Meet The Schnabels: The World's Largest Freight Cars

#train #unique #special
August 19, 2012 - After dragging myself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning, I arrived in Pennsylvania around 10:30 for a day of railfanning to precede the event which had drawn me back so quickly - the westbound deadhead run of Nickel Plate 765 and its train over the Pittsburgh Line on its return from running employee excursions in the Harrisburg area. I thought I was off to as good a start as could be expected when the action opened with an eastbound loaded coal train bookended by a thumping trio of GE road power and a roaring pair of SD40E helpers. Unbeknownst to me, I was about see something bigger. Much bigger. Way bigger. Moving the needle on the Big-O-Meter all the way over to its upper limit and then breaking it off, in fact.
It started simply enough with a call from the Pittsburgh East dispatcher to 'NS 098', requesting the train to stop at MO and call when they reached that point. Knowing the 0-series numbers were often used on high-and-wide moves, I expected something unusual - but certainly not what rounded the curve at a jogger's pace shortly after the bell at Carneys Crossing stopped ringing.
I was pleased to see that whatever procession was approaching was being led by 3380, an ex-Conrail SD40-2 that clearly retained its original horn. Following the 3380 was a flatcar topped by a load of bright blue steelwork, a red bay-window caboose, and something that from a distance looked like a trilevel autorack until its many-wheeled body emerged from behind the trees, followed closely by a red twin. I left my jaw where it fell on the ballast while I processed what I was looking at. Passing before me were the two largest freight cars in the world - WECX (Westinghouse Electric) 801 and 800, 36-axle Schnabel cars rated for loads of 2,035,800 lbs. and 1,779,260 lbs. respectively. The two giants clomped across Carney's Crossing to what I'm sure was the perplexed looks of the drivers waiting on either side, and then continued their march into the distance.
Confident I could keep the pace, I threw (okay, gently laid) my tripod and camera in the backseat and spurred my ride ahead to MO Interlocking, where they would stop per the dispatcher's order. The consist had just come into sight on the tangent through Cresson when I jumped out of the car to set up west of the signals. Much to the delight of any onlookers present, the stop and inspection took place right in front of the observation deck. Checks complete, the engineer in the 3380 gingerly notched out the throttle and gently persuaded the 801 and 800 into motion again. As the march continued east, doublestack 20T snuck up behind on track 2. Was I going to stay and catch the doublestacks while the 098 plodded away? How about no...
As if I needed any help in staying ahead, the 098 called Pittsburgh East to announce they had gone into emergency just east of MO while I was still within the Cresson town limits. The problem was resolved quickly, but in the meantime the dispatcher decided to hold the 098 while the 20T and the following 20W got by. The delay turned out to be well-timed, as the clouds' bite began to match their bark while I sheltered under the trees at the old bridge abutment next to the Route 53 overpass. The rain tapered off to drizzle within 15 to 20 minutes, just in time as the 098 came rolling around the curve and under the bridge.
'One more shot,' I decided, and ran ahead once more to Portage Street in Gallitzin, within sight of AR Tower and the 'Slide'. The twin behemoths were in sight just beyond the tower, sitting patiently for yet another inspection and a set of light helpers to pass. The skies weren't done with me yet it turned out, and this time the rain was quite a bit heavier. No worries though, as I had already thrown on my coat while at the previous location and the camera was similarly well-covered.
In a final bit of godly favor the rain tapered off quickly, replaced by blue skies and puffy white clouds. The 3380 notched out again, crept past the tower, and carefully led its train down into the New Portage Tunnel. No angelic chorus was heard, but one certainly wouldn't have been out of place.