Western Railroad Discussion > DPU Stack train size on BNSF Transcon

A friend of mine from the East will be visiting the BNSF Transcon line in Arizona in mid-August. He knows where to see the Transcon because he has been there within the last year. BNSF press releases bragged about 10,000 foot stack trains with DPU's operating over this line last spring. Was this a one time test, which any railroad can do under the right conditions, or is this now regular practice?

Put another way, how many trains are on the Transcon east of Flagstaff and how many might be 10.000 foot trains of any type with any loco configuration?

I'm not sure what the big deal is about 10,000' trains. BNSF tried some 10,000 DPU'ed S-TACBPA's on the hi-line a number years ago but quietly dropped them due to operational issues ("No!, Really?"). Just yesterday I saw where UP had a 9300' long manifest running out there Wyoming. Heck, UP ran a 15,000' stack train just days after BNSF ran their 10,000' train. I'm sure once BNSF completes double tracking their Transcon, 10,000' trains will become the norm.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Right now we are only running about one a week, through the Flagstaff, AZ area Sunday evenings. As I type this there is a Q LHALPC1 21K that hit Seligman, AZ at 1705 with 108 loads, 9582 Tons 10,008 Feet w/power (9570 feet w/o power) All that really equates to is about 6-7 more five packers(18-21 more cars) than our usual, everyday 8,000 foot stack train. Definitely not noticeable with a camera and probably not to anyone watching it! Today's train is running DP 4/2 configuration. Most daily 8000 foot stack trains run DP 2/2 config.

The bigger stacks out through Fullerton (CA) move slower than the standard 4 roach stack and usually have 5 on the point.


TCS - slow moving wall o' boxes

Back here in Ohio, the CSX intermodal Q108 sometimes comes east with about 12,000 feet worth of boxes and trailers, pulled by just 2 units. Of course the topography hereabouts is less challenging.

NYCSTL8 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Back here in Ohio, the CSX intermodal Q108
> sometimes comes east with about 12,000 feet worth
> of boxes and trailers, pulled by just 2 units. Of
> course the topography hereabouts is less
> challenging.

When I lived in Cleveland (93-98), I saw 10,000 ft TV-trains (westbounds)on Conrail every evening. Sometimes they came through Berea side by side on the old NYC line at 50 mph. What a show!

Nomosantafe
Fort Worth, Texas
"Where the West Begins"

I see east-bound loads going through Wichita, Kansas (relatively flat) several times a week with two or three locomotives up front and two locomotives on the very back in DP mode. I don't know how long they are but I can tell you they appear to be 10,000 feet easy. I have to assume these trains are in this configuration going through Arizona also.

Cheers!
Bill


tp117 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A friend of mine from the East will be visiting
> the BNSF Transcon line in Arizona in mid-August.
> He knows where to see the Transcon because he has
> been there within the last year. BNSF press
> releases bragged about 10,000 foot stack trains
> with DPU's operating over this line last spring.
> Was this a one time test, which any railroad can
> do under the right conditions, or is this now
> regular practice?
>
> Put another way, how many trains are on the
> Transcon east of Flagstaff and how many might be
> 10.000 foot trains of any type with any loco
> configuration?

EB BNSF 4711 (yep, again, no bonnets this time though) leading 4 other units and 30 cars - about 6 single wells, 12 or so 3 wells, the rest 5 well cars.
Through Fullerton 9pm-ish.


TCS - thyme keeping

BNSF 4711 should be a Warbonnet, unless recently repainted.

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