The Hagestad Sandhouse Gang

The Hagestad Sandhouse Gang is a railroad-oriented discussion group run by the Transportation Center at Northwestern University. The group meets monthly for 90 minutes to two hours with a speaker and then discussion of the presentation.  The concept is to link active / semi-active rail practioners with students and academics at Northwestern and other schools. We currently have about 300 members and have been in existence for roughly five years.

Past presentations are available here.

Upcoming Sandhouse Meetings

Tank Car Safety

Joint Sandhouse & Transportation Research Forum Meeting

Date/Time: June 25, 2008, 12 - 2 PM (bring your own lunch)
Speaker: Christopher P.L. Barkan
Associate Professor
George Krambles Faculty Fellow
Director - Railroad Engineering Program
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Location: UIC Illini Center
200 S. Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL
Call-in: Not available

Prof. Chris Barkan will present his research on tank cars and what we can expect going forward in the area of tank car safety.

Notes on Sandhouse Meetings

Normally the Sandhouse Gang meets at 3:00 p.m. on the Northwestern campus in Evanston. Specific meeting locations are often not determined until shortly before the sessions; for authoritative meeting details, call the Transportation Center (847 491-7287).

Why "The Sandhouse Gang"? Locomotives use sand to assist them for traction (steel wheels on steel rails will sometimes slip particularly if the rail is wet). Prior to modern servicing facilities, there was a separate area near the railroad roundhouse where locomotives were "sanded" between trips.  This location was often out of the way and found employees from several different unions in the area - hostlers, engineers, brakemen, oilers, maintenance people, carmen and so on.  But few management people were there.  As such the "Sandhouse" became a "gossip" area of sorts for the exchange of all kinds of facts, stories, and rumors. In fact, a common railroad expression was "give me the sandhouse" on this or that.  Translation: "Give me the low-down."

Since its inception, the Sandhouse Gang had been animated by the efforts of our dear friend Doug Hagestad. The Gang's new name commemorates our debt to him.

Recognition of Doug Hagestad:
July 2004

On Doug's passing: July 2007

Joining the Sandhouse Gang

The Sandhouse Gang is an informal group of current and former participants in the railroad freight industry, that meets on a monthly basis to hear and debate current developments in the industry, particularly matters affecting the Chicago area.

To Subscribe to the Sandhouse Gang mailing list:

E-mail Diana Marek at d-marek@northwestern.edu with your name, email and postal mailing address.

Directions to the Evanston campus, and suggestions for parking.

Other links of interest:

Association of American Railroads (AAR)

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association

Midwest High Speed Rail Association

Questions?

Contact the TC's Assistant Director, Diana Marek: d-marek@northwestern.edu
(847) 491-2280.