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12/22/2024
 
 
 
 
 
By:Gary Everhart
Dates:2/26/2023 - 2/26/2023
Album Info:I was fortunate enough to catch a hot metal bottle (torpedo) train on its return trip through Dolton, IL.
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Hot Metal Bottle Train
Title:  Hot Metal Bottle Train
Description:  Unmistakable shape of a hot metal bottle train rounded the curve at the Dolton Junction while I was there. The unique shape of these bottle or "torpedo" cars is an interesting sight. The train takes a journey from the former Inland Steel plant (now ArcelorMittal) in East Chicago, IN, to the one of the finishing plants in Riverdale, IL. This is one of the very last places in the US that you can still see these cars outside a steel plant.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:44:32 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  47   Comments: 0
NS GP38-2 #5322
Title:  NS GP38-2 #5322
Description:  Norfolk Southern GP38-2 #5322 is but one of a long string of GP38-2's that have been used to transport the hot metal bottle trains to and from the former Inland Steel (now ArcelorMittal) to the finishing plant in Riverdale, IL.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:44:37 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives:  NS 5322(GP38-2)
Views:  64   Comments: 0
Hot Metal Bottle Train
Title:  Hot Metal Bottle Train
Description:  Previously, each hot metal bottle (torpedo) car had a spacer gondola between the cars to spread the weight but recently it seems that they only use spacer cars at the beginning and end of the train. Not sure how the track holds the weight when these cars are loaded. Can anyone explain why they dropped the individual spacer cars now?
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:44:42 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  28   Comments: 0
SOU 66025 - front spacer car
Title:  SOU 66025 - front spacer car
Description:  This former Southern gondola is now used as the lead spacer car in front of the hot metal bottle train.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:44:46 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  41   Comments: 0
INLX Hot Metal Bottle #201 - ArcelorMittal
Title:  INLX Hot Metal Bottle #201 - ArcelorMittal
Description:  Former Inland Steel hot metal (torpedo) car still carries the molten steel to the processing plant. Here it is returning from the Riverdale, IL, processing plant and heading home to East Chicago, IN. This is a Reichard 12-axle "torpedo" car with a load limit of 410,000 lb.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:44:53 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  54   Comments: 0
INLX Hot Metal Bottle #142
Title:  INLX Hot Metal Bottle #142
Description:  The second bottle or torpedo car for transporting molten steel in former Inland Steel #142. This is a Treadwill built 10-axle torpedo car capablle of handling 520,000 lb.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:44:58 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  46   Comments: 0
INLX Hot Metal Bottle #206
Title:  INLX Hot Metal Bottle #206
Description:  The third "torpedo" hot metal car is former Inland Steel #206 built by Reichard as a 12-axle car with a load limit of 410,000 lb.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:45:03 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  47   Comments: 0
INLX Hot Metal Bottle #150
Title:  INLX Hot Metal Bottle #150
Description:  Built by Pollock as a 10-axle hot metal carrying "torpedo" car, this is the fourth bottle car in the train today.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:45:08 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  42   Comments: 0
INLX Hot Metal Bottle #157
Title:  INLX Hot Metal Bottle #157
Description:  The fifth and last hot metal "torpedo" car in the train is this former Inland Steel bottle car #157. It is an example of a Reichard 10-axle "torpedo" car with a load limit of 520,000 lb.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:45:12 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  54   Comments: 0
SOU 65993 - rear spacer car
Title:  SOU 65993 - rear spacer car
Description:  Former Southern gondola #63993 acts as the rear spacer car for the five empty hot metal bottle car train on its way back to the ArcelorMittal plant in East Chicago, IN.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:45:18 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  45   Comments: 0
Hot Metal Bottle Train
Title:  Hot Metal Bottle Train
Description:  The slow moving empty hot metal bottle car train heads back east toward the ArcelorMittal plant (former Inland Steel) in East Chicago, IN. The bulging sides of the bottle cars is noticable.
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:45:23 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  39   Comments: 0
Hot Metal Bottle Train
Title:  Hot Metal Bottle Train
Description:  The bulging, rounded sides of the hot metal bottle cars is even more pronounced as it moves farther down the track. I brought the image up close but compressed with the telephoto lens to accent the shape. Wish I could have stood on the tracks behind to get a better shot but at Dolton, that is one dangerous move!
Photo Date:  2/26/2023  Upload Date: 2/28/2023 9:45:28 AM
Location:  Dolton, IL
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  Roster,RollingStock,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  60   Comments: 3


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