Western Railroad Discussion > Increased freight action through South Bay?

Is it just me, or is the UP traffic through San Jose-Santa Clara increasing?

Admittedly, I mostly see the Santa Clara area when I'm going to and from work on CalTrain, but in the past three weeks I've seen several more freights than seems usual. Yesterday, an AC6044W and AC4000W were tail end on a freight in the SC yard while another came off the Mulford line south with SD70Ms. This morning, 2 SD60Ms were waiting to head northbound. Saw two NB freights on the Peninsula line last week while riding the train home, one at Menlo and the other at Sunnyvale. And even saw an only slightly scruffy CNW -9 last week, unpatched, helping pull a NB up the Mulford. Three freights in 1 hour through San Jose last Saturday, more cars in the yard, massive Roseville trains...

What's going here?

It is probably a combination of things.

First, traffic is up overall as this is the peak shipping season.

The Roseville/SJ trains have increased in size because the Salinas traffic is no longer being set out by through freights. Instead, it comes into San Jose and the Salinas Hauler is back in business, this time originating in SJ and making a round trip. Depending on timing, it often uses the power from the MRVSJ and continues south after a change of crews at Newhall.

Also, with all the newer power on the UP, a lot of the older junk that was hauling the locals is no longer seen and newer stuff is in its place.

Caltrain has had some cars in Newhall as part of their rebuilding efforts. Ribbon rail, ballast, and ties are staged in there from time to time.

Last night a coal train for Permanente came in, so that is taking up a track until the local can haul it to the cement plant today. The engines that came in with that went back north light, but stopped in Newark for a pickup and became an MRVSJ extra.

was traversed by both Broadway Local and Mission Bay Turn last evening, per scanner chatter. and DS daily itemizes numerous trains thru SJose, so it does sound busy hereabouts.