Rapids GREX Ballast Train

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A conveyor belt passes between cars.

And there is a drawbar, not couplers.

The unloader is interesting and I have never seen one in use. That's a very steep belt to elevate ballast. I suppose the second conveyor swings to either side to finally place the ballast.

Considering the conveyor belt, I would suppose this section of this ballast train would end at the blue car, and another conveyor section would start with the next set of yellow cars. But I didn't get near the end of the train to see if another blue car was there. I see one pile of ballast above the sides in the distance, I wonder if a door stuck and one bay couldn't be unloaded?

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and here's a You Tube video showing a similar train in action, GREX ballast train

They actually were hooking up to some sand hoppers on the quarry track. I don't know if they were pulling the hoppers out of the way so these could go to the quarry to be loaded. I haven't noticed any ballast loaded out of the Rapids quarry in years, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen any more.

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