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11/3/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Tom Beckett
Dates:1/1/1976 - 11/9/2018
Album Info:Photos of covered hoppers of all types, mostly in service, some not. Modelers, feel free to use these for prototype examples.
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Potash
Title:  Potash
Description:  This new Potash Corp car was southbound on CSX
Photo Date:  9/17/2018  Upload Date: 11/9/2018 6:16:24 AM
Location:  Dalton, GA
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  123   Comments: 1
Midwestern classics
Title:  Midwestern classics
Description:  Back in the 70s, the Klemme Coop, in north central Iowa, invested in a fleet of covered hoppers. This assured them of a steady supply of cars, which gave them some predictability in that era when things were rotten and the granger roads werent doing well. They were on grain trains everywhere. The SOO car is one of the famous "wheat stalk" cars, which were also seen nationwide. These two have now found their way into the Interstate Commodities fleet, granting them several more years of useful service. We see them here on a CSX train headed toward Chattanooga.
Photo Date:  9/18/2018  Upload Date: 11/9/2018 5:50:11 AM
Location:  Bridgeport, AL
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  245   Comments: 2
Sand
Title:  Sand
Description:  Hydraulic fracturing has become the big new thing in oil exrtraction, and it uses a lot of sand. This is transported in two bay hoppers due to its density. This one is southbound in Decatur on a unit train, which is typically how then move on the KCS. The MQRX initials are for McQuarie Rail, Inc, but now are owned by Wells Fargo.
Photo Date:  11/26/2018  Upload Date: 12/28/2018 4:24:28 AM
Location:  Decatur, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  49   Comments: 0
More sand
Title:  More sand
Description:  Another two bay hopper on the same train as the MQRX car is this NKLX car. I dont have an owner listed for those initials, but it appears to be a new car.
Photo Date:  11/26/2018  Upload Date: 12/28/2018 4:27:34 AM
Location:  Decatur, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  62   Comments: 0
Carbon footprint??
Title:  Carbon footprint??
Description:  Not really. This Continental Carbon covered hopper is used for carbon black, a component of ink making. Its in your newspaper every day. You don't want to get it on your fingers, though. It's like 150,000 lbs of copier toner.
Photo Date:  2/23/2019  Upload Date: 9/17/2019 5:01:25 AM
Location:  Racine, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  138   Comments: 0
Trinity car
Title:  Trinity car
Description:  A Trinity Rail Management car, carrying the FINX reporting mark, rolls west on the BNSF.
Photo Date:  2/23/2019  Upload Date: 9/17/2019 5:05:58 AM
Location:  Racine, MO
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  134   Comments: 0
AOK car
Title:  AOK car
Description:  Its A-OK!! A covered hopper, not for short line Arkansas Oklahoma, but owned by Greenbrier Management-the "X" is the difference-is in this local on the KCS.
Photo Date:  9/23/2019  Upload Date: 9/28/2019 5:14:04 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  86   Comments: 0
Old mark
Title:  Old mark
Description:  This covered hopper on a KCS local has a classic fallen flag reportting mark, that of the Chicago, St Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, commonly known as the Omaha Road. It was merged into the Chicago & Northwestern around 1960, but is still used by UP, successor to the CNW.
Photo Date:  9/23/2019  Upload Date: 9/28/2019 5:19:14 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  82   Comments: 0
Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer
Title:  Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer
Description:  This CHTT covered hopper was in a southbound grain train on the ex MP. This is one of several fallen flag reporting marks UP uses.
Photo Date:  11/8/2019  Upload Date: 11/14/2019 4:59:54 AM
Location:  Fort Gibson, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  100   Comments: 1
Omaha Road
Title:  Omaha Road
Description:  A long ago fallen flag in the UP family is the Omaha Road, officially the Chicago, Minneapolis, St Paul & Omaha, and upper midwest carrier that went into the North Western around 1960. Looks like theres still a little flutter left in that fallen flag!! Southbound grain train on the ex MP.
Photo Date:  11/8/2019  Upload Date: 11/14/2019 5:04:24 AM
Location:  Fort Gibson, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  103   Comments: 1
A little more recent
Title:  A little more recent
Description:  The fallen flag on this hopper is the Chicago & Northwestern, absorbed by the Yellow Borg in 1995. The reporting marks indicate a road whose flag fell much more recently than the other two cars, but still almost 25 years ago. Southbound on ex MP
Photo Date:  11/8/2019  Upload Date: 11/14/2019 5:09:44 AM
Location:  Fort Gibson, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  140   Comments: 1
Another old warrior
Title:  Another old warrior
Description:  There were 112 cars on this train, probably a dozen of these old soldiers among them.
Photo Date:  11/8/2019  Upload Date: 11/14/2019 5:16:15 AM
Location:  Fort Gibson, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  129   Comments: 1
Vera Sun
Title:  Vera Sun
Description:  This TILX car, owned by Trinity Leasing, is painted for Vera Sun, an ethanol producer.
Photo Date:  1/4/2020  Upload Date: 1/12/2020 4:00:02 AM
Location:  Decatur, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  99   Comments: 1
Old Mexico
Title:  Old Mexico
Description:  At one time, these Nacionales de Mexico cars were all over. In the years following the privitization of Mexicos railroads, they are becoming more and more unusual, as is the case for most fallen flag equipment. This one, now lettered for TFM, and part of the KCS fleet, was in a southbound grain train at CP Flint Creek.
Photo Date:  2/7/2020  Upload Date: 2/21/2020 2:55:49 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  101   Comments: 2
Oh Canada!!
Title:  Oh Canada!!
Description:  One of the Canadian grain hoppers famous for their "Government of Canada" paint rolls north on a long M train.
Photo Date:  8/9/2020  Upload Date: 8/15/2020 5:23:47 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  79   Comments: 1
Its not going to Victorias Secret
Title:  Its not going to Victorias Secret
Description:  Despite the PINX reporting marks, and its not even pink!! The car belongs to Pinnacle Polymers. Northbound on an M train.
Photo Date:  8/9/2020  Upload Date: 8/15/2020 5:35:21 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  78   Comments: 1
Alberta hopper
Title:  Alberta hopper
Description:  One of the billboard covered hoppers promoting the province of Alberta was on this southbound Q train. It looks pretty good, aside from the graffiti.
Photo Date:  2/18/2021  Upload Date: 3/2/2021 5:15:20 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Winter,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  64   Comments: 1
Cartoon critters
Title:  Cartoon critters
Description:  Sometimes graffiti can be fun when its creative. Someone was having a few creative moments, and drew these caricatures on the side of a KCS hopper, seen at the Davidson Rd crossing.
Photo Date:  3/21/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 5:25:04 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  107   Comments: 1
Dont see many of these any more
Title:  Dont see many of these any more
Description:  Since N de M was sold off, the fleet has slowly been declining, mostly through attrition, and there are not many cars still lettered for that road. Every once in a while one will show up, such as on this southbound grain train at Davidson Rd.
Photo Date:  3/21/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 5:29:16 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  134   Comments: 1
Saskatchewan car
Title:  Saskatchewan car
Description:  This Canadian grain car, one of the many billboard cars used to assure grain shippers in Canadas bread basket would have car supply, is southbound on the ex MKT. The car now belongs to Mobil Grain Ltd.
Photo Date:  3/28/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 5:35:44 AM
Location:  Pryor, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  152   Comments: 2
More Canadian grain
Title:  More Canadian grain
Description:  There were several of these billboard covered hoppers on this train.
Photo Date:  3/28/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 5:38:47 AM
Location:  Pryor, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  117   Comments: 1
One more
Title:  One more
Description:  Another Saskatchewan grain hopper, southbound on the ex MKT
Photo Date:  3/28/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 5:41:46 AM
Location:  Pryor, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  118   Comments: 0
Local pride
Title:  Local pride
Description:  The herald on this car shows its pride in their home town up in Canada.
Photo Date:  3/28/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 5:47:02 AM
Location:  Pryor, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  142   Comments: 4
Malt
Title:  Malt
Description:  This car shows as belonging to Prairie Malt. Thats a lot of chocolate shakes!! Southbound on the ex MKT
Photo Date:  3/28/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 5:54:51 AM
Location:  Pryor, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  132   Comments: 1
Plain Jane UP hopper
Title:  Plain Jane UP hopper
Description:  A lot of cars are just basic transportation-no frills, no fancy paint jobs, just cars to load and get the job done. One of them is southbound on the ex MKT.
Photo Date:  3/28/2021  Upload Date: 4/8/2021 6:02:27 AM
Location:  Pryor, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  113   Comments: 1
Anderson Elevator
Title:  Anderson Elevator
Description:  This AEX car, about as plain a car as you'll find anywhere, was in an empty unit train rolling north at Davidson Rd. Anderson Elevator has locations in Kearney Neb, and Mansfield Ill. This was one of 95 on that train.
Photo Date:  4/30/2021  Upload Date: 5/3/2021 5:24:50 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  52   Comments: 1
Capital car
Title:  Capital car
Description:  Capital Finance, who is the owner of this 100 ton hopper seen on a northbound empty grain train.
Photo Date:  5/6/2021  Upload Date: 5/7/2021 5:10:38 AM
Location:  Westville, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  54   Comments: 1
100 tons
Title:  100 tons
Description:  The cars on this grain train were a good mix of lease fleet equipment, all 100 ton cars. This one belongs to Chicago Freight Car Leasing.
Photo Date:  5/6/2021  Upload Date: 5/7/2021 5:17:49 AM
Location:  Westville, OK
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  47   Comments: 1
Ex UP Mexican car
Title:  Ex UP Mexican car
Description:  This KCSM covered hopper looks to be a former UP car, judging by the typeface and car number. It was northbound on and empty train.
Photo Date:  5/23/2021  Upload Date: 5/28/2021 5:30:16 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  74   Comments: 2
Iowa Interstate hopper
Title:  Iowa Interstate hopper
Description:  This Iowa Interstate hopper was in a southound grain train, seen at Siloam Springs. For some reason, we dont see many of these here.
Photo Date:  6/24/2021  Upload Date: 7/23/2021 5:30:35 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  79   Comments: 1
Always like to shoot these
Title:  Always like to shoot these
Description:  KCS inherited a fleet of former National of Mexico cars when it took over part of that roads operations as part of the privatization of Mexican railroads. I recall seeing these years ago when I lived in NY. Now they are not so common. This one was northbound on an empty grain train.
Photo Date:  8/7/2021  Upload Date: 8/18/2021 5:56:29 AM
Location:  Decatur, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  93   Comments: 1
Back in the fold
Title:  Back in the fold
Description:  The DM&E was a spinoff from the Chicago & Northwestern, and later added some Milwaukee Road lines to fill out its route map. Several years ago, it was acquired by CP, bringing the ex MILW lines back into the CP sphere after 25 years and some corporate changes on the MILW side over the years. You wouldnt know it to look at this hopper on the northbound Q train, which looks for all the world like DME is still a going concern
Photo Date:  9/22/2021  Upload Date: 9/26/2021 4:33:29 AM
Location:  Gravette, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  55   Comments: 1
Don't hammer on the car!!
Title:  Don't hammer on the car!!
Description:  Directions for unloading, and for preparing the car for movement, in both English and Spanish, pointing up the international nature of business on the KCS
Photo Date:  10/7/2021  Upload Date: 10/22/2021 4:33:16 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  54   Comments: 1
Clean Belle
Title:  Clean Belle
Description:  A Southern Belle schemed covered hopper is southbound. Rare to see an untagged car these days.
Photo Date:  10/7/2021  Upload Date: 10/22/2021 4:35:56 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  51   Comments: 1
Sorta clean Belle
Title:  Sorta clean Belle
Description:  This one had graffiti on it, but it appears there was an attempt to clean it some, as there is faded paint on the car.
Photo Date:  10/7/2021  Upload Date: 10/22/2021 4:41:51 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  48   Comments: 1
Rare find
Title:  Rare find
Description:  Every once in a while, in the thousands of freight cars I see on trains all over, an unusual car will pass by. This one is lettered for Ferrocarilles Pacifico, a road that at one time ran on Mexicos west coast. Years later, its rolling past me on a KCS train.
Photo Date:  10/7/2021  Upload Date: 10/22/2021 4:44:17 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  69   Comments: 2
Unidentified
Title:  Unidentified
Description:  This car was in a northbound empty grain train. The MULX initials are not showing as belonging to any specific entitiy in my railroad reporting marks page. Any ideas??
Photo Date:  10/19/2021  Upload Date: 10/22/2021 5:08:39 AM
Location:  Decatur, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  64   Comments: 2
Alberta car
Title:  Alberta car
Description:  CN and CP participated in a marketing plan that painted a fleet of covered hoppers for each of the prairie provinces, This is an Alberta car, seen on an empty northbound train that was, ironically, powered by a CP unit. The ALBX reporting marks go with the Albert City Elevator.
Photo Date:  10/26/2021  Upload Date: 12/14/2021 4:30:05 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  148   Comments: 0
Oh Canada!!
Title:  Oh Canada!!
Description:  One of the Canadian grain hoppers designed to be a billboaqrd for Canadian wheat rolls north on an empty grain train
Photo Date:  10/26/2021  Upload Date: 12/14/2021 5:29:47 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  91   Comments: 0
CP hopper
Title:  CP hopper
Description:  A more mundane paint job adorns this workaday car on an empty northbound train
Photo Date:  10/26/2021  Upload Date: 12/14/2021 5:46:09 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  90   Comments: 0
The Devil made me do it
Title:  The Devil made me do it
Description:  The reference is from the old Flip Wilson show, but its apparently still alive and well for this graffiti artist, who has made a KCS covered hopper his canvas.
Photo Date:  2/6/2022  Upload Date: 2/13/2022 5:13:50 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  84   Comments: 1
Mexican survivor
Title:  Mexican survivor
Description:  This Nacionales de Mexico car was on a northbound empty grain train.
Photo Date:  2/6/2022  Upload Date: 2/17/2022 3:25:21 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  85   Comments: 1
Three hoppers
Title:  Three hoppers
Description:  This photo and the two that follow show three different styles of covered hoppers rostered by the KCS. All are used in grain service. These were on the dodger, L 102, at Jefferson St in Siloam Springs. It is one of the Belle schemed hoppers from 2007. These were originally used in solid trains with the then new "Retro Belle" scheme Mike Havery was applying to the motive power after years of monotone colors.
Photo Date:  10/20/2022  Upload Date: 10/27/2022 6:07:25 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  99   Comments: 3
Smooth side
Title:  Smooth side
Description:  A smooth side 100 ton hopper on the dodger L 102 at Jefferson St in Siloam Springs
Photo Date:  10/20/2022  Upload Date: 10/27/2022 6:13:48 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  94   Comments: 3
Rib side
Title:  Rib side
Description:  A rib side covered hopper on the dodger at Jefferson St in Siloam Springs
Photo Date:  10/20/2022  Upload Date: 10/27/2022 6:22:01 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  78   Comments: 2
DM&E car
Title:  DM&E car
Description:  Though at this point, its technically a CP car, as they bought out DM&E several years ago. This one was southbound on the Q train at Siloam Springs.
Photo Date:  11/2/2022  Upload Date: 11/8/2022 4:33:08 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  54   Comments: 1
Blank side
Title:  Blank side
Description:  This DM&E hopper was southbound on the Q train, with no herald. Did CP paint over it, or did it not have one to begin with??
Photo Date:  11/2/2022  Upload Date: 11/8/2022 4:43:55 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  63   Comments: 1
Belle Moon
Title:  Belle Moon
Description:  I followed a northbound empty grain train to a spot where I could get some sun. As I rolled by the 105 cars, I noticed the moon had come up. I was able to get a nicely lit shot of this Belle covered hopper with the moon overhead. Artsy, eh??
Photo Date:  1/4/2023  Upload Date: 1/11/2023 5:25:09 AM
Location:  Decatur, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  Scenic,RollingStock,Winter,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  31   Comments: 1
Whale of a load
Title:  Whale of a load
Description:  This covered hopper with a unique decoration was in the southbound grain trains consist.
Photo Date:  6/18/2023  Upload Date: 6/25/2023 6:12:31 AM
Location:  Gentry, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  53   Comments: 3
CP Golden Rodent car
Title:  CP Golden Rodent car
Description:  Theyre not actually Golden Rodents on the rolling stock, as they are on the locomotives. But you get the idea. This one is northbound on a 181 train.
Photo Date:  11/8/2023  Upload Date: 11/18/2023 6:40:41 AM
Location:  Siloam Springs, AR
Author:  Tom Beckett
Categories:  RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  24   Comments: 1


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