Eastern Railroad Discussion > Heads Up! Return of the "Super C" Tonigh

For those "night owls" out there, tonight marks the initial run of a new joint NS/BNSF hot intermodal out of Croxton. While NS's Intermodal people have been calling this the "Bullet Train," its tight schedule is more reminiscent of the old Santa Fe "Super C." It's on the card for tonight, 9:00PM on duty with a scheduled 11:45PM departure, using a hand picked crew and orders from NS supervision (who will be monitoring this train tonight) that NOTHING is to get in its way. The cargo? Some 45-50+ UPS trailers out of Croxton. The goal? Croxton, NJ to Los Angeles, CA (via BNSF) in 69 hours... three hours faster than the 72 hours that CR/ATSF used to do it in. As of now, this train is being regarded as a "test" ... but it may grow to a five night per week train on the NS. The schedule, and operating plan, from NS is included below. I do not know what symbol the train will carry on BNSF...


TRAIN No. 23T

CREATE A NEW MONDAY ONLY TRAIN No. 23T TO OPERATE BETWEEN CROXTON, NJ AND BRIGHTON PARK/BNSF, IL (Chicago IL)
NOTE: POWER WILL "RUN THROUGH" on this schedule
NOTE: SEE BELOW FOR SCHEDULE, CONNECTIONS AND BLOCKING

TRAIN NUMBER: 23T ROUTE NAME: CROXTON-BRIGHTON PARK/BNSF
DAY(S) OF THE WEEK THIS TRAIN RUNS: M
CROXTON NJ TO BRIGHTON PARK/BNSF IL
TOTAL ROUTE TIME - 24 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES

***** SCHEDULE *****

CROXTON NJ DFLC H5 23:45 EST
HARRISBURG PA ARIL H5 04:35 EST CC
DFLC C1 04:45 EST
DUNCANNON PA DFLC C1 05:17 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
CP-CONPIT PA DFLC C1 09:40 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
CP-9 PA DFLC C1 10:53 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
CONWAY PA ARIL C1 11:40 EST CC BT
DFLC C3 12:10 EST
CP-RAVE OH DFLC C3 14:00 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
TOLEDO AIRLINE OH ARIL C3 17:10 EST CC
DFLC B2 17:20 EST
BRIGHTON PARK IL ARIL B2 24:05 EST
BRIGHTON PARK IL DELIVER TRAIN TO BNSF 24:05 EST

***** CONNECTIONS *****

NONE


***** BLOCKING *****

CITY ST BLOCK P/U PRIORITY BLK DEST CITY/ST

CROXTON NJ CORWIRH * 1 CORWITH TV IL

HARRISBURG PA CORWIRH 1 CORWITH TV IL

CONWAY PA CORWIRH 1 CORWITH TV IL

TOLEDO AIRLINE OH CORWIRH 1 CORWITH TV IL

==============================================================================

TRAIN No. 22T


CREATE A NEW WEDNESDAY ONLY TRAIN No. 22T TO OPERATE BNSF/BRIGHTON PARK, IL (Chicago IL) TO CROXTON, NJ
NOTE: POWER WILL "RUN THROUGH" from the BNSF
NOTE: SEE BELOW FOR SCHEDULE, CONNECTIONS AND BLOCKING

TRAIN NUMBER: 22T ROUTE NAME: BRIGHTON PARK/BNSF-CROXTON
DAY(S) OF THE WEEK THIS TRAIN RUNS: W
BRIGHTON PARK IL TO CROXTON NJ
TOTAL ROUTE TIME - 24 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES

***** SCHEDULE *****
BRIGHTON PARK IL DELIVER TRAIN TO BNSF 21:30 EST
BRIGHTON PARK IL ARIL B2 21:40 EST
TOLEDO AIRLINE OH ARIL C3 04:25 EST CC
DFLC B2 04:35 EST
CP-RAVE OH DFLC C3 07:45 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
CONWAY PA ARIL C1 09:35 EST CC BT
DFLC C3 10:05 EST
CP-9 PA DFLC C1 10:52 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
CP-CONPIT PA DFLC C1 12:05 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
DUNCANNON PA DFLC C1 16:28 EST (FOR REPORTING PURPOSE ONLY)
HARRISBURG PA ARIL H5 17:00 EST CC
DFLC C1 17:10 EST
CROXTON NJ ARIL C1 22:00 EST



***** CONNECTIONS *****

NONE


***** BLOCKING *****

CITY ST BLOCK P/U PRIORITY BLK DEST CITY/ST

CROXTON NJ CROXTRH 1 CROXTON NJ

HARRISBURG PA CROXTRH 1 CROXTON NJ

CONWAY PA CROXTRH 1 CROXTON NJ

TOLEDO AIRLINE OH CROXTRH 1 CROXTON NJ

Good Luck

We definitely need more post like that one.

I wish you all the best of luck, but from my experience, once the officals quit watching the trian in person, it won't make it on time. We had a train like that...J714, Garrett-Toledo-Garrett all in 12 hrs. They made it the first night...Garrett-Toledo-and back to the Yard lead in 12:00, and it was down ot the last minute. Officals where along the line to 'wave it on' and the DS lined her up. After that first night, it took 2 or sometimes 3 crews to do the work that 2 crews used to do for less mileage. Maybe the crews 'screwed the pooch' on that train or the DS just didn't give a hoot anymore? Hmmm...I wonder...probably both.

Oh well...we're saving crew starts here!

Again, best of luck...hopefully the afternoon/evening log jam on trains trying to get into Chicago on the NS won't pose a problem. I was out fanning last week, and they had trains backed up from Chicago all the way back to CP 466 {45 miles).

Practice Safe CSX

Shades of the Erie Lackawanna and 2ndNY100/ACX99!I sure hope this works,should see these trains in daylight over here in Ohio.Wonder if NS knows that trains like these can build up a little company pride in the rank and file-won't bother me to be patiently waiting in the side track while this one blasts by,throttle in the "company notch" and doing track speed-or better yet be running it.Nice to see them wanting to move freight for a change,I wish them luck.RAD

Like what one? Or ones?

RE the pooch, might that be the same as "porking the canine"?

I have high doubts that this train will be anything like the old TV-LA. Once the test period is finished, it will be consigned to the also-ran file. The NS won't assign enough power for the train to run on it's schedule. Just following the NS-1 will ensure that. Until the NS decides to dump their obnoxious and restrictive rules, these trains will never live up to their billing. Besides, what other trains will suffer for this to succeed? TV-LA was THE hot train on Conrail. Nothing got in it's way. But the rest of the railroad ran on time, also. NS doesn't have the mindset to keep everything running smoothly.

Anyway, I'll take a wait and see attitude. Judging from how things have gone for the last two and a half years, we won't have long to wait before we see how BNSF feels about how things are working.

After my last post, I went back and read the proposed schedule. NS must not have high hopes. A good van train today can easily beat that schedule. You can run a van from Conway to Hudson, another ten miles, in the same amount of time, or even a tad less than the time allotted to Rave. As long as you have the power to keep the train at or about track speed on the hills, this schedule can easily be beaten by a good thirty to forty minutes, Conway to Toledo and vice versa. I've had plenty of vans running in less than the scheduled time. Less than four and a half hours between Toledo and Conway is easy with good power and good signals. Not so common after the take-over, but it still happens. Maybe NS is purposely padding the schedule to make it look good. I realize that you have to take into account minor delays, but this schedule isn't all that hot. Make it four and a half hours Toledo to Conway, adjust the rest of the schedule the same way. Then maybe you'll be looking at something hot.

Is there any mention of a "guaranteed" service on these trains?You know-your money back if we don't do what we promise.UPS trucked their business down to Akron to get on the EL and avoid the not so reliable PennCentral,and the same can happen to this business over east going to CSX-or worse yet back to the highway.Right you are cr-eng1 about everything else will sit while these trains run.Standing freight,as safe as it is,is losing money-I say let's tear out even more track and stuff all these trains on it.Seriously-Conrail was a guilty as the next RR about line "consolidations",but as I see it NS now has the plant to handle more traffic-if it would just use it.Prime example is the FtWayne Line west of Alliance,Ohio used by only a handfull of trains right now.Get some of the "less important"( I thought ALL customer's business was important)trains out of the way by using this line to/from Bellevue and FtWayne(you know-buy the west end back from CSX).They keep moving(happy customer again) and the path is a little clearer for the Thoroughbred version of the SuperC.Win win if you ask me.RAD

NS is limited to a max of 8 trains per day by a Conrail merger agreement with CSX. These trains traverse CSX trackage from Crestline to at least (Billy Ray) Bucyrus.

BNSF power up the West Slope in the daylight! Cool! Cab-signalled unit ahead or not. Do they have turning facilities at Croxton?...Roadrat

NS won't get a lot of chances with UPS. They (UPS) only get involved in projects like this for 1 reason- MAKING MORE PROFITS! When E-L had this business, NOTHING got in the way or there was hell to pay! If railroads in general really want to take trucks off the road, this is the only type of service they can offer that has a chance of doing it. Being in the trucking business, I can say that shippers DEMAND timely service, and DON'T want to hear excuses of almost any type once you get past weather delays.

As of 2000HRS, the westbound "Super Z" test train is called for a 2100 crew sign up, scheduled for 2300 release by the car department/packers, and 2345 departure. As I type, the power is coupled to the empty train, the cars preinspected, and the crew is enroute to the signup location.

The carded info is as follows:

Power: NS 9621/NS 9249

5 Loads (all spine cars, supposedly no empty platforms) 0 Empties

From information that appears on the Western forum, two BNSF Dash 9's are slated to depart with the eastbound train. Folks just might get their wish of some BNSF power on the Middle Division during daylight on Wednesday...

Make that Thursday for possible BNSF power on the Middle Division... the train departs Chicago at night on Wednesday, putting the train in PA on Thursday afternoon...

The SMURF!!!!!!...Roadrat

Here's an idea-bring about 20 BNSF SD-70macs to Altoona,put cab signals in them.That way you don't have to waste time changing out power,and we'll all get to see some cool engines leading these trains.Besides,some think that it's gonna be BNSF in place of NS in due time anyway.Hmmm-better check what I'm drinking tonight.....RAD

And what color is the sky in your world Roger?....Roadrat

NS Black......what else is there???!!!

As reported earlier, it looks like the BNSF power is scheduled to run through on the eastbound 22T. Just talked to a NS RFE, who mentioned that an NS unit equipped with a cab signal self tester (most likely a Dash 9-40CW) is either in route to, or currently at, the BNSF Argentine Yard (Kansas City) to bring the 22T east. From what I was told, the unit will be "ready to roll" and tacked on to the train upon arrival in KC.

Stay tuned for more...