Western Railroad Discussion > Q-train running "route B" through Grand Forks, ND w/ two CP units

A 4x0 eastbound (geographically southbound) Portland, OR --to-- Cicero, IL "Q-train" is seen here passing MP96 on the BNSF Hillsboro Subdivision in Grand Forks, ND during the hot and humid early afternoon hours of 06/02/2023. This train is running what is called "route B", in which the train takes the BNSF Devils Lake --to-- BNSF Hillsboro Subdivision to go from Minot, ND to Dilworth, MN (by way of Grand Forks, ND) instead of taking the more direct routing along the BNSF KO Subdivision. The last loaded well-car in the train's consist was quite interesting as it contained two tanks labeled with the placard number #1830 denoting sulfuric acid. 

Train symbol: Q-PTLCHC

Power:
BNSF #4201 (GE ES44C4; built: 00/2017; Tier-4 credit locomotive)
BNSF #4620 (GE C44-9W; built: 01/2000)
CP     #8645 (GE AC44CW; built: 10/2001; now CPKC)
CP     #8828 (GE ES44AC; built: 12/2006; now CPKC)

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Nice catch Jake. Thanks for posting. 

PCBill

Hard to believe that is a Q train with all the UPS and LTL trailers and containers. I think most of that must be a St Paul setout?

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

funnelfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hard to believe that is a Q train with all the UPS
> and LTL trailers and containers. I think most of
> that must be a St Paul setout?

Ted-wrong time of day for the Z PTLCHC. Also a Z train never goes via Grand Forks. My educated guess is that most of those container/trailers are empty although BNSF classifies them as loads. Last I heard it's a 60-70% imbalance westbound loads vs. eastbound loads to/from PNW.

PCBill

bmarti7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> funnelfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hard to believe that is a Q train with all the
> UPS
> > and LTL trailers and containers. I think most
> of
> > that must be a St Paul setout?
>
> Ted-wrong time of day for the Z PTLCHC. Also a Z
> train never goes via Grand Forks. My educated
> guess is that most of those container/trailers are
> empty although BNSF classifies them as loads. Last
> I heard it's a 60-70% imbalance westbound loads
> vs. eastbound loads to/from PNW.
>
> PCBill

PCBill,

I **think** you are right with only the lead BNSF motor in any throttle mode making this a glorified baretable move with containers and trailers..


SP8100