Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Intermodal By Amtrak Station In Galesburg, IL

Good Evening:

While watching the railcam near the Amtrak station in Galesburg, IL today, I saw 3 intermodal trains go by, and they went east past the station towards (I think) the Barstow Subdivision. Do these trains originate at Logistics Park in Joliet, IL and, if so, where do they go? Lastly, where are the crew change points? When this train came into view, it did not stop for a crew.

Thank you in advance.

Almost all intermodal trains out of Logistics Park go through Galesburg on the Chillicothe sub (old Sante Fe).  I wonder if there was some sort of maintenance work today that put them Mendota sub today instead for some reason.   They likely took the Cameron Connection to rejoin the Chillicothe sub just west of Galesburg.

They had already gone around the Cameron Connection and looked to be heading to the Barstow Subdivision to go through Savannah, IL.

ok, I misread your OP that they were heading East.  Going past the station they could be joining either the Barstow or Mendota subs.  They were likely joining the Mendota sub heading for Chicago. 

Another possiblity is part of the Aurora sub was out for maintiance, so they took the Chillicothe sub to Galesburg and were joining the Barstow sub to head up to Minneapolis or points West.

Either way, an unusual situation. I do not think I have ever seen intermodal traffic go past the station.

You are right...the eastbound mention is misleading. There was another one tonight as well. Your thoughts on the Aurora Sub are interesting as these trains could have used the new connection installed between 22nd St and Corwith in Chicago as part of the CREATE project.

Thank you for the responses.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/22 20:13 by PRR_4859.

Happens more than one thinks.  BNSF has to use CN aka EJ&E Trackage rights from Joliet  north to Eola,  where they enter the former BN  now Northern Transcon.
If CN cannot handle  or if Ft Worth decides otherwise,  they will route these trains   via the Chillicothe sub to the Cameron connection,  then go timtetable  west,  compass north on the Barstow sub  towards Savanna,  Il.   The reverse can be true of ewd's, especially if they wish to add some delay to a trains arrival at LPC.

Most common trains are S LPCTAC   ( Stack LPC  to Tacoma)  along with V LPC to either PTL ( Portland) or Seattle.
On a usually daily basis they operate a V BLUTAC, or  V BLUPTL  off the Indiana Harbor Belt at Blue Island, Il for Tacoma or Portland..

PWM

Thank you for the info. One of these trains was mostly international containers, the rest were solid JB Hunt traffic. A JB Hunt train went by again this morning.

Just curious, do these trains change crews in Galesburg or do they run through to Savannah?

Thank you again.

PRR_4859 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you for the info. One of these trains was
> mostly international containers, the rest were
> solid JB Hunt traffic. A JB Hunt train went by
> again this morning.
>
> Just curious, do these trains change crews in
> Galesburg or do they run through to Savannah?
>
> Thank you again.

If it's a mostly JB Hunt train, then it's likely an eastbound heading to NS via the Mendota Sub.  It would not be something out of Logistics Park.

zchcsse Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it's a mostly JB Hunt train, then it's likely
> an eastbound heading to NS via the Mendota Sub. 
> It would not be something out of Logistics Park.

And if it's entirely JB Hunt containers, then it's likely a Q-BARNSA6.

mapboy

The Savanna, Il crew change was eliminated 1980  by BN.   BN   reinstated that crew change but only for trains operating from N. La Crosse, Wi to Chicagoland.  Logic at the time,  the ID  ( InterDivisional crew)   would not have time left under hours of service to enter foreign lines. Plus,  if they had to dog catch these trains on the East End, tween Aurora, IL. and Chicagoland,  under the "Union" agreements, they call a Road Switcher crew  for these assignments.  thus a 3 person crew required .  This is why the Supt listed below  wanted the short pool crews...  Boxcar and grain type trains destined for the BRC,   the BRC dispatchers will not let the train on their railroad  unless they had at least 2 hours  or maybe three to work.   Trains destined for CSXT,  Like south towards Blue Island,  would need even  more time.  Rather then recrew these trains  on the East End,  BN    set up the Savanna to Chicagoland pool.  BNSF kept it going for awhile,  however the Supervisor who instituted the plan retired  and the people were waiting in the wings to cancel that pool.   Why??  Who knows for sure.   The N. La Crosse crews enjoyed it and seniority went very high.   157 miles  easy  3 hr run  then off to the hotel  or on many occasions,  they would flip them,  back on continuous time or after 4 hours  off.   The Aurora crews who operated the trains from Savanna to Chicagoland,  loved going on overtime shortly after 8.5 hours on duty.  Was easy  cause trains move VERY slowly on the foreign line railroads,  thru Chicago.  Plus from a "Safety" perspective, roll em slow!!

Trains rolling west from Galesburg will roll all the way to North La Crosse  and vice versa for ewd's...

Another item.  BNSF developed what they call the "CCC",  Chicago Command Center, Last I knew office was at old ATSF Corwith Yard.  These folks actually control what is coming into Chicagoland.  They will look at what trains are rolling into Minneapolis, Mn  and if they want a delay on that train,  they will instruct  Northtown Yard to not order a crew until XXX hrs.   If NTW  says we have no room then they will have dispatchers in Ft Worth   have the trains do a "Slow Roll"  ewd. 
Thus they control what comes thru Galesburg  and I suspect that includes Ft Madison,  as they build  a few stack trains for interchange in Chicagoland.

If a coal load coming thru Ottumwa, Iowa  and bound for the old GTW  aka CN for Michigan.  These folks will contact the CN  and inform them of trains arrival  and if they will have a crew for the train.  They do this for all run though and interchange trains.  

If Cicero, Corwith, Willow Springs  or LPC are having congestion issues,  then the CCC   will decide what order  and how they will handle  these trains.  Of course the Z's are always a priority.   They are involved with outbound trains also,  not as much.  The regular Z's will operate on time  and they might get involved with Like a wwd Stacker out of LPC,  whether to operate via EOLA and the EJ&E or route Chilli sub,  Cameron Connection,  then west on the Barstow, IL sub.   Hope this helps.

Pat



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/22 21:15 by Quakerengr.