Western Railroad Discussion > Train ID's?

I quite ofen see, on message boards and the like, trains referred to by their ID, like "Moapa coal drag" or "H DENBAR." How are the train ID's ascertained? I've only ever heard trains named by their leading engine number or passenger designation, ("SP 2347" or Metrolink 118") which doesn't say much for frieght. Also, is there any way to find info on scheduled trains, like the 10,000 ton oil can that runs the SP Coast line every morning?


Thanks,
Newbie railfan in Torrance

H = Freight
DEN + Denver
BAR + Barstow
the number following is the date
and this is how the BNSF identifies trains.

UP works like this...

Z-EKSC6-08
"Z" Train type
"EK" Origin (in this case Elko, NV)
"SC" Destination (in this case Salt Lake)
"6" Origin date (1=Mon 2=Tues...)
"08" date

For a listing of the various UP and BNSF symbols, go here:

http://altamontpress.com/downloads/downloads.html

Ted Curphey
funnelfan@icehouse.net

Knowing which train is which on a busy rail line is not always easy. Sometimes the symbol is revealed in radio communciation between the train and a dispatcher or yardmaster, or if a dispatcher calls maintenance people and says stuff like, "Hey, I need you in the clear, I've got that hot South Seattle-Chicago Z train coming." Sometimes you can guess a manifest freight's ID just by observing certain blocks of traffic in the train that go to certain places. Sometimes you can get the information by contacting a "friend in the know."

Are there any databases of scheduled trains (online or otherwise) that might help? If I had an idea what is run, I might have a chance at guessing which is which. The only freighter i've heard identified over the radio was the Saugus local by Metrolink's Valley sub.