Western Railroad Discussion > UP Z-LCAI/Z1AILC Rerouting via the KCS Greenville Sub

For the past three days or so, UP Trains Z-LCAI and Z-AILC (Expedited LA to Atlanta Intermodal Service) have been detouring between Dallas, Texas and Shreverport, Louisiana via the KCS and DGNO between Dallas-Wylie-Blanchard-Shreveport.  The usual route for these trains takes them down the T&P Mainline betweeen Marshall, Texas and Dallas, and on the UP secondary main between Marshall and Shereveport.  At Shreveport, the trains take the Meridian Speedway between Shreveport and Meridian.  At Meridian, they ride NS rails between Meridian and Austell, Georgia.  While on KCS, these trains carry the symbols Z-LAAT (Eastbound) and Z-ATLA (Westbound).  While on NS, these trains carry NS Train Numbers 226 (Eastbound) and 225 (Westbound).  

At first, I suspected the detours were flood-related, however, UP has no service advisories between Dallas and Shreveport.  In addition, Amtrak has posted no service termination/alternate service advisories for the Texas Eagle between Marshall and Dallas.

This is quite a puzzling move, and it is just as puzzling as the rerouting of BNSF Trains Q-LACAUG and Q-AUGLAC (NS Trains 265/264) to the KCS Greenville Sub between Wylie, Texas and Shreveport then to Austell, Georgia via the KCS and NS about a month ago.  264 and 265 usually go through Memphis.  At that time, the reasons given for the BNSF Detours were "flooding related", but there were no advisories along the usual routes for the BNSF trains on either BNSF or NS.

Any constructive replies will be appreciated.  So far, no one on UP, KCS or NS is talking.

Vicksburg_Route Wrote:
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> In
> addition, Amtrak has posted no service
> termination/alternate service advisories for the
> Texas Eagle between Marshall and Dallas.

The Amtrak home page states the Texas Eagle is cancelled between St. Louis and Fort Worth until June 7 because of flooding issues on the Union Pacific railroad network.  That would include the Dallas to Marshall section.  BSB

No flooding on Dallas to Marshall.  

Vicksburg_Route Wrote:
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>
> Any constructive replies will be appreciated.  So
> far, no one on UP, KCS or NS is talking.

VR...good observation. My guess, and based with no insider info here.
By moving these trains as you have indicated is the work around to allow other slower...not as important traffic to run in their place ?
Thus keeping the more sensitive traffic moving on a more fluid line that allows more options to manage. A temporary shuffle if you will?
 NSSpike

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA

BigSkyBlue Wrote:

> The Amtrak home page states the Texas Eagle is
> cancelled between St. Louis and Fort Worth until
> June 7 because of flooding issues on the Union
> Pacific railroad network.  That would include the
> Dallas to Marshall section.  BSB

Many thanks.  Somehow I missed that notice.  I appreciate the information.  

NSSpike Wrote:

> VR...good observation. My guess, and based with no
> insider info here.
> By moving these trains as you have indicated is
> the work around to allow other slower...not as
> important traffic to run in their place ?
> Thus keeping the more sensitive traffic moving on
> a more fluid line that allows more options to
> manage. A temporary shuffle if you will?
>  NSSpike

Beats me.  The Greenville Sub isn't a hotbed of activity for sure.  It has roughly the same traffic levels as the Speedway, if you happen to get sand, crude oil or coal trains in the right combination.  Without the aforementioned extra trains, there weould be roughly 8 trains daily.  It's just an odd move.  The rerouting of the BNSF trains about a month ago was blamed on flooding in two places, neither of which affected the detoured trains, and when that bluff was called, they blamed a derailment in Memphis, which didn't happen.  We simply can't figure out these moves.