Western Railroad Discussion > UP coal train on CP at Franklin Park

At 4:05pm (CT) a loaded coal train with a UP engine on the front and rear, and COLX cars, passed eastbound through Franklin Park, IL on CP. Looking at ACTS, I have a strong guess that is lined to A5 to turn north on the C&M Sub. Does anyone know what train this is? I'm wondering where it got on CP to be passing by this location.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/18 17:07 by inCHI.

Maybe up to Pleasant Prairie?

I saw a similar move go by the Franklin Park cam about a week ago and was curious about it.  So your sighting doesn't seem to be a one-off event.

-Tom

The reporting marks might have been COLX per chance? These trains end up at the WE Electic Columbia Power Station near  Portage WI. Sometimes the UP hands off the train to the CP in Clinton Iowa which thrn runs north on the CP until La Crescent MN where the train makes a right turn, crosses the Mississippi River and heads east to Portage.

rrartist Wrote:
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> The reporting marks might have been COLX per
> chance? These trains end up at the WE Electic
> Columbia Power Station near  Portage WI.
> Sometimes the UP hands off the train to the CP in
> Clinton Iowa which thrn runs north on the CP until
> La Crescent MN where the train makes a right turn,
> crosses the Mississippi River and heads east to
> Portage.

Thanks, I edited my comment to COLX because I think I got that wrong. The routing you describe I make sense, but seeing it go through Chicago seems wildly roundabout. Is there trackwork that might be causing this?

I'm thinking crew availability.
 

inCHI Wrote:
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> I have a strong guess that is lined to A5 to turn north on the C&M Sub.

Saw a similar train the other evening at Glenview, IL:  Single UP unit front and rear, COLX hoppers.  Dispatchers stuck it out there on the C&M between two passenger trains.  Agree it's going to Alliant Energy at Columbia, WI (formerly Wisconsin Power & Light).  Surprised me a bit, but I guess it wasn't a one-off from what you and the others say.

The Wisconsin Electric coal-fired plant at Pleasant Prairie, WI closed April 4, 2018, by the way.  Their Oak Creek, WI plant is under attack from local interests account persistent problems with coal dust in the neighborhood.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/18 21:24 by illini73.

I saw this move sometime late last year, took me by surprise seeing a UP coal train on CP track, well west of Bensenville. I can only guess that it gets on the CP at Clinton to utilize a lesser congested piece of track, versus add to the clog of the UP main into Chicago.  Portage is a pain to get to from Omaha, either go through the Chicago area or Minneapolis, and the crow would fly through neither.  It would be interesting to know what route these trains took previously.

Jeff Eggert

These moves have been going on for a few months now. The trains get on and off UP at Clinton, IA, and usually run north on CP's Davenport Sub to Sabula, where they turn east to Savanna and travel across CP's Chicago Sub to Bensenville, then north on the C&M. Symbols are CP 812 and 813. I believe 812 runs westbound and 813 runs eastbound (but not 100% sure).

I caught one of these trains on Friday, August 10, and it did indeed have COLX reporting marks. I forget why the trains are routed the way they are, however.

Posted from Android

trainmandan Wrote:
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> I forget why the trains are routed the way they are, however.

Some of these arrangements date back a long way - one goal being to equalize the miles hauled by the carriers involved to create a "fair" division of revenue (in this case between UP and CP).  The Columbia, WI plant was built when The Milwaukee Road was still around, and the original fuel supply arrangement was from Colstrip, MT on the BN.  The Milwaukee received alternate trains at Miles City, MT and Minneapolis, MN to achieve the desired revenue split.

illini73 Wrote:
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> trainmandan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I forget why the trains are routed the way they
> are, however.
>
> Some of these arrangements date back a long way -
> one goal being to equalize the miles hauled by the
> carriers involved to create a "fair" division of
> revenue (in this case between UP and CP).  The
> Columbia, WI plant was built when The Milwaukee
> Road was still around, and the original fuel
> supply arrangement was from Colstrip, MT on the
> BN.  The Milwaukee received alternate trains at
> Miles City, MT and Minneapolis, MN to achieve the
> desired revenue split.

Thanks for the info, I didn't know the arrangements event back that far. Kind of interesting!

Posted from Android

Most of the 812/813 trains run via the Marquette Sub to La Crescent then east. These dont move on the D&I east of Savanna unless there is trackwork or crew issues.
Really wish CP would put the ethanol back on the D&I.
MILW86A