Chasing the CEBX 800 | Nathan D. Holmes

There’s only one railcar like it in the world, and it’s the biggest of its breed. Having 36 axles and being 232 feet long and 370 tons with no load in the middle, and capable of being up to 345 feet long and 1250 tons with a load, there’s no denying it’s huge. The CEBX 800 Schnabel was built in 1980 by Krupp Industrie und Stahlbau (now part of Thyssen Krupp) for Combustion Engineering, hence the CEBX reporting marks. Its original purpose was to haul large heavy bits of nuclear power facilities for Combustion Engineering. More recently, the car has found work in the petroleum business, hauling a good number of huge refinery components around Canada, and for the last few weeks, hauling a 590-ton hydrotreater from the Port of Houston to the Suncor Refinery in Commerce City, CO (near Denver).

So, the question on everybody’s mind… What’s a hydrotreater, other than obviously huge and heavy? Best I understand it, it’s a reactor that hydrogenates fuel oil products to reduce the impurities. Exposing the petroleum soup to hydrogen under the proper conditions (and presumably with some sort of catalysts), sulfur in the mix becomes hydrogen sulfid and nitrogen converts to ammonia. My assumption is that the removal of sulfur is the drive behind this one, as several press releases have made statements to the effect that it’ll be used to increase production of low-sulfur diesel fuel.

The hydrotreating unit, brought to Houston (presumably from Belleli Energy in Italy) by ship, was offloaded onto the railcar on 22-Mar-2005, and left Houston a few days later, on 28-Mar-2005, via a very special BNSF move. The train, called J-PTRDEN1-28, consisted of a brand new GE ES44DC unit, BNSF 7687, bearing the new BNSF logo, KRL 89121 (a flat with spare parts), KRL 70951 (an idler flatcar), KRL 076 (a caboose), the big boy itself – CEBX 800, KRL 70897 (another idler flat), and KRL 074 bringing up the rear (another caboose). The movement is followed by a gaggle of BNSF employees, including hyrails leading and following the move, a BNSF Police presence, various crews to move obstructions, and of course just a few employees that want to see the movement happen. Limited to a maximum of 15 miles per hour and moving only during daylight, the movement has taken several weeks now to even get to Colorado. Finally, on the morning of 9-Apr-2005, it entered the state via BNSF’s Twin Peaks Subdivision, the former Fort Worth & Denver line coming into Trinidad from the southeast.

On a hunch and a few tips, I headed out Saturday morning. The most confusing part was that press releases had it moving through La Junta, but various sightings had it coming up via the Twin Peaks line through Clayton, Texline, etc. So, I figured sightings are better than press releases, and headed for Trinidad. As I approached the Beshoar siding (just southeast of town), I saw the pilot hyrail truck come into view. A few minutes later, the movement itself showed up and eased itself under US 160/350, followed by another hyrail. I caught it several more times on the way into town – it was probably averaging less than 10 mph for those few miles.

Just north of Trinidad, I waited at the CO-239 crossings along with a couple dozen other folks hoping to see it, most not railfans. It came around the curve and over the ex-ATSF Raton Subdivision, and then did something most unexpected – stopped just past the switch to the track connecting the Twin Peaks and Raton subdivisions. A quick check with a BNSF guy nearby revealed that due to clearances near Pueblo, they’d actually be backing onto the Raton Sub and heading out to La Junta, then back to Pueblo. That explained the press releases about a La Junta routing… After nearly two hours of pulling switch stands and crossing signs and gingerly backing up the huge load, they finally made it down onto the Raton Sub only to get held again.

Coming from the west was an eastbound Z train, and the dispatcher was holding J-PTRDEN1-28 until its arrival. It’s probably not good to stick the only fast intermodal train on the line behind a slow, plodding high-wide move. Fifteen minutes or so later, the Z appeared, and in true Raton Sub style, was gone in the blink of an eye. Knowing the special wouldn’t get going that fast, I followed the Z out to Model, CO (about 20 miles out), grabbed a couple shots, and headed back. The day ended with a few more shots of the special around Hoehne, CO, just east of Trinidad and only a few miles from where the day had begun for me.

The movement should be in Denver by next weekend, targeted with an arrival date at Commerce City, CO, of 15-Apr-2005.

First sighting of the J-PTRDEN1-28, just north of the Beshoar siding (southeast of Trinidad, CO) on BNSF's Twin Peaks Subdivision (ex-Fort Worth and Denver trackage) — First sighting of the J-PTRDEN1-28, just north of the Beshoar siding (southeast of Trinidad, CO) on BNSF’s Twin Peaks Subdivision (ex-Fort Worth and Denver trackage)

Coming down around the hill out of Beshoar and over an unnamed dirt road... — Coming down around the hill out of Beshoar and over an unnamed dirt road…

The load in question... when you're on the ground beside it, it's ENORMOUS. — The load in question… when you’re on the ground beside it, it’s ENORMOUS.

Bringing up the rear is KRL 074, one of two cabooses on the train. The guy hanging off the side is just observing the load around the corner

A couple miles down the line, the load passes over the bridge on the north side of Trinidad, CO, spanning the ex-Santa Fe Raton mainline.

Initially I thought I'd hate the new BNSF look, but I find this new GE ES44DC quite stunning. BNSF 7687 is, to my knowledge, the first new-logo unit to enter Colorado, and is itself is only about a month old. — Initially I thought I’d hate the new BNSF look, but I find this new GE ES44DC quite stunning. BNSF 7687 is, to my knowledge, the first new-logo unit to enter Colorado, and is itself is only about a month old.

I assumed the load was headed up to Denver via Pueblo and Walsenburg, but that notion was quickly dispelled by a local BNSF employee. They were going to back the move onto the Raton line and get to Pueblo via La Junta in order to avoid clearance problems on the Trinidad-Pueblo direct route. Lots of people are gathered around to watch the move.

Come on back - slow! Everybody stands around, watching and wondering if this crossing signal is going to have to come out. — Come on back – slow! Everybody stands around, watching and wondering if this crossing signal is going to have to come out.

Unlike the switch stand back at the entrance to the connector track down to the Raton main, turns out this crossing signal only needs a little encouragement by some BNSF employees in order to squeeze the Schnabel car by it.

Trailing behind the locomotive is a KRL flat with spare parts for the behemoth.

Here's that enormous car again, being backed down the connector track towards Trinidad proper — Here’s that enormous car again, being backed down the connector track towards Trinidad proper

A rear view of BNSF 7687 - notice that low-mounted rear headlight. That's just weird... Perfect level to burn yourself as you go by, it'd seem. — A rear view of BNSF 7687 – notice that low-mounted rear headlight. That’s just weird… Perfect level to burn yourself as you go by, it’d seem.

The whole enchilada, backing up very slowly (probably only 1-2 mph)

At the bottom of the connector is an extremely tight curve to negotiate. Several crossbucks were removed, and the derail switch stand was removed (seen on the ground) in order to get this thing by. There's a UP crane-type truck following the movement to remove and reinstall this sort of thing. — At the bottom of the connector is an extremely tight curve to negotiate. Several crossbucks were removed, and the derail switch stand was removed (seen on the ground) in order to get this thing by. There’s a UP crane-type truck following the movement to remove and reinstall this sort of thing.

Photo 15
The best part of this car is that there are two operators that can hydraulically offset the load in relation to the car. — Photo 15 The best part of this car is that there are two operators that can hydraulically offset the load in relation to the car.

And offset they do! Note that the entire load is shifted left of where it would normally be. This apparently allows them to better work around tight curves and online obstacles.

Backing under the US 160/350 bridge and onto the BNSF's Raton Subdivision. — Backing under the US 160/350 bridge and onto the BNSF’s Raton Subdivision.

Well, we're on the mainline, what's the holdup? An incoming eastbound Z train that would rather not go 15 mph all the way to the next siding at Model, CO, apparently! — Well, we’re on the mainline, what’s the holdup? An incoming eastbound Z train that would rather not go 15 mph all the way to the next siding at Model, CO, apparently!

Amtrak's Southwest Chief, the occasional Z train, and a few detours are about the only things left on the Raton mainline. Zs aren't all that rare (two a day or so), but I've never actually caught one before. After stopping to get something to drink downtown, the eastbound Z shows itself, passing by the Trinidad depot and under I-25. — Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, the occasional Z train, and a few detours are about the only things left on the Raton mainline. Zs aren’t all that rare (two a day or so), but I’ve never actually caught one before. After stopping to get something to drink downtown, the eastbound Z shows itself, passing by the Trinidad depot and under I-25.

Knowing the special won't move that fast, I chased the Z out some 20 miles to Model, CO, to catch it one more time before heading back to town. — Knowing the special won’t move that fast, I chased the Z out some 20 miles to Model, CO, to catch it one more time before heading back to town.

J-PTRDEN1-28 wasted no time getting a move on once the Z had passed. I met the pilot hyrail just west of Hoehnes, about 7 miles out of Trinidad.

Trailing about five minutes behind is the special... Behind it you can see another hyrail. The one in front checks for obstructions or other problems, and the one behind checks for any lineside damage or broken rails the heavy move may have caused. — Trailing about five minutes behind is the special… Behind it you can see another hyrail. The one in front checks for obstructions or other problems, and the one behind checks for any lineside damage or broken rails the heavy move may have caused.

One more look at the special in downtown Hoehne, CO, before calling it a day. Note the old ATSF searchlight signals protecting the siding.

A last look... Some 12 inches of snow were forecast for the Front Range starting later that night, and I wanted to get home ahead of it. Besides, the clouds were killing my light. — A last look… Some 12 inches of snow were forecast for the Front Range starting later that night, and I wanted to get home ahead of it. Besides, the clouds were killing my light.

As an extra goody, I throw in this Tier-I CSX SD70MAC, found on a northbound freight in the Trinidad yard on Saturday... — As an extra goody, I throw in this Tier-I CSX SD70MAC, found on a northbound freight in the Trinidad yard on Saturday…

Being a modeler at heart, I thought I'd post a detail set of the CEBX 800 (or at least one side of it) — Being a modeler at heart, I thought I’d post a detail set of the CEBX 800 (or at least one side of it)

Lest anybody think it's a lightweight, here's the statistics... The car itself, empty, weighs almost 370 tons at 740800 pounds. That puts its maximum loaded weight at nearly 900 tons, just shy of 2 million pounds. No wonder it needs 36 axles! — Lest anybody think it’s a lightweight, here’s the statistics… The car itself, empty, weighs almost 370 tons at 740800 pounds. That puts its maximum loaded weight at nearly 900 tons, just shy of 2 million pounds. No wonder it needs 36 axles!

Just the end platform of the car - the warning reads: No Humping - No Flat Switching Without Motive Power — Just the end platform of the car – the warning reads: No Humping – No Flat Switching Without Motive Power

A last look at the mosterous car and load... — A last look at the mosterous car and load…

And a last look at the brand new GE pulling it.

All photographs in this trip report were taken with a Canon EOS 10D using either a Canon 28-105mm USM or a Canon 75-300mm f4-5.3 IS/USM.

This work is copyright 2024 by Nathan D. Holmes, but all text and images are licensed and reusable under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Basically you’re welcome to use any of this as long as it’s not for commercial purposes, you credit me as the source, and you share any derivative works under the same license. I’d encourage others to consider similar licenses for their works.