Western Railroad Discussion > UP Stack Trains on IMRL

According to the lastest Superintendant's Notice issued a few days ago, the following UP trains will return to IMRL rails as of March 25th:

I-LAG1
I-G1LA
I-LBG2
I-G2LB
I-LBCH
I-CHLB

The I-HNCH will remain on IMRL (it was the only one that was not pulled off).

imrl

Are the trains designated with a "CH" arrive or depart from CSX's Bedford Park Facility, or elsewhere?

By the term IMRL, does that mean KC to Clinton or KC to Chicago??

Thanks...

zchcsse wrote:
>
> Are the trains designated with a "CH" arrive or depart from
> CSX's Bedford Park Facility, or elsewhere?

CH, USUALLY is the CSX 59th street Intemodal facitlity . UP hadles ALOT of business through there.
Several Global 1 trains continue on to 59th street. ILAKR is also a train destined Directly to 59th Street, as well as IGNKR.. Hope that helps..

IF there are Certain types of loads (sorry, can't elaborate) on the train a "CH" destined train may be detoured to Bedford Park.

are these going IMRL to Clinton or all the way to Chicago. IG1LA must be a brand new train, The only train currently going to LA from global 1 is ZAPLA....

The trains are returning to how they were run previous to them being taken away from the IMRl, i.e., only KC to Clinton, then to the UP at Clinton.

As far as the IG1LA goes, I don't think that's a new train because I thought that I've had that one before. But after seeing these symbols all day long for several years, they all tend to blend together. I'll consult the notice again just to double check that I didn't make a mistake.

imrl

imrl wrote:
>
> The trains are returning to how they were run previous to them
> being taken away from the IMRl, i.e., only KC to Clinton, then
> to the UP at Clinton.
>
> As far as the IG1LA goes, I don't think that's a new train
> because I thought that I've had that one before. But after
> seeing these symbols all day long for several years, they all
> tend to blend together. I'll consult the notice again just to
> double check that I didn't make a mistake.
>
> imrl


Cool, thanks, at least we aren't loosing any trains.. BTW , how far is Draw Bridge, MO really from Clinton?? what is the real running time ???

Looks like the rumors I heard about keeping these trains on the Overland/LA & Salt Lake routes were just rumors after all. The ZAPLA trains will once again be about the only intermodal trains taking the Overland/LA & Salt Lake routing from Chicago to LA. It's very interesting that UP refuses to put their one and only Z train (ZAPLA) between Chicago and LA on the IMRL/Golden State/Sunset routes because of better transit times on the Overland/LA & Salt Lake routes. However, if it's a slower (I) train then they push it onto the IMRL/Golden State/Sunset routes. With auto traffic now booming and these stack trains returning, the mainly single track Sunset route is sure going to be congested.

AaronJ

LCW wrote:
>
> Cool, thanks, at least we aren't loosing any trains.. BTW , how
> far is Draw Bridge, MO really from Clinton?? what is the real
> running time ???>>

I second that. This sumer should be good shooting on the Clinton-KC line with all those UP trains stuck in. Just gotta seek out the poor IMRL's that will be ducked in every sdg for the stackers! I don't need no stinkin' UP shots....

I think others on this list that work for the IMRL could give better figures, but I would guess about 2 hours Clinton to Ottumwa, and then anywhere between 5 and 8 hours (or more) with a new crew from Ottumwa to the Truman Drawbridge. Just a guess. Depends on the dispatching, and track gangs and slow orders .....

It's about time, those damn coal buckets are getting boring out here on the Kansas Sub, needs some variety.

Santa Fe

Lets see. The Drawbridge is at MP497.0, but when we run the stack trains, we give times by Birmingham, which is at MP 494.5, just north of the 'Bridge. Clinton is at MP158.4. So, that makes for a total run of about 332 miles.

Contractual run time is 10:45, but I've seen as good as 9 hours from Clinton to Birmingham, that's about an average of 36 MPH. That's a very GOOD run, with no stops in between, except for a quick crew change at Ottumwa.

Usual times are more around abot 10:15-10:40, but there are some times where it can get over that in a hurry. It's not all that bad, though. All trains under 2.0 horsepower per ton are automatically considered winners, regardless if they make in in 10:45 or not. I believe there might also be some other exceptions, but don't know od those right now. Run time and on duty time can be drastically different. Even if you have a good run, you still could be stuck getting out of the terminal, ecspecially in KC.

Hope this answers someones question!

imrl

You mean all trains OVER 2.0 HPT are winners eh?

Santa Fe

Well, what do you know? They are coming back to IMRL. I mentioned this last time and I'll say it again, transit times on these IMRL haulage trains to and from the west coast are secondary in importance to keeping the central corridor open for UP coal trains. If you have one extra intermodal train on the central corridor, then that is one less slot for a coal train, and coal is where the money is. Up until two weeks ago, I tracked the performance and billed the UP for these trains' movement across the IMRL and what I said above comes right from the UP official whom I've been working with for the last 3 years. He's also the same guy who told me that for these "I" trains, going via the Sunset route is faster.

Mileage from Birmingham to Clinton is 299.5 miles and trains over 2.0 HPT are winners if on time or are counted late if delayed through IMRL's fault.

Mulebag Feed and Grain