U.S. Navy train crosses bridge to Kittery and enters PNSY on 02/15/2024

[@Stormcastle]

That carriage is a special nuclear haulage type from DOD - of which they have 5 units: DODX 39915 - 39920... with each rated to 600,000 lbs. / 272 metric tonnes (the first unit was tested in 1976 by Ensco, Inc. under contract by DOD), and these specialized rolling stock items are usually stored at the Mechanicsburg Naval Supply Depot in central Pennsylvania
What's inside the cask is hard to say, but new fuel or spent fuel is not cleared for those five units due to the lack of impact protection at both ends - however each unit features a visible radiation hazard placard, so if you were to make me guess at gunpoint, I'd probably arrive at irradiated metals from around a naval reactor (the sort that held up scrapping of the Enterprise while contractors figured out what to do with the stuff, since Big E had eight reactors)

[@413TomaccoRoad]

Cool. My father was an engineer at Westinghouse working on The Bid E nuke system.

[@whiteknightcat]

The truck springs were only moderately compressed, so not even fully loaded by weight.

[@ocsrc]

What cars do they have to transport nuclear fuel ?
I once saw a train with the huge cask with the bottom extending down below the flat car and they had a military caboose
It was on a track in the Binghamton yard heading south
I am pretty sure that had fuel rods
I don't know how they keep them cool
I don't know how a reactor works
Maybe the fuel rods don't get hot by themselves but what I always heard was that the spent rods had to be kept cool in water or they will burst into flames
Why doesn't the new rods do the same ?
In one of the James Bond movies they had a plutonium rod the guy was holding, so maybe they don't get hot on their own ?

[@doughuffman5790]

It’s a new unfluxed core. Fluxed modules are transported individually.

[@PaulFisher]

​@@ocsrc fuel rods are not hot (temperature-wise, and only mildly radioactive) until they go into a nuclear reactor, where the existing reaction causes them to start reacting and emit their own energy, kind of like throwing logs onto a fire-the logs aren’t hot by themselves, but they burn once they are ingited. at the end of their life they emit a lot of nuclear radiation because of the changes they underwent as part of the reaction. as a side effect of this it also makes a lot of heat, but not enough to be useful in producing electricity. keeping them in deep pools of water is actually enough to keep the radiation from reaching the environment, and it helps dissipate the heat.
this part I am less certain about but I believe that when spent fuel is moved, it is in small enough quantities that the container itself is enough to dissipate heat.
this is simplified but hopefully it helps give you a general idea of the fuel cycle.

[@Nswle]

Excellent video. That's neat to see something we don't normally get to witness.

[@albertcyphers1532]

Judging by the nuclear cask on the flat car I'm guessing they refueled a sub

[@JM603]

Is it a cask? I didn’t know what it was. Looks different to other casks that have gone there.

[@albertcyphers1532]

@@JM603 Either that or a warhead container

[@413TomaccoRoad]

Or they were removing spent rods.

[@ryanfrogz]

@@JM603definitely some sort of nuclear fuel container. Could be a cask or a gift box.

[@marchutton7640]

It would placarded if it was spent fuel or fuel. My bet is warhead.

[@natehill8069]

ironic that 1 flatcar has more axles than 2 locomotives.

[@jamesmarlowe8231]

That must’ve been a very important load! Great catch!

[@forbeshutton5487]

It's the Admiral's lunch. You better salute as it rolls past!

[@jamesmarlowe8231]

@@forbeshutton5487 🤣. the engineer was probably reprimanded for going slow. The Admiral is hongry & doesn’t like his lunch cold.

[@steventurner820]

Interesting with the heavy police presence at the last crossing, yet just the conductor flagging it across the main road

[@beeble2003]

Was that last scene the entrance to the base or something?

[@jaysmith1408]

Must be some union thing, there wasn’t much of a reason to flag the crossings in the first place anyways, especially the second one, and yet, they stopped and flagged anyways.
It is my experience that once we stop at a crossing, we tend to loose the right of way from yielding vehicles, so we then have to go through twice the effort to get it back.

[@beeble2003]

@@jaysmith1408 Why would it be a union thing? What interest would the union have in making its members act as a human shield to stop traffic?

[@jaysmith1408]

@@beeble2003 ensuring that the intersection is cleared ‘properly’ and per procedure. It’s strange, but per protocol, the only people who can back our fire apparatus are firemen. Doesn’t make a lick of sense why a medic can’t do it, but it’s nonsensical procedures.
If I recall correctly, state laws permit traffic control at crossings to be provided by any public safety employee (fire, EMS, law enforcement), any railroad employee, contractor thereof, or the engine crew. That said, there could be no other reason why the engine crew had to flag a crossing already festooned with law enforcement.

[@beeble2003]

@@jaysmith1408 Oh, wait. You're talking about the second crossing. Makes sense. I thought you were talking about the first one, which is why I couldn't understand. :) Having said that, it's more likely a railroad rule that the crew must flag the crossing. They know the train's intentions; "random" other people don't, necessarily.

[@melissasueh.]

If the cask had anything in it, there would have been a spacer flat car ahead of it and another behind it and the DOD guard caboose on the tail with Navy SP or Marine guards in it. Nuclear materials don't get moved around without spacers and guards.

[@JM603]

True. A few hours later a cask exited PNSY and headed back over the bridge. Here it is in Stratham, NH ruclips.net/video/17qXnvcu-TM/видео.htmlsi=jybQgEVD56DhIoRi

[@413TomaccoRoad]

I had no idea Pan Am had any decent contracts. I've seen locomotives of theirs parked at the West Springfield CSX yard.

[@gregmilliken9659]

CSX now owns PanAm Railways.

[@413TomaccoRoad]

@@gregmilliken9659 😆 Figures.

[@newpylong]

Pan Am no longer exists, even on paper.

[@gregmilliken9659]

@@newpylong I'm an old Maine Central Fan, as far as I'm concerned, Guilford, Pan Am etc., never existed. Mellon destroyed MEC, B&M, and D & H, Springfield Terminal. They all ceased to exist when he took over.

[@newpylong]

@@gregmilliken9659 It was indeed a sad period of New England railroading.

[@hobsonbeeman7529]

There would be a ton of security if it was nuclear material on board

[@JM603]

Yes very true

[@Tsnor150]

not too late to add some geiger counter to the soundtrack....

[@JM603]

Haha too funny!

[@mikes7639]

No they do not refuel any thing in that place. They do scrap submarines there but most of that junk goes by barge to richland. The train seems to low key for weapons

[@rmill344]

PNSY does do refuelings. Just a couple years ago they completed a major upgrade to Drydock 1 to support the Sub Life Extension Program. They've still got 6 more LA class subs to refuel.

[@malfunctionjunction6212]

Didn't see any Hobos on that train.

[@ffjsb]

When you flag a crossing, aren't you like supposed to have a...flag????

[@Paul070]

Nope your hands and arms are more than enough to meet the criteria for flagging a crossing!
There are certain railroads that require a actual flags in there rule book.

[@ffjsb]

@@Paul070 People are stupid, you NEED a signalling device, and often that isn't enough either. Those flags can be bought for under $5, no excuse not to have one. If someone gets hit, guess what's the first thing their lawyer is gonna ask??

[@MrWc867]

Now days flagman could be labeled as activist. Too many lame brain young people flying so many of them. The train flagman might be met with counter protest opposition.

[@karstendoerr5378]

If this is indeed from the U. S. Navy, the suspicion to me is that this could be a nuclear waste shipment (spent fuel) or could also contain new fuel rods for nuclear reactors. Just consider the number of nuclear-powered ships and submarines. The fuel rods have to be replaced sometime.

[@JM603]

There was no security caboose with it which is always present during the transport of spent nuclear waste etc. The train actually picked up a spent nuclear cask and returned to Portsmouth and back out west later that morning.

[@karstendoerr5378]

@@JM603 At least I was right in assuming that it might be something with radioactive material.

[@JM603]

@@karstendoerr5378 actually the spent nuclear cask was taken later in the day. Not sure what it is in this video but it’s safe as it was not labelled hazardous.

[@karstendoerr5378]

@@JM603 So here in Germany transport containers for radioactive material only have to be labelled if they also contain radioactive material. This is how we were taught in the radiation protection training fire brigade.

[@JM603]

Doing some research online.. I think you may be correct and I think there is a hazardous placard but its covered by the tarp on the back. Thanks

[@BillP-kg1yp]

Shipping nuclear fuel across roadways with no signal crossings. If this is a regular occurrence shouldn't they invest in better warning devices?

[@beeble2003]

They're not shipping nuclear fuel. If they were, the train would be under serious armed guard.

[@davidclarke4343]

Several weird things. If this was new or spent fuel, there would be several cars behind it and in front of it as a buffer. If it was new fuel, there would have been armed personal on that train. Also the navy police would have not been anywhere around it. I'm thinking it was a decoy.

[@JM603]

You are right. Empty and full casks always come with spacer cars and a DODX security caboose and this didn’t have that. The spent nuclear casks that came out of the base after this was delivered did have the caboose and spacers. Not sure what this one is.

[@sanddabz5635]

I wouldn't have even thought about that..... Great insight!

[@MottyGlix]

* personnel

[@sanddabz5635]

@@MottyGlix
*Coulda been auto dictate?.... Talk to text, you know, eh?

[@beeble2003]

"I'm thinking it was a decoy."
What does that even mean? Whatever it means, there's no point having a decoy unless it's visually indistinguishable from the real thing. If it's trivial to tell which trains are decoys and which are real, there's no point running decoys.

[@ErnieTarbox]

If it contained anything nuclear ,there’s a caboose that carries a USMC,armed guards. With absolutely no sense of humor

[@JM603]

Yes true. Anything sensitive always has a DODX security caboose.

[@mikeelder6298]

I wonder if there'd have been any repercussions if someone had attempted to board that car?

[@julesjames593]

None that the public would hear about.

[@beeble2003]

No more than boarding any other car: they're just trespassing. Note that there is no significant nuclear material on the train -- if there was, it would be under serious armed guard.

[@robertdees2150]

I saw a nuclear shipment pass through where i live yrs ago but they weren't going slow.

[@TheOriginalAndysGarage]

Did you see all of the wheels on that flat train car hauling that, when you have the Navy police blocking roads you can just wonder what's inside that container

[@beeble2003]

The Navy police are presumably protecting the base entrance. If there was anything significant in the container (e.g., any form of highly enriched nuclear material) the train itself would have serious armed guards.

[@tsaffran]

it couldn't've been that important no security on the train
I've seen spent fuel moved at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear plant
and the security is outrageous

[@ozzymd1]

Cutbacks from Biden , remember the whole administration played the American people and pocketed everyone's tax money !

[@kman-mi7su]

Probably an empty going to pick up spent rods.

[@gregwarner3753]

My guess is the load is a reactor vessel to be installed at the Portsmouth Navy shipyard in Kittery.

[@whiteknightcat]

It's a containment cask.

[@gregwarner3753]

Thank you@@whiteknightcat

[@robertstonebreaker8394]

At least that is a very short train but very slow

[@KC9UDX]

Because heavy

[@michaelritcheson5472]

Would love to see how that drawbridge gets set in place for the train to cross.

[@JM603]

Check out this video ruclips.net/video/3CW6KvjCCAQ/видео.htmlsi=1vLAMoeI2ff7Mp40

[@bts845]

What’s with the police escort with two engines?

[@josephbennett3482]

Keep people away from the train and to safeguard the crossings so people know to stop due to the danger.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

It has to be the most economical railroad crossing
Just slap a crossbuck on to the traffic light pole 🤣🤣🤣

[@JM603]

Hehe only gets used a couple of times a year if that.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

@@JM603 makes sense then 😂

[@spanners94]

Looks like someone ordered a new coffee maker.

[@JM603]

Haha hate to see the K cups that go in that thing!

[@ocsrc]

PAN AM RAILWAYS LIVES ON !!!!!!

[@tomcook5813]

Even the horns are in tune 😊

[@chickenwing111]

Live cam of the bridge in the distance: ruclips.net/video/gmaWrs20290/видео.html

[@alanswensen1802]

Did you hear the one about how many policemen does it take to screw in a reactor?😀

[@kennethkresowaty2795]

Definitely used to transport nuclear material.

[@beeble2003]

Definitely not. No hazmat placards, no armed guards.

[@sernajrlouis]

Cool video and channel just subscribed

[@JM603]

Thank you!

[@thomasjcox]

what kind of locomotive is that? looks like SD 40 and dash 9 had a baby

[@SteveHinch]

GP 40-2LW. A GP40-2 with a safety cab.

[@tmlafrance]

Former Canadian National

[@Cnw8701]

Wow, they actually gave you permission to film this?

[@JM603]

In public you can film anything :-)

[@josephbennett3482]

It's permitted, you're just not allowed anywhere near the train like people do with other train watching videos , you're kept a good distance away.

[@keithsuggs7935]

Some rules are just comical! The automatic warning device is not working so let the 200 tom locomotive slowly go over it? Naww, let the Conductor walk out into traffic and stop the traffic for the 16 feet tall x 10 feet wide locomotive. 😂😂

[@beeble2003]

Sorry, what part of this is comical? The automatic device isn't working, so they use a manual replacement. The conductor is stopping traffic to protect the traffic, not the train.

[@keithsuggs7935]

@beeble2003 I've had to do this too many times. The traffic won't stop for a human. They'll drive around you and yell at you. I've learned some new words like that!

[@ericvonp]

Shipment to a “Nuclear Boy-scout” shed?…..

[@jr798]

It's quite simple. This car is used to transport Naval reactor fuel cores, principally those used in US Navy submarines. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard performs a multitude of maintenance and repair tasks, to include refueling, when so ordered.

[@dpelpal]

Completely wrong confidently so😂😂😂

[@rmill344]

not even close. the cars used to transport fuel are oriented vertically and integrated to the car itself.

[@jr798]

Well, if you know, you know. If you don't, you don't.

[@stevegabbert9626]

I don't there's anything in the cask...yet. I've worked at several nuke powerhouses, and anything that contains nuclear material would me marked as such during transport. However, if this is for the Navy, I wouldn't doubt that their rules might be different.

[@cats0182]

Thought Pan Am Railways was history.

[@snydedon9636]

That railroad was history the day it was sold to mellonhead. He had big nostrils.

[@gregmilliken9659]

CSX owns it now,

[@newpylong]

Pan Am Railways does not exist. Purchased in 2022 by CSX and since completely folded into CSX Corp.

[@jims6323]

Those look like GP-45's, probably rebuilt to GP-40 specs.

[@johnsobaszko1700]

There's no such thing as a GP45.

[@navigant321]

sorry but goin in without a security detail its empty... but on the way out...

[@JM603]

Yes I agreee

[@denisberger9657]

May I see your papers please

[@OriginalCoastalDistancing]

Loose lips sink ships.

[@hogdog51]

They were carrying nukes of some sort . That was definitely a nuclear cask on the flatbed train car .

[@beeble2003]

They weren't carrying any nuclear material. There are no hazmat placards and naval nuclear material would have a serious armed guard.

[@peterkliem3470]

Or getting an empty to take a decomissioned one away.

[@JohnPatterson-kz8jr]

Pan Am Railway's about to become part of CSX.😮😅

[@newpylong]

Pan Am Railways does not exist. Purchased in 2022 by CSX and since completely folded into CSX Corp.

[@pitrow66]

Looks like a sub Nuke reactor

[@alanmiller1554]

That really was a whole lot of nothin

[@schrap72]

What is that they're pulling?

[@josephbennett3482]

Nuclear fuel cask the hauls Nuclear fuel for nuclear submarines.

[@tmlafrance]

Where is this?

[@JM603]

Kittery, ME

[@john72ss]

navy train???

[@pauldormont4470]

Navy Blue

[@justin8894]

Is that nuclear shit?

[@charalinedreemurr2953]

Hehe funny yellow box make clicking noise

[@MillersRailfan]

Superb video; Jonathan!!!!!
Too bad that pan am shit is pulling it; they won’t last forever

[@ffjsb]

Nothing lasts forever...

[@jameshisself9324]

Won't last because of the paint job? I'd prefer a USN logo too and the horn playing anchors aweigh but we can't have everything. It did have a nice US flag emblazoned on it.

[@MillersRailfan]

@@jameshisself9324 great idea

[@evilborg]

a sub nuke reactor.....

[@beeble2003]

Nope. That's a container for transporting nuclear material. And it's an empty one, as the car isn't carrying hazmat placards and there's no armed guard.

[@eugenebennett5800]

tha tis what a nuke reactor look like if no one have ever seen it in a sealed caseing... i seen them active in a submarine on shore duty groton ct......