Western Railroad Discussion > Train length question ?

  I watched a UP loaded coal train come thru Rochelle, IL this morning and I counted 147 loaded cars, with 2 units in front, and 1 on the end.  Is that close to the normal length now, or is that above normal ?   Also, earlier in the week I saw a manifest train come thru, with probably mostly emptys, that had 3 UP units in front, and over 100 cars before the DPU unit came by, and I actually counted 100 cars behind the DPU.   Is that above normal ?
                            Thanks for any info, or opinions.

   Frank, in Tennessee​

GP30Frank Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>   I watched a UP loaded coal train come thru
> Rochelle, IL this morning and I counted 147 loaded
> cars, with 2 units in front, and 1 on the end. 
> Is that close to the normal length now, or is that
> above normal ?   Also, earlier in the week I saw
> a manifest train come thru, with probably mostly
> emptys, that had 3 UP units in front, and over 100
> cars before the DPU unit came by, and I actually
> counted 100 cars behind the DPU.   Is that above
> normal ?
>                          
>    Thanks for any info, or opinions.
>
>    Frank, in Tennessee​

Well, Frank, I would say that's above normal.  Most UP coal trains on the old
CNW run about 135 cars, 2x1.   200 plus car manifests are also above normal.
I should add here that a UP guy told me the maximum length the DPU can be
from the head end is 8,500 feet, FWIW.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

That seems pretty normal to me for the UP across Illinois and Iowa.  The much more common use of DPU the last 10 years or so has really allowed railroads to lengthen their trains. 

on the cp rail (old soo) west of minneapolis, i heard a train going thru greenfield's detector at mp 25.5 length to be 11989 feet. it's like two trains in one. hunter gets to use half the crews and drive that operating ratio (expense/revenue) down, down, down. dave, out.

For the coal train, that does sound longer; I've only ever the 135~ with 2+1 configuration.

For the freight, the times I've have been trackside near the UP in IL (several a year) manifests were anywhere between small and 150 cars. People have reported that a manifest from North Platte to Proviso can be a monster, though, so maybe that was the manifest you saw.

Listening to the Broadcastify feed while watching Rochelle (yes it can be frustrating) the UP detectors routinely call over 600 axles for coal trains, although not sure they are all loads. 

Was told by a fellow who works the yard in Pasco WA that the BNSF is combining shorter trains to cut costs. Know that more long trains seem to be on the joint track out of Klamath Falls OR the last part of this year for both roads UP and BNSF.

A couple of years ago I remember seeing a 193 car manifest going East through Rochelle in the wee hours of the morning- four units up front with a mid-train dpu. It was a nice finale to that vacation, before heading out to ORD and back across the pond to LHR.

BAB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Was told by a fellow who works the yard in Pasco
> WA that the BNSF is combining shorter trains to
> cut costs. Know that more long trains seem to be
> on the joint track out of Klamath Falls OR the
> last part of this year for both roads UP and BNSF.

Cut crew costs, but increase time and make more variable the transit times for customers' cars.  No wonder fewer and fewer businesses ship via carload rail any more.  Railroads seem to be milking as much profit out of that line of business and not really care much at all about service to the customer.  Guess in high school economics, this would be a "cash cow" line of business, for ever long as it lasts.