The Demise of TP&W's Morton Industrial Spur Greatly Exaggerated?

 

Well...this is good news. 

On my way home from work, I cross the TP&W's Morton Industrial Spur twice (E. Main and Jackson/US 150). Today, while at the latter, I noticed a tank car in the distance. Upon closer inspection, I saw there were two.  
 
Notice UTLX 671549 and UTLX 681632 display no haz-mat placards for liquid herbicide (UN 3082). These cars probably contain a de-icing chemical.  
 
A friend PM'd me last night about 8:20, saying he heard a horn. I drove around, hoping a TP&W local was shoving through town with tank cars for Fort Transfer Company. I even went out to Crandall, but saw nothing. Perhaps I just missed it. While at work today, I heard a horn that I though might be a from a locomotive, but thought little of that until this afternoon. (I have confirmation that the train came into town today.)

Recall that TP&W ran a whopping three trains to Morton in 2022. The first was on February 16 to fetch four tank cars. On March 14, TP&W returned to deliver a single carload of herbicide. Exactly seven months later, on October 14, it returned with a crew to fetch the empty. 
 
Anyway, here's hoping TP&W has a new deal with Fort Transfer (or owner KAG) which will mean more regular business than the past few years.

- David P. Jordan

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