--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Mickey" <mickeycrimm@...> wrote:
> Wow! I'm impressed. Sharon, you must be an old freight train rider. Several hot shots a day pass thru Las Vegas. It's those trains you see with the containers (better known as stackers) stacked one on top of the other.
>
> There are red lights and green lights out on the rails just like traffic lights. Sometimes too many trains are on the rails and some have to hit a sidetrack and wait for other trains to pass thru. The Hot Shots have the green light from San Bernardino all the way to Chicago. They are mostly carrying dry goods from Japan, Korea, and China. They make the run in about 54 hours.
>
> The rail cars that the containers are in are called "48's" simply because they are 48 feet long. Many of those cars have solid floors in them. There is about a four foot by 10 foot space at the rear. That's where all us railriders habitat.
>
> Freedom Fever! Catch it!
>
I find this interesting. I am pretty sure I know which ones you are talking about. I know there are different model or types of railroad cars that haul the containers. I did not know they were all 48'. I know some semi-trucks have refers at 53', but I guess from what you imply that all the "containers" are 48'. I learn something new every day. And the railroad cars, sometimes they are joined together in groups of five and they share one set of wheels (trucks) between two cars. I did not know about the hot shots as you call it, but I know they have some refer trains now that carry produce from California straight through and expedited. I think the company is Rail-Ex or something like that. Nowhere to ride on one of those, though.
That line through Vegas is a main artery. I see an enormous amount of traffic go through there. A lot of double-stacks too. I always wanted to hop a freight just for fun but never had the balls. I lived in LA and they would crawl out of the harbor and go up Alameda Street at a snail's pace. I thought if I ever did that I would have to pack a gun with me because I didn't know who I'd meet or where I'd end up. Maybe it's a good thing I never carried out that fantasy. Sounds dangerous. I'll leave that to you, Mickey, and reading your stories will suffice.
