Western Railroad Discussion > Unusual Consist on BNSF Mojave Sub

Passed a west bound train on the Mojave sub with an unusual (at least to me) consist I was hoping somene could shed some light on. First car was a set double stacks with marine conatiners, about 10 or so, all from the French line CMA CGM. The bulk of the train was made up of well cars with JB Hunt containers, many of them "fileted" single stacks. At the rear of the train were about 10 or 12 loaded auto racks. JB Hunt Continers seems to usually signify a Z train, and I've never seen one with marine containers and auto racks. Train was not particularly long and I wondered if this is a regualr operation or one off. Thanks for any info.     

Effect of Coronavirus on shipments?????????

BNSF has run mixed stack and auto racks into Richmond/Oakland (CA) for years. They were usually empty containers going back to the port. Not sure where the cars were combined though (Clovis?). They usually have just enough power to get them over the hill into Richmond.


They may be combining more different types of container traffic now under their own PSR plan.


Gary

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/20 15:32 by SN711.

This is a regular move. For some reason BNSF take the auto racks to Oakland with the stacks then a local drag the auto racks back to Richmond to be uploaded. Why they don’t go the usual way through north bay, drop the racks off in Richmond then continue on to Oakland is a mystery to us common foamer.

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The Q CLORIC1 has run for at least 2 years with the configuration that BarstowRiff saw, domestic and foreign containers plus autos.  This week the Q CLORIC1 ran Sunday past the Tehachapi webcam with only 49 autos, no cans.  Wednesday it was 10 marine, 37 domestic cans and 31 rear autos.  Friday it was 20 domestic cans and 50 autos.  In October I saw two different Q ALTRIC6 with 12 and 20 autos with 8 and 12 trailers, one with and one without marine containers, both with domestic containers.  So trains via block-swapping Clovis can have various configurations depending on what kind of traffic came in on westbounds that day.   

BNSF is still running U GALPIT coil steel unit trains to Pittsburg, CA, but they are also mixing a lot into their H BARRIC1.  Friday’s H BARRIC1 had 22 coil steel loads,  but there was also a 48-car unit train that day.  It would be interesting to know which loads traveled faster, via unit train or H GALBAR and H BARRIC manifests.  Other days the H BARRIC1 had 14, 36, 10, 12 and 4 coil steel.  So 48 loads via unit train and 98 loads (2 unit trains worth) delivered via manifest.  That’s PSR in practice.  Tuesday’s train had the 12 heavy loads on the rear ahead of the 2-unit DPU, the other trains with the loads on or near the head end. 

I haven’t seen a UP RCEPTC rock unit train from Mojave (Creal) to Port of Stockton since January of last year.  That may have been an early PSR elimination.  It used to be two per week. 

mapboy



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/20 16:48 by mapboy.

The domestic cans on this train must be set out at Stockton as there is no ramp in Richmond anymore, only the UPS facility at North Bay. Thanks for the detailed info Mapboy - in addition to this train is there also a solid auto train in to Richmond? I was up there a couple of weeks ago and there had to be 200 racks in the Richmond yard. The two auto facilities appeared to be westbound domestic Hondas for Norcal distribution and eastbound Kias out of the Port of Richmond. Appears loads in both directions.    

BarstowRiff Wrote:
 JB Hunt Continers seems to
> usually signify a Z train,

JB Hunt shows up on a whole lot of Q trains as well.   Yes, most Z trains have JB Hunt on them, but in no way do JB Hunt signify a Z train.  

-Tom



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/20 18:44 by zchcsse.

BarstowRiff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The domestic cans on this train must be set out at
> Stockton as there is no ramp in Richmond anymore,
> only the UPS facility at North Bay. Thanks for the
> detailed info Mapboy - in addition to this train
> is there also a solid auto train in to Richmond? I
> was up there a couple of weeks ago and there had
> to be 200 racks in the Richmond yard. The two auto
> facilities appeared to be westbound domestic
> Hondas for Norcal distribution and eastbound Kias
> out of the Port of Richmond. Appears loads in both
> directions.    

This past week, BNSF ran V VAURIC3-16 and 17 to Richmond.  Outbound, there was a V RICLPC3-19 and V RICTUP4-13, 16, and 21.

Andrew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/20 20:30 by florida581.