Western Railroad Discussion > New GEVO, a Local, Brooklyns, KOADU

I had a day off last Tuesday, and went foaming with Maxwell. On Sunday before that, I was informed of a standard cab CSX SD60 (CSXT 8706) in Milpitas, and I was prepared to chase it if it ended up on an autorack repo on the Coast Line.

My prediction came true, and I was absolutely prepared, except the crew wye'd the power at Niles Jct., so it didn't lead anymore. ARGH. Both Maxwell and I woke up early for this, but since our plan was dashed, we decided to look elsewhere.

Before we met up, I heard a UP 2545 talk to UP Dispatcher 58 about turning the train around at Niles Jct. I knew right away it was a brand new GEVO on the ILTLT ("Lathrop Shuttle") so after I met up with Max, we headed east in his Prius C to see if we can catch up to it. The train ran fast on the Oakland Sub, so our only option was catching it arrive at Lathrop, which we did.

- UP 2545 and ILTLT at north end of the Lathrop Intermodal Terminal, on the Oakland Sub.
- Quick grab roster shot of the C45AH.
- Video of the ILTLT crossing Hicks (Fresno vs. Oakland Sub junction) and accelerating.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/15 22:12 by cchan006.

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After chasing the UP 2545 around, we headed back to the south end of Lathrop Intermodal, and suddenly we heard 16 axles hit the detector at MP 91.1 (Fresno Sub). I was driving, and since there was no place to park, I let Max off so he could get an overhead shot of the LRS46, a local out of Stockton.

I had a good idea where this train was going next, so I drove south toward Louise Ave. to see if I could catch the 46 local on the Tracy Sub doing work at a nearby industry. I get a video clip here as the job finishes the set out and comes out to the main. Note the screeching noise from a car braking, possibly a driver trying to beat the crossing gates and decided against it when he saw the Geeps.

Second clip is between W. Lathrop and Pacific, a connector between the Tracy Sub and the Fresno Sub, or the "south leg" of the wye. The 46 job is heading east to the Fresno Sub. So in a matter of several minutes I got trains at both junctions at Lathrop, using all the subdivisions. (MWCRV went by just before this, not shown)

In the third clip, LRS46 travels west (railroad north) on the Fresno Sub, to get ready to access the spur to the scrap metal yard there. After the crew throws the switch, the job enters the spur, fourth clip.

The 46 job pulls all the cars out of the spur in the fifth clip. The first two are empties, and rest are loads. After leaving the loads on the main behind the switch, the crew sets out the empties back into the spur, sixth clip. You might hear an impatient driver going fast in the background.

The train departs toward Stockton in the seventh and final clip, highballing the foamers.

- LRS46 on the Tracy Sub, at a spur to an industry there.
- LRS46 setting out the empties, with the loads on the main (Fresno Sub).
- Video as described above.

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After the fun chase of the LRS46, we headed north toward Roseville, maybe catching up to the MWCRV that passed by earlier. We then heard the detector at MP 91.1 go off again, 260 axles (Track 2). I looked at the time and knew right away what this train was.

It was the ZLCBR, the northbound Brooklyn, nicknamed the "Z plus" by ble692.

We met the train at the Stockton ACE depot, then chased it along Hwy 99 since the "Z plus" was going on the Fresno Sub. It was the fastest Brooklyn I ever chased, as we stayed even all the way even though I was driving and averaged 70+ mph. Looked like we were not going to intercept this train anywhere on the Fresno Sub.

Fortunately, I overheard the crew talking on the radio to a lady (manager? van driver?) about the train's routing while we were in Stockton. The Z+ was going Elvas, Haggin, then go on the Sacramento Sub. Normally, the train takes the Sac Sub at El Pinal and go north all the way to Del Paso for a crew change, or take Fresno Sub all the way then Martinez Sub to Roseville for a crew change. So I made a beeline to Haggin, and got the ZLCBR there, first clip. Yes, it's my duty to show the entire train. Note the Boeing parts car.

We then drove east toward Roseville, hoping to catch Amtrak #5 with AMTK 42 second in consist. Instead, we caught the ZBRLC ("Z minus") west of Citrus Heights, second clip. Entire train is shown. Amtrak #5 was next, and I got video, too, but it's not included, since I nabbed it so many times the last several weeks and I had already posted the videos here on TO.

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Max and I were hungry from all the chasing, so we went to the Pacific St. Cafe in Roseville for a relaxing lunch. Just as we were about to finish easting, I overheard a UP 5662 talk to DS 57, and the symbol was included in the conversation, KOADU (Oakland, CA to Dupo, IL, priority intermodal).

Score! An eastbound to chase up Donner Pass!

Locations covered in the video are the following: Bloomer's Cut, Applegate, and Casa Loma. There are two clips at Applegate to show the front engines and the rear DPUs. I show the entire train at Casa Loma, along with the scenery. I believe this train wasn't that long, 262 axles?

I had to work early the next day, so after Casa Loma, we headed back to the Bay Area. We watched an eastbound coal empties and a no-grainer depart Roseville, then a southbound manifest (MRVFR?) between Galt and Acampo on the Fresno Sub to finish up the foaming day.

- KOADU at Gold Run.
- MRVFR-ish train south of Galt.
- Video as described.

That's all folks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/15 23:21 by cchan006.

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cchan006 Wrote:
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> It was the ZLCBR, the northbound Brooklyn,
> nicknamed the "Z plus" by ble692.

> Instead, we caught the ZBRLC ("Z minus") west of
> Citrus Heights,

Thanks for posting the entire train videos, those seem to be popular trains for people to watch.  On that ZLCBR, I wonder if the cars ahead of the Boeing car is the block to continue to Tacoma and behind the Boeing the Brooklyn block?  Geez, that "Z minus" train was sure short.

Z 'Plus' and Z 'Minus' - I like it - even though the Z 'Minus' does handle some UPS biz as shown on the video; I can't understand why that train gets delayed as much as it does. And at the 2:19 mark of the video, a rare sighting of a truck line that hasn't run any business on those trains since the 'PCX' days on the SP 20+ years ago: May Trucking is back. Nice to see May back on the trains along with Gordon Trucking. Enjoyed the video.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/15 08:59 by modoc_line.

modoc_line Wrote:
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> Z 'Plus' and Z 'Minus' - I like it - even though
> the Z 'Minus' does handle some UPS biz as shown on
> the video; I can't understand why that train gets
> delayed as much as it does. And at the 2:19 mark
> of the video, a rare sighting of a truck line
> that hasn't run any business on those trains since
> the 'PCX' days on the SP 20+ years ago: May
> Trucking is back. Nice to see May back on the
> trains along with Gordon Trucking. Enjoyed the
> video.

With the UPS trailers taking the slow ride south on the "Z-minus", I wonder if those might not be empty repo's returning south (ie an inbalance of loads going north to Portland as opposed to loads going south).  Lots of that happens out west here with UPS as there's more loads coming west than going east, so empty trailers going back east for repositioning.  Another possibility is that the UP might just not be able to meet a tighter commitment transit time, so there's plenty of "wiggle" room in the schedule for the trains to get down to LA?  Of course, if that's the case, my opinion is what a wimp - suck it up and tighten the schedules (reliably)!!!

I was sure disappointed to see how short that "Z-minus" was, then saw that it was probably the Monday departure out of Brooklyn, probably a slower, beginning of week day.

cpn456 Wrote:
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> I was sure disappointed to see how short that
> "Z-minus" was, then saw that it was probably the
> Monday departure out of Brooklyn, probably a
> slower, beginning of week day.

The Monday departure explains it.  I've caught 7 Tu-Fr departures since October, and they were all 83 to 109 platforms.  This Monday departure was only 52 platforms.

mapboy

Thanks for the videos, I now have containers on the I-LTLT and then on to the KOADU going to Kentucky and good to see the actual trains.  The loads connect in Dupo to the KSEMN to Marion AR.

gmojim

cpn456 Wrote:
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> Another possibility is that the
> UP might just not be able to meet a tighter
> commitment transit time, so there's plenty of
> "wiggle" room in the schedule for the trains to
> get down to LA?  Of course, if that's the case,
> my opinion is what a wimp - suck it up and tighten
> the schedules (reliably)!!!

That's alright, Mr. BNSF, as there are 7 of your 'precious' JB Hunt loads riding on a UP train in the video...so whadda ya think of THAT! ;^)

Sure a lot of Interstate trailers on there...those, Market and Hunt are big business on those trains. Wonder what ever happened to the NPE business that used to run on the I-5 Zs? Haven't seen any in a few years now.

Enjoyed the KOADU video as well, with a big setout at Ogden on that train for SLC/Denver.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/15 13:26 by modoc_line.

GOOD stuff...!! Thanks for sharing.