Western Railroad Discussion > Why do trains on CN's Leithton Sub Stop in the middle of town?

Good morning Everybody. I've heard that CN has trains stop in the middle of Plainfield on the Leithton Sub. Why do they stop in the middle of town and not on the the sidings a few miles away? 

Might get a answer on the Canadian board.

Doubtful. This is the ex-EJ&E around Chicago.

Not being that familiar with the line south of Eola, I'd assume that they're just waiting to get into Joliet/LPC/Global 4. Stuff happens, and the NIMBYs down there have been complaining for years.

- Jeff Carlson

SD45X Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Might get a answer on the Canadian board.

SD45X Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Might get a answer on the Canadian board.

Why? The location in question is in the far western Chicago suburbs.

I don't know why they would stop in town but if they are blocking crossings, I'm sure the Village of Plainfield will be letting the CN know.

railfaneric Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good morning Everybody. I've heard that CN has
> trains stop in the middle of Plainfield on the
> Leithton Sub. Why do they stop in the middle of
> town and not on the the sidings a few miles
> away? 

Blue Island used to ticket CSX if they block crossings while waiting to get into Barr Yard. I suppose the T&E just delivers the ticket to the yardmaster. Don't know what the current situation is there.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/17 09:27 by sums007.

Shows you how good my geography is this morning:)

I live in Plainfield and witness very slow moving trains frequently, and sometimes stopped trains. Here are my surmised guesses.

Some background for those not familiar, most of the ex-EJE north of Joliet is single track, however Plainfield stradles most of a 7 mile stretch of single track, book-ended by a pair of 4 mile long double track sections (extended sidings). Of note, there is a grade crossing nearly every mile along this stretch of track, double track included. There are a handful of industries at the north end of the single track section in Plainfield and the River Sub branches off as well. Finally there is a hot box detector at the south end of the single track (south edge of Plainfield).

1. Northbounds with hot boxes may stop in Plainfield, depends how fast or long they are. A few years ago at 4 pm the day before Thanksgiving a 164 car northbound manifest caught a hotbox and blocked 3 or 4 crossings for 45+ minutes (conductor found nothing...).

2. Could be the locals switching the Walker siding (Plainfield) industries or coming off the River Sub.

3. The CN likes to run long trains, regularly over 9,000 ft and in both directions. Naturally they can meet on the double track sections, but stopping in the double track sections, means blocking crossings for unknown amounts of time, so the dispatcher will sometimes have trains make rolling meets by slow rolling trains through Plainfield to time the meet on the fly over the 4 mile section, especially the north one (Normantown siding). Being close to Joliet and the yard and UP and BNSF connections, lends trains to get "staged". Dispatchers try to keep them in the double track sidings, but stuff happens.

Jeff Eggert
Plainfield IL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/17 19:51 by blueflag.