Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS 14G, Monster Train at Cresson

On Saturday, one of NS's new "monster trains" symbol 14G from Bellevue to Morrisville ran with 162 cars and two DPU's mid-train and two units up front.  The train sat at MO (Cresson) for about two hours waiting for a DPU certified recrew.  Here you can see the train finally getting moving with a fresh crew.  Enjoy!

Tehachapi-TJ Over & Out



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/16 11:28 by tehachapi-dave.

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

nice video, is this the same train that had air problems in Ohio.

what was the average max train size limit for the Pitt Line over the hill ??? ...

audiom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> nice video, is this the same train that had air
> problems in Ohio.

That train was 101 to Elkhart

Posted from Android

thanks.

Conrail, PC, and even PRR ran trains around 160 cars on the 'Pittsburg Line" even back into the sixties and maybe before. i have personal logs of them. The problem here is 95% of all railfans takes pics of the locos and pay no attention to the train or even count cars or note their type, etc, so they do not know how big the trains really are unless they stay and watch the whole train and log or film it. So they hear '162 cars' on the scanner and think it is a monster. It is not, just business as usual.  160 cars was about the max for mixed carload trains on that route. Of course the cars are bigger and heavier now, but I do have car counts more than 160 at the curve or on the old 'Middle Division' way back. What is new here is DPU's on a mixed carload train. As far as I know CR did not try that but they did use DPU's on some coal and ore trains in the mid-1990s, and the  ore trains were 160 cars.. As far as train length in feet;  CR ran many intermodal trains each way two miles or a bit more around the 'curve', which means the trains were about 18% the length of the entire 11 ile climb. I have records and notes.

Also, CSX now runs trains 180-250 cars in and out of Wilsmere a few times each week. No DPU's. Sometimes just two big units.

tp117 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Conrail, PC, and even PRR ran trains around 160
> cars on the 'Pittsburg Line" even back into the
> sixties and maybe before. i have personal logs of
> them. The problem here is 95% of all railfans
> takes pics of the locos and pay no attention to
> the train or even count cars or note their type,
> etc, so they do not know how big the trains really
> are unless they stay and watch the whole train and
> log or film it. So they hear '162 cars' on the
> scanner and think it is a monster. It is not, just
> business as usual.  160 cars was about the max
> for mixed carload trains on that route. Of course
> the cars are bigger and heavier now, but I do have
> car counts more than 160 at the curve or on the
> old 'Middle Division' way back. What is new here
> is DPU's on a mixed carload train. As far as I
> know CR did not try that but they did use DPU's on
> some coal and ore trains in the mid-1990s, and
> the  ore trains were 160 cars.. As far as train
> length in feet;  CR ran many intermodal trains
> each way two miles or a bit more around the
> 'curve', which means the trains were about 18% the
> length of the entire 11 ile climb. I have records
> and notes.
>
> Also, CSX now runs trains 180-250 cars in and out
> of Wilsmere a few times each week. No DPU's.
> Sometimes just two big units.

​the ore and slab trains that had mid-train helpers were technically RCUs since there was no DPU technology at that time ... but that does render a question as to what the difference is between the Remote Control Units of the 90s and todays Distributed Power Units ...

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/16 17:53 by Out_Of_Service.

Talk about your key train.

Posted from Android

Words well spoken! When I video I video the entire train and leave it up
to the viewer to fast forward, etc as they see fit. Nothing irritates me more
than watching a video only to have it show the power and then quit about
halfway through. How many fallen flags did I miss? Were there any whole cars? 
The best part of the train for me is after the power goes by, then it starts 
getting good! : )


Jay



tp117 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>The problem here is 95% of all railfans
> takes pics of the locos and pay no attention to
> the train or even count cars or note their type,
> etc, so they do not know how big the trains really
> are unless they stay and watch the whole train and
> log or film it.

Was this BIG train's very existence -- and with it, the requirement to have a DPU- qualified crew to operate it  -- a surprise to the NS?... You know, like: "SURPRISE !! Hey, whadda ya mean Christmas is gonna be on the 25th of December?  Nobody told US !" 

I'm sorry to sound snippy, but this kind of thing seems to happen everywhere these days -- and it'll continue unless thr people responsible for making things run the way they're supposed to, put a stop to it.

Time is still money, isn't it?

Fritz in HSV, AL

P.S. Nice video. Thanks!!

Though this is not an exactly huge train.  It is still pretty large as traffic levels have not made trains of 150+ cars in recent times common, and these trains I believe are the combinations of two trains out of Bellevue. The fact that these trains have DPU's, something never before seen on NS manifests, (other than the SOU's remote control sets mid-train many years ago) is quite interesting in my opinion.  I do record the entire train and had to cut out some portions to stay under six minutes for TO.com.  I do consider the train it self to be interesting, so when I do have to cut out portions I try to cut portions of large cuts of say tankcars or covered hoppers that have little variety.  Thanks for your interest.

Tehachapi-TJ Over & Out

tp117 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Conrail, PC, and even PRR ran trains around 160
> cars on the 'Pittsburg Line" even back into the
> sixties and maybe before. i have personal logs of
> them. The problem here is 95% of all railfans
> takes pics of the locos and pay no attention to
> the train or even count cars or note their type,
> etc, so they do not know how big the trains really
> are unless they stay and watch the whole train and
> log or film it. So they hear '162 cars' on the
> scanner and think it is a monster. It is not, just
> business as usual.  160 cars was about the max
> for mixed carload trains on that route. Of course
> the cars are bigger and heavier now, but I do have
> car counts more than 160 at the curve or on the
> old 'Middle Division' way back. What is new here
> is DPU's on a mixed carload train. As far as I
> know CR did not try that but they did use DPU's on
> some coal and ore trains in the mid-1990s, and
> the  ore trains were 160 cars.. As far as train
> length in feet;  CR ran many intermodal trains
> each way two miles or a bit more around the
> 'curve', which means the trains were about 18% the
> length of the entire 11 ile climb. I have records
> and notes.

I am interested in individual car movements and have a number of logs of operations of train 14G from the early to mid 2000's that show near 160 cars and 10 to 20,000 tons.  NS also used to make that information available on their website before security paranoia got the better of them.  Here are a few reports I saved from 2002 and 2003:

TRAIN 14G        ORIGIN DATE AUG 10  CONWAY-MORRISVILLE 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  AUG11 0150A  01-51L  0  085 063 11715 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG11 0837A  01-57L  4  084 063 11581 
C2 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG11 0955A  03-00L  3  084 063 11581 
C2 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG11 1249P  01-45L  3  084 063 11581 
C2 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG11 1249P  01-45L  3  084 063 11581 
C2 IN  HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG11 0108P  01-33L  3  084 063 11581 
H4 OUT HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG11 0623P  06-33L  3  084 063 11581 
H4 IN  ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG11 1015P  05-00L  3  084 063 11581 
H4 OUT ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG12 0100A  06-30L  3  062 026 07984 
H4 IN  MORRISVI PA MV4   AUG12 0241A  06-26L  3  062 026 07984 

TRAIN 14G        ORIGIN DATE AUG 17  CONWAY-MORRISVILLE 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  AUG17 1140P  00-19A  2  073 076 10926 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG18 0520A  01-20A  2  073 076 10926 
C2 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG18 0540A  01-15A  2  073 076 10926 
C2 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG18 0823A  02-41A  2  073 076 10926 
C2 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG18 0823A  02-41A  2  073 076 10926 
C2 IN  HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG18 0841A  02-54A  2  073 076 10926 
H4 OUT HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG18 0947A  02-03A  2  073 076 10926 
H4 IN  ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG18 0528P  00-13L  2  073 076 10926 
H4 OUT ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG18 0817P  01-47L  2  044 012 05292 
H4 IN  MORRISVI PA MV4   AUG18 1014P  01-59L  2  044 012 05292 

TRAIN 14G        ORIGIN DATE AUG 19  CONWAY-MORRISVILLE 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  AUG20 1242A  00-43L  4  094 046 13012 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 NOT REPORTED AS OF 08/22/02 2244 
C2 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 NOT REPORTED AS OF 08/22/02 2244 
C2 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG20 1130A  00-26L  4  094 046 13012 
C2 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG20 1130A  00-26L  4  094 046 13012 
C2 IN  HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG20 1155A  00-20L  4  094 046 13012 
H4 OUT HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG20 1210P  00-20L  3  094 046 13012 
H4 IN  ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG20 0416P  00-59A  3  094 046 13012 
H4 OUT ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG20 0505P  01-25A  3  094 046 13012 
H4 IN  MORRISVI PA MV4   AUG20 0730P  00-45A  3  094 046 13012 

TRAIN 14G        ORIGIN DATE AUG 26  CONWAY-MORRISVILLE 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  AUG26 1130P  00-29A  4  112 037 14528 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG27 0540A  01-00A  4  112 037 14528 
C2 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG27 0545A  01-10A  4  112 037 14528 
C2 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG27 0850A  02-14A  4  112 037 14528 
C2 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG27 0853A  02-11A  4  112 037 14528 
C2 IN  HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG27 0910A  02-25A  4  112 037 14528 
H4 OUT HARRISBU PA HP113 AUG27 0102P  01-12L  3  006 000 00513 
H4 IN  ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG27 0414P  01-01A  3  006 000 00513 
H4 OUT ABRAMS   PA HP20  AUG27 0531P  00-59A  3  006 000 00513 
H4 IN  MORRISVI PA MV4   AUG27 0635P  01-40A  3  006 000 00513 

TRAIN 14G        ORIGIN DATE FEB 14  CONWAY-MORRISVILLE 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  FEB14 1140P  00-19A  4  143 011 17543 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB15 0536A  01-04A  4  000 000 00000 
C2 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB15 0551A  01-04A  3  143 011 17543 
C2 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB15 0841A  02-23A  3  143 011 17543 
C2 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB15 0841A  02-23A  3  143 011 17543 
C2 IN  HARRISBU PA HP113 FEB15 0921A  02-14A  3  143 011 17543 
H4 OUT HARRISBU PA HP113 FEB15 0937A  02-13A  3  143 011 17543 
H4 IN  ABRAMS   PA HP20  FEB15 0111P  04-04A  3  143 011 17543 
H4 OUT ABRAMS   PA HP20  FEB15 0236P  03-54A  3  100 004 12124 
H4 IN  MORRISVI PA MV4   FEB15 0504P  03-11A  3  143 011 17543 

TRAIN 10N        ORIGIN DATE FEB 04  CONWAY-ALLENTOWN 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  FEB04 1019P  01-49L  3  110 035 14218 
C2 IN  LATROBE  PA PT312 NOT REPORTED AS OF 02/06/03 1539 
C2 OUT LATROBE  PA PT312 NOT REPORTED AS OF 02/06/03 1539 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB05 0257P  09-57L  3  109 036 14119 
C1 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB05 0545P  12-25L  3  109 035 14085 
C1 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB05 0859P  12-29L  3  109 035 14085 
C1 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB05 0903P  12-33L  3  109 035 14085 
C1 IN  HARRISBU PA HP113 FEB05 0930P  12-20L  3  109 035 14085 
H4 OUT HARRISBU PA HP113 FEB05 1000P  12-35L  3  109 035 14085 
H4 IN  ALLENTOW PA LB87  FEB06 0245A  12-45L  3  109 035 14085 

TRAIN 10G        ORIGIN DATE FEB 07  CONWAY-ENOLA 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  FEB07 0655A  00-05A  3  095 030 12549 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB07 0130P  00-05A  3  095 030 12549 
C1 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB07 0500P  01-40L  4  123 035 16010 
C1 IN  LEWISTOW PA PT166 FEB07 0725P  01-10L  4  123 035 16010 
C1 OUT LEWISTOW PA PT166 FEB07 1000P  02-45L  4  103 030 13396 
C1 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB08 1201A  02-56L  4  103 030 13396 
C1 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB08 1201A  02-56L  4  103 030 13396 
C1 IN  ENOLA    PA EP70  FEB08 1215A  02-10L  4  103 030 13396 

TRAIN 10G        ORIGIN DATE FEB 08  CONWAY-ENOLA 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  FEB08 0410P  09-10L  3  127 008 15489 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB09 1136A  22-01L  3  127 008 15489 
C1 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB09 0300P  23-40L  3  127 008 15489 
C1 IN  LEWISTOW PA PT166 FEB09 0512P  22-57L  3  127 008 15489 
C1 OUT LEWISTOW PA PT166 FEB09 0516P  22-01L  3  127 008 15489 
C1 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB09 0615P  21-10L  3  127 008 15489 
C1 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB09 0621P  21-16L  3  127 008 15489 
C1 IN  ENOLA    PA EP70  FEB09 0711P  21-06L  3  124 008 15105 

TRAIN 10G        ORIGIN DATE FEB 18  CONWAY-ENOLA 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  FEB19 0720A  24-20L  5  122 002 15073 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB19 0302P  25-27L  5  122 002 15073 
C1 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 FEB19 0336P  24-16L  5  122 002 15073 
C1 IN  LEWISTOW PA PT166 NOT REPORTED AS OF 02/20/03 0904 
C1 OUT LEWISTOW PA PT166 NOT REPORTED AS OF 02/20/03 0904 
C1 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB19 0631P  21-26L  5  122 002 15073 
C1 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 FEB19 0634P  21-29L  5  122 002 15073 
C1 IN  ENOLA    PA EP70  FEB19 0729P  21-24L  5  122 002 15073 

TRAIN 12W        ORIGIN DATE AUG 16  ENOLA-BUFFALO BISON YD 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
H9 OUT ENOLA    PA EP70  AUG16 0145P  09-00L  3  051 114 09455 
H9 IN  NORTHUMB PA BR255 AUG16 0411P  09-21L  3  051 114 09455 
H9 OUT NORTHUMB PA BR255 AUG16 0821P  11-31L  3  028 076 05871 
H9 IN  LOCHAVEN PA 54TY  AUG16 1001P  11-01L  3  028 076 05871 
H9 OUT LOCHAVEN PA 54TY  AUG16 1001P  10-00L  3  028 076 05871 
H9 IN  RENOVO   PA BR166 AUG16 1130P  09-30L  3  028 076 05871 
H8 OUT RENOVO   PA BR166 AUG17 0345A  13-30L  2  028 076 05871 
H8 IN  TURPOINT PA BR92  AUG17 0915A  15-45L  2  028 076 05871 
H8 OUT TURPOINT PA BR92  AUG17 0915A  14-45L  2  028 076 05871 
H8 IN  OLEAN    NY BR70  AUG17 1003A  14-03L  2  028 076 05871 
H8 OUT OLEAN    NY BR70  AUG17 1027A  12-57L  2  028 076 05871 
H8 IN  BUFBISON NY SR419 AUG17 0155P  13-54L  2  028 076 05871 

TRAIN 10G        ORIGIN DATE AUG 12  CONWAY-LANCASTER 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  AUG12 1015A  03-15L  4  103 041 14091 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG12 0553P  04-18L  4  103 041 14091 
C1 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG12 0645P  03-25L  4  103 041 14091 
C1 IN  LEWISTOW PA PT166 AUG12 0948P  03-33L  4  103 041 14091 
C1 OUT LEWISTOW PA PT166 AUG12 0950P  02-35L  4  103 041 14091 
C1 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG12 1054P  01-49L  4  103 041 14091 
C1 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG12 1057P  01-52L  4  103 041 14091 
C1 IN  ENOLA    PA EP70  AUG12 1115P  01-45L  4  103 041 14091 
H2 OUT ENOLA    PA EP70  AUG13 0230A  00-45L  3  109 001 12986 
H2 IN  LANCASTE PA ZL70  AUG13 0530A  01-10L  3  109 001 12986 

TRAIN 10G        ORIGIN DATE AUG 13  CONWAY-LANCASTER 
LS IO    LOCATION        DATE  TIME   DELAY UNTS LDS EMP TONS  
C2 OUT CONWAY   PA PC23  AUG13 0655A  00-05A  2  107 044 14526 
C2 IN  ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG13 0335P  02-00L  2  107 044 14526 
C1 OUT ALTOONA  PA PT236 AUG13 0651P  03-31L  2  107 044 14526 
C1 IN  LEWISTOW PA PT166 NOT REPORTED AS OF 08/17/02 1102 
C1 OUT LEWISTOW PA PT166 NOT REPORTED AS OF 08/17/02 1102 
C1 IN  DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG13 1009P  01-04L  2  107 044 14526 
C1 OUT DUNCANNO PA PT119 AUG13 1009P  01-04L  2  107 044 14526 
C1 IN  ENOLA    PA EP70  AUG13 1018P  00-48L  2  107 044 14534 
H2 OUT ENOLA    PA EP70  AUG14 0520A  03-35L  2  095 000 12166 
H2 IN  LANCASTE PA ZL70  AUG14 0630A  02-10L  2  095 000 12166