Roanoke Rail Cam--Containers

[NW Mailing List]

I have seen a large number of small containers on trains passing the Roanoke Rail Cam.  Six containers are on each two-platform, articulated cars, with two tiers of containers at the coupler end of each platform and a single container at the articulated end of each platform.  Most are stenciled "EPIC" but some have what I can make out to be "COALTAINER."

Are these indeed coal containers?  Where are they loaded and where are they destined, and why are containers used instead of hopper or gondola cars?

Gordon Hamilton
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