The iron cast train (Brazil)

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pedrop

A Railfan in Brazil
Hi, the daily iron cast train running here in town yesterday. Two C44 leading with two C26-7 in idle notch in the middle.

1 & 2 - Changing crew at EVP yard. In the background, VLI yard switchers doing the local job.
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The old C26-7MP working idle in the middle of the train. They were used to switch the cars at the iron cast loading facility.
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Good photos of what must be very interesting operations.

Is it just my misconception or does that appear to be very lightly ballasted road bed for what must be very heavy trains on the MRS?

I just finished watching the video. Can you explain the operations? I am curious why both loaded and unloaded hoppers are traveling in the same train. Were the older engines in the middle of the train being transported out for servicing?
 
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Hi, the tracks MRS are using in this video are a long time without ballast cleaning. Many sleepers are rotten and need to be changed. The owner of the tracks is VLI, that only runs meter gauge trains in this area. MRS paid for some track maintenance to run heavy trains here about three years ago.
MRS has rights to access some customers in this area. It brings coal, zinc, ore balls, and slag from furnance mills for cement factories. When running back to its area, MRS takes cement, iron cast, beer and other small cargos. MRS is increasing its business in this area and new cargos are coming in the near future, like lime and containers with merchandise.
In general, MRS run a pair of trains daily with code O in VLI CCO system. O means "other companies". So, we have Ox81 coming from MRS system, and Ox82 returning. The "x" is the number refering to the day of the week, from one to seven. Extra trains can use other codes, like nine. So, this train in the video is O782, that means a MRS train returning to MRS system on Saturday (7).
In general, MRS trains use a pair of C44s and a pair of C26s. The C26s are used to switching operations inside some loading facilities where the AC44s are not allowed in function of axle load. It is not hard to see the train leaded only by the C26s when the cargo is light or for empty trains only.
In the video, the C26s are in the end of the consist of loaded gondolas with iron cast and in front of the empty hoppers that brought slag from furnances to the cement companies. It means that the AC44s were not allowed to switch in the privated yard of the cement company due the poor quality of the trackage out there. They are in that position in the train to easy the switching operations in the loading facilities and also when arriving at MRS yard in Belo Horizonte, where these trains are formed. When the loaded train is very heavy, the C26s run as DPU to help the train in the 1.5 grade at Cachorro Magro hill near BH. In the video of this train, we perceive the C26s in idle when they pass under me in the pedestrian walkway.
The video of the empty train coming to my area can be watched in this link
 
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In 2006 I was in Brazil working for an American MofW company and I saw a lot of former Conrail and UP (still in their former owners paint) on these trains.
 
In 2006 I was in Brazil working for an American MofW company and I saw a lot of former Conrail and UP (still in their former owners paint) on these trains.

That must have been interesting. I assume they were re-trucked to ride on Brazil's wide gauge or narrow gauge railroads.
 




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