Western Railroad Discussion > Couple more questions about BNSF trains near San Franci

Trying to ID these three west bounds, all on ex-ATSF line out of San Francisco. Couldn't hear much on the scanner due to nearby highway noise

The first is this meet at Escalon, the train on the right is in the siding while the one on the left blasts by at speed.

Second one is a long stack train at Hercules on the Franklin Canyon line.

Third one is an unusually short stack train at Collier on the Franklin Canyon line.

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San Fran ??? ... Oakland and/or Richmond perhaps

Posted from Android

Any idea what symbols these trains are?

#2 - looks like the ZWSPNBY9, usually a fairly long UPS train with stacks and trailers on the end. Late afternoon is its usual arrival time (might be later on the weekends when it is a 7 train)

#3 - looks like a late running ZALTNBY9, usually fairly short coming into Richmond, may only have stacks and a handful of trailers. Looks late in the day, if it's a weekend then that would be more normal and it would be a 7 train. Usually arrives in the morning during the week.

Although 5 units is not common on the ALTNBY, more common on a WSPNBY. Could also be a ZWSPNBY8, a short (into Richmond) second section that they run occasionally. Saw one on Saturday morning last week.

Gary

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/15 12:37 by SN711.

I'll throw down a guess on the two trains in the first photo. I don't have a lot familiarity with all of the manifest trains that run through that area, but two possibles are the BARSTO and BARVAW. Both would need that much power to get over Tehachapi. The FRSRIC usually only runs with two units. Not sure how many other manifest possibilities there are.

Good catches by the way.

Gary

SN711 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> #2 - looks like the ZWSPNBY9, usually a fairly
> long UPS train with stacks and trailers on the
> end. Late afternoon is its usual arrival time
> (might be later on the weekends when it is a 7
> train)
>
> #3 - looks like a late running ZALTNBY9, usually
> fairly short coming into Richmond, may only have
> stacks and a handful of trailers. Looks late in
> the day, if it's a weekend then that would be more
> normal and it would be a 7 train. Usually arrives
> in the morning during the week.
>
> Although 5 units is not common on the ALTNBY, more
> common on a WSPNBY. Could also be a ZWSPNBY8, a
> short (into Richmond) second section that they run
> occasionally. Saw one on Saturday morning last
> week.
>
> Gary
>
> Posted from iPhone

Interesting. Never seen a UMAX container on a BNSF train. Check photo #2.