Conrail ran quite a few MIL trains carrying various types of equipment. These increased during the Gulf War, which would begin the following year. Todays train has 16 cars of tanks, seen from the Kirkwood-Conklin connector. Frito Lay and now defuncty 84 Lumber are at left. Note the white bar with red ends on the front handrail of the locomotive. The tanks were slightly oversize, and this was used to check clearances. The Erie, originally built to a six foot gauge, had no clearance issues. Meets, however, could pose a problem, and other trains were supposed to come to a complete stop when meeting on of these MIL trains on double track. |