ABOVE: TRRA SD40-3 3003 and SD7M 1751 charge over Route 3 in Venice, Ill., with a transfer for Union Pacific 12th Street Yard in November 2005. TRRA’s solitary SD7 was sold off in 2007. BELOW: A pair of the new SD40-2s work the lead job at Madison Yard in Venice, Ill. During the spring of 2012 TRRA purchased a trio of SD40-2s from CIT leasing.
cars into outbound trains after they have been humped/classified. This job can be viewed/photographed from Ea- gle Park Road as it pulls long cuts out for sorting. The neighborhood to the south is rough so caution is advised. “Lead” Job: Two SD40-2s or SD40- 3s are kept busy around the clock humping cars on the west end of Madi- son Yard in Venice, Ill. This job humps inbound trains and sorts the cars into the bowl tracks to be sorted for indus- try/outbound trains. Good views can be had from the Broadway Avenue over- pass in Venice as they push cars over the Madison hump.
Motive Power During the past ten years the Termi-
nal Railroad Association motive power fleet has undergone big changes. Prior to 2010 the carrier was most often thought of for pairs, trios, or quartets of
vintage EMD SW1200s and SW1500s pulling TRRA freight. With the in- creasing age of the veteran EMD end- cab switchers and higher failure rates becoming more common, TRRA pur- chased its first true road units in 2002 with five SD40-3 rebuilds coming from Metro East Industries of East St. Louis. These units numbered 3001- 3005 are rebuilds of former SP/SSW SD40s, SD45T-2s and SD40T-2s. Big changes took place in December
2009 when new management began to apply new motive power philosophies. TRRA decided to purchase 12 second hand GP38-3s which were overhauled by Motive Power Industries in Boise, Idaho, between November 1996 and January 1998 for Union Pacific. In 2007 UP retired these units and they went to work for Helm Leasing before coming to TRRA. Rebuilding at MPI in- cluded reconditioned cabs, 3600 gallon
fuel tanks, D78 traction motors, AR10 traction alternators, Woodward CLC control system, and extended range dy- namic brakes. Upon their acquisition by TRRA units were sent to Metro East Industries to be painted into a new striking red and white scheme and renumbered as TRRA 2000-2011. They now provide the backbone of TRRA’s motive power fleet. The roster was bolstered again in De- cember 2011 with the purchase of three six-axle motors which had previously been on lease to TRRA. Added to the roster are the former CEFX SD40-2s 3158, 3161 and 7099 which TRRA pur- chased from owner CIT Group, Inc. These units will soon become TRRA 3004-3006. With 20 recently rebuilt Electro-Motive Division products mak- ing up the current roster, the TRRA diesel fleet should be in fine shape for the foreseeable future.
“Meet Me in St. Louis...”
With a strong traffic base and steady Class I connections the TRRA’s future looks bright. Terminal Railroad Associ- ation is very vigilant about trespassers so please remain on public property and do not try to access Madison Yard or other railroad facilities, as you will be reported by train crews. Remember to be safe and come visit St. Louis and start “seeing red!”
35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66