8/18/2007 Port Jefferson - Photo/Archive: John Volpi
10/10/2003 Smithtown - Photo/Archive: John Volpi
Ballast train at Willets Point 11/21/2013 Photo/Archive: Kevin Wong
LI 6100-6162 13 rib series LI Ballast Hoppers #6112 at North Haven, CT
6/23/96
Photo: Richard Louderback, Archive: Dave Keller
LIRR Ballast Hopper #6131 at Fresh Pond Junction – Fresh Pond, NY – 11/11/99
Photo: Al Tillotson, Archive: Dave Keller
LI 6160-6162 15 rib series LI Ballast Hoppers #6161 extended side at LI City, NY 10/21/07
Photo: John McCluskey
Note: Is this a rebuild of the LI #6160-6162 last three cars with additional capacity and ribs added?
LI 100015-100034 11 ribs 3 center ribs close together series LI Ballast Hoppers #100034 at Port Jefferson, NY 9/21/2003 Photo: John Volpi
West Yard Port Jefferson 9-23-03
LI #6122 Port Jefferson 09/01
LI #6137 Smithtown 10/10/03
LI #6147 Farmingdale 09/20/03
LI #6151 Smithtown 01/11/07
LI #6160 Port Jefferson 09/03
Inside Brace 10/06
Truck 10/18/06 Smithtown
Lube Plate 0/06 Smithtown
LI #100028 Smithtown 10/03
LI #100034 Port Jefferson 09/21/03
LI #6137 Dump Controls Smithtown 10/2001
LI #6110 ballast hopper - Jamaica 8/03/2018 Photo/Archive: Tim Darnell
LI #6105 ballast hopper - Jamaica 8/03/2018
Photo/Archive: Tim Darnell
Note: Hopper at right is series
LI 100015-100034 11 ribs 3 center ribs close together series:
Hopper is #10001xx.
All photos this section: John Volpi unless noted.
Ballast train Main Line Third Track Project at Mineola - 7/11/2021 Photo/Archive: Bill Mangahas
These ballast hopper fleets have automated discharge capabilities that allow for specific unloading flows to be remotely initiated, avoiding the need for a crew member to walk beside the car during unloading. The solar panels used to keep the batteries for those systems charged.
Herzog hoppers at Mineola - 7/11/2021
Photo/Archive: John Ciesla
You can see the single operator
using pushbuttons on the car side to control the ballast flow. It appears to
me that he is dropping ballast between the rails where he is watching and to
the outside the rails
ehind himself.
The solar panels that recharge the batteries allowing this control are
visible at the ends of the hoppers. These hoppers have electrically actuated
hydraulic controls on all chutes that can be controlled either from the side
of the hopper or using a remote control.
That remote control capability does mean that Herzog can preplan ballast
drops with railroads and drop controlled amounts of ballast in confined
spaces using GPS and inertial navigation to avoid the need to have someone
walk along side the train to drop ballast in tunnels and other dangerous
spaces.
New LIRR ballast hopper cars numbered in the 617x or 616x series and there are at least eight of them. Built by Ebenezer Rail Car Service in Buffalo, NY. A load capacity of 225,700 lbs./2,680 cubic feet with a Loram control system in a locked box at one end.
Photo/Archive: Barry Johnson
LI #6164 MW - 7/01/2025 Photo/Archive: Chris Kokonis
Herzog solar powered ballast cars
Photo/Archive: Herzog Corp.
LI #6175 MW - 7/01/2025 Photo/Archive: Chris Kokonis