Van Den Bosch Feed, Zeeland

[GP30M4216]

Van Den Bosch Feed, formally the John A. Van Den Bosch Co., is a railroad-served business in Zeeland not too far from where I live. They mix and market several varieties of pet food, bird seed, animal feed, and related products. They're served by CSX's Y121 job, based in Holland Waverly Yard. You can learn more about Van Den Bosch at their website: https://vboschhome.com/about-us/

I never used to pay much attention to railroad customers. Let's just blame AARR for me getting interested in what cars go to what industries, and what commodities are shipped in or out. Since I've lived here, I started keeping track of the occasional covered hoppers which show up on the Van Den Bosch Feed siding. Even though I probably missed a few, it's not a busy customer. They only average just over a carload a month, which often they tend to come in groups or cycles and then no loads in for a few months at a time. But the cars they do receive are often interesting. Modern BNSF swoosh hoppers are frequent, but so are cascade green Burlington Northern cars, or former CNW green hoppers now with new reporting marks, former XTRA cars, and other unique fallen flags. You can hold a lot of seed in a hopper car! In this era of mega-elevators and unit trains, it's interesting to keep an eye on a smaller agricultural industry, still served by the railroad. I've summarized the cars I've seen by year in the list below, and will keep adding to it. It might be interesting for model railroaders out there. Thanks to GRH&C and others who chime in with Y121 reports which help to fill out my records. I hope this is interesting to others.

Here's a few photos. The list is below!

2022:
Total Inbound = 17
Total outbound = 1
Jan. 8 (1) QTTX 130739 depressed center flatcar outbound transformer load
Feb. 16 (3) NOKL 332360, BN 448101, NOKL 834475
Mar. 5 (2) RCPE x2
Mar. 28 (1) BNSF 474371
Apr. 20 (2) ? ?
Jul. 8 (1) BNSF 474904
Aug. 30 (1) BNSF 480431
Oct. 21 (1) NOKL 821751
Oct. 26 (2) BNSF 436165, BNSF 488068
Nov. 10 (3) ATW 88103, NOKL 819189, NOKL ?
Nov. 23 (1) NOKL

2021:
Total Inbound = 16
Jan. 4 (2) BNSF 436758, BNSF 462378
Jan. 8 (1) BNSF 487909
Jan. 26 (2) NOKL, AOK
Apr. 7 (1) DSRC 8022
Apr. 23 (1) CFWR 834497
Jun. 2 (1) BN 460604 Big Logo
Jun. 17 (1) BNSF 488628
Aug. 5 (1) CEFX
Sept. 19 (2) CEFX, BNSF
Oct. 1 (1) BN 471767
Oct. 19 (1) NOKL
Nov. 17 (1) BNSF 480562

2020:
Total Inbound = 15
Jan. 6 (1) DSRC
Jan. 15 (1) BNSF
Feb. 13 (1) DSRC
Feb. 22 (1) BNSF 479766
May 25 (1) NOKL 820634
Jul. 10 (1) BNSF 474201
Jul. 27 (1) BNSF 472827
Jul. 31 (1) BNSF 471618
Aug. 6 (1) BN 449311 Big Logo
Sept. 23 (1) XTRA
Nov. 16 (3) BNSF 476132, BNSF 483231, BN 468944
Dec. 2 (1) ?
Dec. 14 (1) BNSF 476122

2019:
Total Inbound = 12
Feb. 14 (3) NOKL, BN, BNSF 487518
May 8 (4) ?
Aug. 1 (1) BNSF
Sept. 14 (1) BNSF 498538
Oct. 30 (1) BNSF 497143
Nov. 9 (1) BNSF
Dec. 28 (1) BNSF 436209

2018:
Total Inbound = 16
Jan. 8 (5) AOK, NOKL, RCPE 181393, BN 471975, BN 448402 Big Logo
May 10 (1) ATW
May 31 (1) NDYX
Jul. 27 (1) ATW
Jul. 31 (1) BNSF
Aug. 15 (1) NDYX
Aug. 27 (1) NOKL
Sept. 4 (1) NOKL
Oct. 25 (1) BN 467002
Nov. 6 (1) ATW
Dec. 18 (2) BNSF x2

[AARR]

Let's just blame AARR for me getting interested in what cars go to what industries, and what commodities are shipped in or out.

Thank you. This is one of my favorite parts of the hobby.

I also enjoy seeing what trains cars travel in from their origin to their destination.

[GRHC]

I remember seeing Milwaukee Road 40 foot ribside box cars like the one in the stock photo below with loads of feed for the mill in the early to mid 70s.

CSX Engine #2785 spotting a covered hopper at the Van Den Bosch feedmill.
Note: The tan mats on the ground are for a transformer load to be shipped out.