| GGPX 120581 was the last car of a 123-car BNSF unit train at Midwest Energy Resources Company (MERC), Superior, WI on 25 Jun. '16. Coal is delivered 14,000 tons at a time by the BNSF unit trains. UP also brings coal, their trains are likely similar in size and capacity. The apparatus on the left is the car indexer for precision placement of hoppers for the rotary dumping machine out of frame to the right. This information comes from the facilities website, http://www.midwestenergy.com/, which includes some interesting videos as well. I was fortunate enough to receive a tour of this impressive facility with a well-known group of like-minded railroad history enthusiasts. Unfortunately for us, this car was dumped only a few minutes before our tour began. We did get to see the dumper rotate, but sans car. |