What are these hoppers used for?

[packers#1]

I was driving downtown by the tracks yesterday and saw two CN hoppers spotted at what I believe to be a fertilizer distributor. I didn't snap a pic, but I did copy down the numbers. CNLX 7009 and CNLX 7269. Here are some links to hoppers near the same series:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2476547
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2356907

My question is, do these hoppers haul fertilizer or feed?

[Philip H]

probably phosphate for the fertilizer.

[packers#1]

probably phosphate for the fertilizer.

thanks!

[cv_acr]

probably phosphate for the fertilizer.

Or potash, or processed fertilizer (he said it might be a distributor but not a mill?), or...

But not grain. These cars with the round roof hatches usually weren't used for grains, and pretty much all of the CNLX cars have the round hatches (and I've never seen a CNLX marked car at a grain elevator or mixed in with trough-hatch cars in grain service.)

[Scottl]

The phosphate mine near Kaspuskasing, ON loads into cars like those.  Potash would be less likely, as it is usually shipped in unit trains for export.

[lock4244]

The phosphate mine near Kaspuskasing, ON loads into cars like those.  Potash would be less likely, as it is usually shipped in unit trains for export.

Potash moves in small of single car lots as well, and to domestic points.

On CP's Orangeville and Owen Sound Subs, the movement of potash to local mills was a spring rite, and I was fortunate to witness on such movement of empties south of Orangeville in 1989. Four C424's and 70 cars! I beleive the same type of movement was made to Putnam, Ontario (still may, palnt is still there and still rail served).

[packers#1]

Or potash, or processed fertilizer (he said it might be a distributor but not a mill?), or...

It could be a mill then; it's called Carolina Eastern products, I think. I'll probably keep an eye out for more cars spotted there; I have seen a BN hopper (and also saw another that day in line with the switcher).
Thanks for the help fellas!

[cv_acr]

The phosphate mine near Kaspuskasing, ON loads into cars like those.  Potash would be less likely, as it is usually shipped in unit trains for export.

Only if we're talking about the dedicated Canpotex trains (Canpotex being an export consortium). I've never seen a Canpotex that wasn't in a unit train in western Canada. Those Canpotex trains are also solid Canpotex cars; all identical.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/displayrailway.pl?o=canpotex

Plenty of potash moves around in regular trains. I've seen lots of Saskatchewan Potash Corp. (PotashCorp) and IMC cars around here, and potash also travels in regular CN and CP cars as well. BNSF and UP also handle potash mined in the states.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/displayrailway.pl?o=imcx
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/displayrailway.pl?o=potx

[RockGp40]

Not to nit pick, but these guys (PTEX cars) do venture off in short cuts too (for me personally on the MDDE, as few as one, as many as 6).Here I am coupling a couple empties up to my outbound train last fall:



As far as the CNLX, I would bet they are in potash service. I have had bunches of those too.

[wm3798]

I like the way Brian talks about "having" hoppers the way other men talk about women...

[packers#1]

So what do fertilizer mills usually recieve as raw materials? I'm guessing potash, phosphate, what else?

[RockGp40]

Are you asking about granular commodities? If so, you can add urea to the list.

If you are talking about tank cars, phosphoric acid, liquid nitrogen, something called "poly" which is frequently a commodity carried on my shortline, and anhydrous ammonia among others.

[packers#1]

mainly granular, but also in general; like what a railroad would bring in

[cv_acr]

Not to nit pick, but these guys (PTEX cars) do venture off in short cuts too (for me personally on the MDDE, as few as one, as many as 6).Here I am coupling a couple empties up to my outbound train last fall:

Cool. I've never seen one of the PTEX cars in person except brand new from NSC.