Nostalgia & History > Why Did IC Downgrade Grenada District?

Some time in the mid 90's Illinois Central CTCd the Yazoo District between West Jct. (Memphis) and North Jackson, MS and increased maximum passenger train speed to 79 MPH.  Amtrak moved its CITY OF NEW ORLEANS over to this route, despite it being a much slower route than the fast line via Grenada, Durant and Canton.  I believe the Greneda District is still in service, begging the question as to why Amtrak does not use it. What was IC's reason for upgrading the Yazoo District?
Andy

Roller coaster profile and short sidings were main reasons. 


twropr Wrote:
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> Some time in the mid 90's Illinois Central CTCd
> the Yazoo District between West Jct. (Memphis) and
> North Jackson, MS and increased maximum passenger
> train speed to 79 MPH.  Amtrak moved its CITY OF
> NEW ORLEANS over to this route, despite it being a
> much slower route than the fast line via Grenada,
> Durant and Canton.  I believe the Greneda
> District is still in service, begging the question
> as to why Amtrak does not use it. What was IC's
> reason for upgrading the Yazoo District?
> Andy

Hmmmm . . . I wonder if eee will try to get Amtrak back on that route???

Take a look at this post. http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,3784361

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

The Grenada District is no longer a through route. Followed it a few years ago, in service a few miles north of Jackson to serve an auto plant, saw much of it north of the auto plant definately not used, not sure if any of the very north end is in service?
JB

While much of it is out of service, I think the track is all still in. See EEE's post on the Eastern board for a recent hi-rail trip he took.

IC was eliminating redundant trackage. Both the Yazoo and Grenada Districts needed some serious upgrading, but the Yazoo was more amenable to freight traffic.

The Grenada was fast but the old jointed rail was quite a rock and roll experience at 79 mph.

Bob

When I was train dispatching over there in the early 1980's the only trains on the Grenada District
were locals, 58 and 59 and the pigs (50 and 51).

As previous posters have already said, the Grenada Dist. was not nearly as flat as the (then) Tallahatchie and
Yazoo Dists. The Grenada Dist was also handicapped by short sidings.

On the Tallahatchie two or three Paducah Geeps could pull almost anything Johnston Yard put on the drawbar. 
Although non-signaled at the time, the ICG always had enough  intermediate stations with operators to 
keep traffic moving.  The sidings had spring switches at both ends.