Here is a video of an oil tanker unit train pulled by an MTH Proto 3 CSX smoking diesel:
IMO, this unit oil tanker train is very realistic. I have seen the real thing on the Western side of the Hudson River at West Point. I also saw this unit train (the real thing) overlooking the Hudson River at the Garrison Institute 2 weeks ago.
Although I'm not 100% sure of what I'm about to say, I also believe that in the real world such unit trains provide a very economical way of transporting massive amounts of cargo like oil and, provided there is no horrendous train wreck, which is very rare, it is also better for the environment than other means of transporting immense quantities of freight like oil.
So, I believe model and real unit freight trains are very good things. By modeling such trains, we are promoting the real thing and well as the models. It could generate a lot more excitement about model and real trains if rebuilding and renovating real train infrastructure finally happened in a big way in the United States. Arnold
