Petersburg VA 05.21.11: Q400, The Auto Train, And A Gigantic Dumbbell-Looking Thingy

[@davidwood3477]

That dumbbell container is a M-290 shipping container, It is empty if it is in general freight and because there are not any placards on the container it is new.

[@macsdaddy3383]

The vessel container is on a marked DODX railcar meaning that the car and the containment vessel probably belong to the U.S. Dept. of Defense, most likely for shipping nuclear material of some kind. Most than likely, it was an empty vessel being moved to somewhere else as it was being pulled with other general freight cars and there was no (DODX) caboose on the end this consist.

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

Correct. I've seen a few of the flats since then, both with and without the vessel (and one loaded one via streaming webcam), but the one in this clip remains my southernmost sighting.

[@Weeklydoseofrailways]

Nice capture.. Can I use this video in my train compilation video credit to you in video will be given

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

Thanks, glad you like it! As long as you give credit to me, that's fine if you want to use it in a compilation.

[@Weeklydoseofrailways]

@@FastFlyingVirginian Thank you 😊

[@randallricker]

If it is nuclear, it's empty. If it was loaded it be on a train by it self with escort in caboose.

[@BuckeyeNationRailroader]

If there was a Department of Defense caboose on the end of the train, then you would know somethings up

[@jshepard152]

They accompany the nuclear material to its destination?

[@clevelandmaker386]

@@jshepard152 or alien kool aid

[@kgirl4078]

I came upon the car without the flask and had no idea what it was until I spoke with my friend and he looked the number up to let me know what it was used for. Then he found your video and sent it to me. I know know more about this car and what it carries and while watching your vid I can see what it looks like loaded. Thanks for sharing your great video :-))

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Nuke "Thing-am-Jig" !!!!! Lol : D

[@jshepard152]

3:57 Best view of the nuclear thingy.

[@jshepard152]

@@patrickmoore8391 We thank you, and so does the thingy.

[@csxketh1]

Wow! Talk about a train! Awesome video and catch!

[@KyleVideoDesigns]

Videos (and titles and despcriptions) never fail to amaze me!

[@sbingr5313]

Looks like a steam turbine for a power plant.

[@carolinarailfanning]

That car carries U-235 aka uranium or other radioactive material and must be handled with care.

[@lucianene7741]

That nuclear waste flask is too obvious, they should disguise it in some way, maybe make it look like a regular tank car.

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

They only travel like this when they are unloaded. Loaded ones travel in a dedicated move and are pretty well guarded/monitored.

[@tannerwarwick2974]

Gigantic Stanley cup trophy

[@williamschlenger1518]

I still miss the caboose. Incomplete train.

[@jamielacourse7578]

A gigantic dumbbell thingy.......I'm speechless.....

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

'CSX - How Tomorrow's Thingies Move'.

[@CPManJoe]

Great job on this one, you had some great lighting.

[@Oofmart]

pretty sure its a nuclear flask tho it shouldn’t be that close to other carts

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

It's empty in this case, so it's fine. If it were loaded, then it would be in a dedicated move.

[@johnathontolbert5304]

It’s empty nothin it. It’s being transported from the manufacturer.

[@trainkid16]

My response is a bit later than normal, but I want to say that it's always cool seeing trains originate, and I really love that shot, by the way... ;)

[@RailFanJon]

nice shot man!

[@kevinrichards3288]

I've never seen a railcar like that dumbbell lookin 1 before.

[@UPDetector]

What's the load on that 16 axel flat car looks like a part for a space ship or some stainless steel tank of some sort. Nice catches

[@unbalanced_again]

UPDetector coffin for spent nuclear fuel.

[@wclmike2471]

UPDetector it is a spent nuclear reactor fuel shipping cask.

[@mik3r0wave]

DODX markings and a crapload of wheels. Checks out.

[@stuartwest5125]

They are for spent fuel rods, we have 9 of those cars in our shipyard for the decommissioning of the USS Enterprise.

[@rearspeaker6364]

+Stuart West don't you mean the "STARSHIP ENTERPRISE"??

[@carolinarailfanning]

starship? really? Childish

[@adventuresofwillandshelby6013]

American Railfan star trek reference...

[@clevelandmaker386]

Budweiser should make Keg cars like that

[@stuartwest5125]

Headed to the shipyard for defueling.

[@FastFlyingVirginian]

Maybe to one of the sub bases in the north? Or headed east to Newport News once it reaches Richmond?

[@williamschlenger1518]

That is a lot of freight.

[@rearspeaker6364]

someone found the green giant's dumbell !!!!

[@DouglasP201]

Awesome video!

[@512..tr...]

What could it be???

[@ranger6729]

M-260 Shipping container for transport of spent (Navy) nuclear fuel.

[@austinbrad91]

The dumbbell is a radioactive transport coffin.

[@carolinarailfanning]

Flask, not coffin.. a coffin is what is buried in the ground with a dead person in it

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

That was Oprah Winfrey's kegel exercise device. My friend built it.

[@crail4ever]

WOW Great Catch

[@catlover2368]

A big boy would look nice on this freight train

[@LycoValleyRRFan]

@FastFlyingVirginian Ha good one.

[@PennRailVideos]

Nice video!

[@westep4273]

I saw this exact load today in nc

[@MegaMetalhead2010]

it looks to be a hydrogen cell for a power facility

[@drewjl0]

thats a radioactive liquid filled car on that train!!!!!

[@ranger6729]

Not at all.

[@brianbrewster6532]

Hmmm ... dumbbell-shaped flask contained spent nuclear fuel cells. Can anyone say GLOW TRAIN? Hello!

[@carolinarailfanning]

Get out of here... that is not funny at all, and radioactive material does not glow as much as you think

[@klixtrio7760]

radioactive fuel pellets do glow but not from radiation its from heat. You can watch old videos of them replacing fuel pellets by hand and they come out white hot.

[@wasted6666]

Whats up Man nice catch

[@LycoValleyRRFan]

It's Chuck Norris' new dumbell.

[@MaineCentral114]

That's nuclear material all right.