Roadrailer Remembrance

Описание: Thank you so much for 1,000 Subscribers! I have a special video project planned that will feature some original music and a new scenic location I haven't shown here before, but it is taking a very long time to put together. In the meantime, this video, filmed mostly in 4K quality, features a collection of the last of the roadrailer trains on Norfolk Southern.

The concept of the roadrailer was first introduced in the 1950s by C&O but only lasted a few years. It didn't start to take off in popularity until the 1986 a when Norfolk Southern introduced Triple Crown services. The concept is quite simple on paper. What if you could turn a semi trailer INTO a railcar, instead of putting it ON a railcar? With some clever engineering, the roadrailers were a success offering a much more fuel efficient way to move trailers across the country. As time went on and traditional intermodal containers became more and more popular, the roadrailers were slowly phased out. By 2015, Norfolk Southern, the sole operator of the trains at the time, had reduced it's Triple Crown roadrailer service to just one corridor, with two trains running between Detroit, MI and Kansas City, MO, carrying automotive parts primarily for Ford.

In 2024, it was determined that the aging equipment would be phased out in favor of standard intermodal containers. There were two primary reasons for this. The first was that the equipment required special maintenance, handling, and facilities. As the equipment aged, mechanical failures became common which caused major headaches for crews, dispatchers, and mechanical personnel alike. The second was that traditional intermodal containers offered more flexibility, making it easier for Triple Crown services to expand once again in the future. On August 25th, the last roadrailer ran the former Wabash rails from Detroit to Kansas City, closing a unique chapter in American railroad history.

Included in this video is footage of the roadrailers primarily in 2024, including a chase of the very last train between Decatur and Illiopolis, IL. It also features the very first video I ever uploaded to YouTube, which happens to also be of a roadrailer! Enjoy!

Nerd Stats:
NS Train 255; Triple Crown Roadrailers; Detroit, MI - Kansas City, MO
WB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 9777; GE C44-9W
Built As NS 9777; 02/2003
Nathan K5LA (Raised Letter)

NS Train 2?? Triple Crown Roadrailers
NB NS Huntington Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 2704; EMD SD70M-2 (since retired)
Built As NS 2704; 02/2006
Nathan K5LLA (2-piece Narrow Font)
NS 7556; GE ES40DC (now ES44DC)
Built As 7556; 02/2006

NS Train 256; Triple Crown Roadrailers; Kansas City, MO - Detroit, MI
EB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 4001; GE AC44C6M (Blue Mane Special Paint)
Built As NS 8879 (C40-9); 03/1995 (Rebuilt 08/2015)
Nathan K5LLA (Raised Letter Hybrid)

NS Train 255; Triple Crown Roadrailers; Detroit, MI - Kansas City, MO
WB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 7706; GE ES44DC
Built As NS 7706; 01/2008
Nathan P5

NS Train 255; Triple Crown Roadrailers; Detroit, MI - Kansas City, MO
WB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 8104; GE ES44AC (Lehigh Valley Heritage Scheme)
Built As NS 8104; 02/2012
Nathan K5HL (Raised Letter aka 3rd Gen)

NS Train 256; Triple Crown Roadrailers; Kansas City, MO - Detroit, MI
EB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 4309; GE AC44C6M
Built As NS 9188 (C40-9W); 03/1998 (Rebuilt 02/2020)
Nathan K5LA (Raised Letter Hybrid)

NS Train 255; Triple Crown Roadrailers; Detroit, MI - Kansas City, MO
WB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 9600; GE C44-9W
Now FXE ???? (AC44C6M)
Built As NS 9600; 01/2001
Nathan K5LA (Raised Letter)

NS Train 255; Triple Crown Roadrailers; Detroit, MI - Kansas City, MO
WB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 9936; GE C44-9W
Built As NS 9936; 10/2004
Nathan K5LA (Narrow Font)

NS Train 252; Intermodal; Kansas City, MO - Toledo, OH
EB NS Lafayette Subdivision (ex NW, WAB)
NS 9877; GE C44-9W
Built As NS 9877; 05/2002
Nathan K5LLA (Raised Letter)

0:00 Badass Intro
0:30 Intro at Cerro Gordo
2:22 First Ever Video!!!
4:07 Blue Leader
6:01 Speed Demon at Cerro Gordo
7:14 Heritage Unit!
8:45 Tolono Trailers
10:03 WABIC Thoroughbred
12:06 The Last Roadrailer - Lake Decatur
14:53 The Last Roadrailer - Decatur
16:32 The Last Roadrailer - Illiopolis
18:22 Triple Crown Lives On