Western Railroad Discussion > UP Montana Division query

Hi All- Need some help with what I recently saw. This past Monday I was S/B on I-15 at Lima Montana. I caught the N/B M-POCSBO at around noon. It had 4 units on the point and train of approximately 75 to 90 cars. Has UP changed up its Pocatello to Silver Bow operations? The Pocatello to Dillon leg had been nocturnal for years with the Dillon crew turning Silver Bow in the daylight while the Pocatello crew is on layover. Any information is appreciated Tom

There were some changes at the start of September. From the Idaho Railfans facebook group;

"For anyone interested in Montana Sub activity, MPCSB/MSBPC is now the MPCDI/MDIPC while the Silver Bow turn is the MDIDI. The trains run almost every day except Saturdays while also handling all business that was originally the LCT47 from Idaho Falls to Pocatello. LCT45 now makes a turn from IF to Blackfoot to deliver business for the LCT41. LCT47 is for now Saturday only."

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

funnelfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There were some changes at the start of September.
> From the Idaho Railfans facebook group;
>
> "For anyone interested in Montana Sub activity,
> MPCSB/MSBPC is now the MPCDI/MDIPC while the
> Silver Bow turn is the MDIDI. The trains run
> almost every day except Saturdays while also
> handling all business that was originally the
> LCT47 from Idaho Falls to Pocatello. LCT45 now
> makes a turn from IF to Blackfoot to deliver
> business for the LCT41. LCT47 is for now Saturday
> only."

So based on this (confirmation here), the Pocatello-Silver Bow MT trains (whatever symbol it happens to be that day) is now a 7 (?) days per week each way (used to be tri-weekly), and now this train serves as the connection for the Idaho Falls area to Pocatello as well?  I'd assume that would be one massive sized train between Idaho Falls and Pocatello (and vice versa) as there is a lot of traffic just out of the Idaho Falls area (or at least there used to be)?  Of course, UP operating extreme sized trains are nothing new on the main lines, but now on the secondary lines too...

Of course, having a train called the "MDIDI" sounds fun (almost as good as the "MPDOG").

Symbol makes perfect sense since it runs from Dillon to Dillon BUT and why isn't it bullentined as a
local much like the LOY30 which runs from Yermo to Yermo. I sustect there's an outstanding crew
agreement here but would like to hear from a rail or two in the know,.

Out 

A 75-90 car train on the Montana Sub!!  It sure looks like traffic has increased on that line.  Back in the late 90s a friend and I lucked out and met the southbound once or twice somewhere along I-15 when we were headed north to MRL but it only had 35-40 cars and I'm pretty sure wasn't running every day back then.  Wonder where all the additional business is coming from?

Bob