on it, this is much safer then the old methods. Less dust for men on the ground to breath in, faster, safer, and better spread of ballast. Thank you for watching!

[@rateyesmertz3785]

In the old days you used to have to put a tie in front of the hopper door to spread the ballast at walking speed and if you wanted to see a bunch of angry track workers just stop before the hopper was empty and they had to shovel the rest of the ballast from under the train. BOY did they get pissed. That's where I learned all the bad Spanish words.

[@rickkeeton9246]

That was only on the bottom dump cars, like coal cars !