Western Railroad Discussion > Competing Z Trains Along The Columbia River

BNSF's Fallbridge Sub runs along the north shore of the Columbia River in Washington, and Union Pacific's Portland Sub runs along the south shore of the river in Oregon. 

One morning in late July, 2024 I was set up at the east end of Goff siding along UP's Portland Sub and spotted BNSF's Z train between Portland, OR and Cicero, IL across the river approaching Towal, WA.  An hour later, UP's Z train from the Portland area to the Chicago area blasted east through Goff.   Both trains are shown in their entirety, although the BNSF train is viewed from across the river.  

These competing trains follow a similar path along the Columbia River out of Portland and will continue to do so for 40-50 more miles before going their separate ways, taking wildly diverging routes across the country until they meet again at Rochelle, IL.  I wonder which train got there first?

Thanks for watching!
-Tom

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Nice!  The BNSF train looked like a toy almost.

texchief1

Not sure which one got to Rochelle first but I do know the UP Z is a lot shorter and lighter than that east of North Platte.  Somewhere along the way it loses all those marine containers. 

green river may see some block swapping

memphisfreight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not sure which one got to Rochelle first but I do
> know the UP Z is a lot shorter and lighter than
> that east of North Platte.  Somewhere along the
> way it loses all those marine containers. 

Just guessing here (corrections or further info is welcome): The ZBRG2 trains are reswitched at North Platte, where they set out the Kansas City/Memphis and Chicago Global 4 traffic, traffic that is brought down to Brooklyn (Portland) by the ISEBR train. Then the Tacoma domestic intermodal for Global 2 is picked up which was set out by the ITAG4. The only "premium" Z traffic is the business that is ramped at Brooklyn for the ZBRG2 to take to Chicago (ie Portland - Chicago UPS, etc).  I do not think UP offers a "premium" intermodal service out of Seattle/Tacoma, only "standard" intermodal service.

In the video of the UP ZBRG1, it looks like the headend of the train, down through the marine double stacks came down from Seattle on the ISEBR, while the domestic intermodal and UPS on the rear originated at Portland's Brooklyn yard.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/24 10:16 by Ticeska.

Ticeska Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> memphisfreight Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not sure which one got to Rochelle first but I
> do
> > know the UP Z is a lot shorter and lighter than
> > that east of North Platte.  Somewhere along
> the
> > way it loses all those marine containers. 
>
> Just guessing here (corrections or further info is
> welcome): The ZBRG1 trains are reswitched at North
> Platte, where they set out the Kansas City/Memphis
> and Chicago Global 4 traffic, traffic that is
> brought down to Brooklyn (Portland) by the ISEBR
> train. Then the Tacoma domestic intermodal for
> Global 2 is picked up which was set out by the
> ITAG4. The only "premium" Z traffic is the
> business that is ramped at Brooklyn for the ZBRG2
> to take to Chicago (ie Portland - Chicago UPS,
> etc).  I do not think UP offers a "premium"
> intermodal service out of Seattle/Tacoma, only
> "standard" intermodal service.
>
> In the video of the UP ZBRG1, it looks like the
> headend of the train, down through the marine
> double stacks came down from Seattle on the ISEBR,
> while the domestic intermodal and UPS on the rear
> originated at Portland's Brooklyn yard.
>
>  
Yeah, had heard block swapping happens at Green River, Cheyenne, and North Platte so its somewhere west of Kearney.   When it blows past Kearney it's one of the shortest Z trains on the UP.  

As to the BNSF Z, it's a long way off but it almost looks like there are some Schneider boxes on it.   

memphisfreight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ticeska Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > memphisfreight Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Not sure which one got to Rochelle first but
> I
> > do
> > > know the UP Z is a lot shorter and lighter
> than
> > > that east of North Platte.  Somewhere along
> > the
> > > way it loses all those marine containers. 
> >
> > Just guessing here (corrections or further info
> is
> > welcome): The ZBRG1 trains are reswitched at
> North
> > Platte, where they set out the Kansas
> City/Memphis
> > and Chicago Global 4 traffic, traffic that is
> > brought down to Brooklyn (Portland) by the
> ISEBR
> > train. Then the Tacoma domestic intermodal for
> > Global 2 is picked up which was set out by the
> > ITAG4. The only "premium" Z traffic is the
> > business that is ramped at Brooklyn for the
> ZBRG2
> > to take to Chicago (ie Portland - Chicago UPS,
> > etc).  I do not think UP offers a "premium"
> > intermodal service out of Seattle/Tacoma, only
> > "standard" intermodal service.
> >
> > In the video of the UP ZBRG1, it looks like the
> > headend of the train, down through the marine
> > double stacks came down from Seattle on the
> ISEBR,
> > while the domestic intermodal and UPS on the
> rear
> > originated at Portland's Brooklyn yard.
> >
> >  
> Yeah, had heard block swapping happens at Green
> River, Cheyenne, and North Platte so its somewhere
> west of Kearney.   When it blows past Kearney
> it's one of the shortest Z trains on the UP.  
>
> As to the BNSF Z, it's a long way off but it
> almost looks like there are some Schneider boxes
> on it.   

Those are old Schneider containers that have been resold to smaller truck operators.  Now I'm seeing many blue, former Yellow domestic containers that have been resold as well.  Some still have all the Yellow markings, but the containers initials are of the containers new owner (for example, Arrow Transport bought a bunch of those).

Very enjoyable video!

memphisfreight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ticeska Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > memphisfreight Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Not sure which one got to Rochelle first but
> I
> > do
> > > know the UP Z is a lot shorter and lighter
> than
> > > that east of North Platte.  Somewhere along
> > the
> > > way it loses all those marine containers. 
> >
> > Just guessing here (corrections or further info
> is
> > welcome): The ZBRG1 trains are reswitched at
> North
> > Platte, where they set out the Kansas
> City/Memphis
> > and Chicago Global 4 traffic, traffic that is
> > brought down to Brooklyn (Portland) by the
> ISEBR
> > train. Then the Tacoma domestic intermodal for
> > Global 2 is picked up which was set out by the
> > ITAG4. The only "premium" Z traffic is the
> > business that is ramped at Brooklyn for the
> ZBRG2
> > to take to Chicago (ie Portland - Chicago UPS,
> > etc).  I do not think UP offers a "premium"
> > intermodal service out of Seattle/Tacoma, only
> > "standard" intermodal service.
> >
> > In the video of the UP ZBRG1, it looks like the
> > headend of the train, down through the marine
> > double stacks came down from Seattle on the
> ISEBR,
> > while the domestic intermodal and UPS on the
> rear
> > originated at Portland's Brooklyn yard.
> >
> >  
> Yeah, had heard block swapping happens at Green
> River, Cheyenne, and North Platte so its somewhere
> west of Kearney.   When it blows past Kearney
> it's one of the shortest Z trains on the UP.  
>
> As to the BNSF Z, it's a long way off but it
> almost looks like there are some Schneider boxes
> on it.   

Pretty sure it's the North Platte Van yard for IM block swaps, a bunch of I and Z trains work it. Green River block swaps are more for manifest, with a number of symbols originating or terminating there.