Western Railroad Discussion > Feather River Canyon trains?

How many trains are running through the FRC these days, BNSF and UP?  Time to start doing some trip planning.

JBWX

Can't speak for the UP, but the BNSF Gateway Sub (and thus the FRC) most days has about 6, with 4 in daylight.

TJY

And with any luck 4 on the UP, too bad the waters low, fishing won't be great.

Out

i figured I could count on you guys.  Thanks.  Are these totals for both directions? 

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/21 17:45 by jbwest.

UP runs almost no eastbounds up the FRC, they are almost all west. I believe BNSF is 2-3 each way per day.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

Posted from iPhone

If you're up at Portola you might catch the local both directions on the run to Quincy Jct.

Out

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you're up at Portola you might catch the local
> both directions on the run to Quincy Jct.
>
> Out

There was a nice thread a month or so ago about the local and the Quincy.  It mentioned a Friday operation.  Does the Quincy and the UP run on a regular schedule?

JBWX

The "Canyon Local" operates between Portola and Quincy Jct. on Tuesdays and Fridays, taking empty center beams down and the loads from the mill back up to Portola.  Regular trains on the UPRR:  INPOA (scheduled for early evening departure Portola, but is all over the map), MNPFR (sometimes multiple sections and random times), MNPMI (manifest and autos at random times), unit grain trains, unit coal trains, unit ethanol trains and one per week westbound loaded gypsum train (usually a Sunday PM departure from Portola) and the returning empty gypsum train (usually a Thursday or Friday daylight appearance).  There have been recent ballast train movements as well with empties at random times headed down to the Elsay ballast mine and 1 or 2 loads headed east throughout the week.  These are probably associated with the tie replacement program out towards Elko.

to all the responded to my question. 

JBWX

I wonder how UP decides which trains to run in the Fearther River and which ones to go over Donner.  Donner is shorter but with heavier grades.  Feather River longer distance but with a gentle 1% grade.  Due to that I would think UP would run high priority lighter trains over Donner and slow drag freights up the Feather River.  From what you guys said it looks like the westbounds they run down the Feather River are heavy trains so in that sense maybe they are using the 1% grade to help with braking.  But why not run the empties of the unit trains back eastbound that way too?

The do directional running for the most part. Eastbounds via the former SP route and most westbounds via the former WP route. This makes for less meets, makes it so they can run mega long trains without dealing with many meets at the not so long sidings, and avoids the use of helpers on the westbound trains via the ex-WOP Feather River Canyon route. The higher priority Z trains do stick to the shorter former SP route, as well as any trains that have work in Sparks.