Eastern Railroad Discussion > Head's Up -Huge CSX train with DPU

Q606-01 just leaving Mobile, AL with 206 cars, 12,731 feet.  Supposed to have DPU engines ahead of the autoracks.  I heard this is a combined Q602 and Q606.  CSX is trying to cut crews and is giving this a try.  They ran a coal train to Florida with DPU this week.

Do you have the lead locomotive number?

Andrew

Posted from iPhone

florida581 Wrote:
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> Do you have the lead locomotive number?
>
> Andrew
>
> Posted from iPhone

No

Interestingly, CSX had a coal train arriving at the coal terrminal in Mobile this evening around 5 with a single DPU unit on the rear.

Welcome to the 21st Century, CSX.  ;)

-Tom

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,3772534,3772534#msg-3772534

CSX has been running the coal trains with distributed power down south for about 2 months. Now they are giving mixed freight a second try with DP. All engineers out of Mobile, Al and elsewhere will get qualified to run the combined 606/602 and 609/601 DP trains.

I can't remember the exact numbers but this Q60601 will leave Pensacola with about 14,300 ft of train weighing nearly 19,000 tons. Should be interesting to see how it works out...

Posted from iPhone



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/15 01:30 by ThrottleJockey.

ThrottleJockey Wrote:
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> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,3
> 772534,3772534#msg-3772534
>
> CSX has been running the coal trains with
> distributed power down south for about 2 months.
> Now they are giving mixed freight a second try
> with DP. All engineers out of Mobile, Al and
> elsewhere will get qualified to run the combined
> 606/602 and 609/601 DP trains.
>
> I can't remember the exact numbers but this Q60601
> will leave Pensacola with about 14,300 ft of train
> weighing nearly 19,000 tons. Should be interesting
> to see how it works out...
>
> Posted from iPhone
Thanks ThrottleJockey, Does the extra tonnage slow the max speed down affecting travel time ? TIA

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

With distributed power, the extra tonnage should not slow it down anymore than a normal heavy train with the engines up front. Theoretically with the DP set up the train should run more efficiently because there is more than one source of air pumping on the train (the bigger the train, the more small air leaks) and there is less binding in curves. These are a couple of advantages of DP only if the train is able to stay in one piece...

Posted from iPhone

Things don't appear to be going well for Q606. It is not scheduled for a recrew at Baldwin until 9:30 tonight!!!

Posted from iPhone

Q606 has picked up some additional cars. Now 222 cars, 14,603 feet.

Posted from iPhone

RFandPFan Wrote:
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> Q606 has picked up some additional cars. Now 222
> cars, 14,603 feet.
>
> Posted from iPhone
LOL, Well I stood out there at Baldwin from 730 A.M. to 1130 A.M. and called it off,  maybe next one !
Thanks for the info ThrottleJockey and RF and P fan

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/15 09:29 by calsubd.

It's train sheet now shows it departing Chattahoochee at 1320.

Posted from iPhone

ThrottleJockey Wrote:
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> It's train sheet now shows it departing
> Chattahoochee at 1320.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Noted, Thanks

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Update - Recrew for Q606 is called for 6:00pm in Baldwin.  In Lake City now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/15 12:53 by RFandPFan.

RFandPFan Wrote:
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> Update - Recrew for Q606 is called for 6:00pm in
> Baldwin.  In Lake City now.
Out the door in 10

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

He's pulling in to Waycross at 09:19. He had 207 cars (166 loads / 41 empties), 14634 ft, 18854 tons into Tallahassee yesterday afternoon. He may have picked up more cars there. CSXT 3209 was the lead motor.

This train had a plethora of problems throughout Florida. He broke a knuckle 167 cars deep around Tallahassee. He was delayed for several hours. It then hit a dragging equipment detector 17 miles east of Tallahassee at Lloyd. Talk about an operational nightmare!

Andrew

Posted from iPhone

A buddy with CSX told me there would be issues.  He is an engineer and was telling me that there are not a lot of people in the Jax Division that are trained and qualified for DPU trains.  This seems to be part of CSX's plan to cut as many crews as they can.  Some rumors are that it is being done to make the bottom line look better and to prepare for a takeover fight from CP.  Not sure of this is true or not, but the rumor is going around.

I also was told that the DPU coal trains will all go via the Tallahassee Sub to avoid operating issues on the Fitzgerald, so this could mean less coal traffic through Waycross and Folkston.  But who knows, if they continue to have problems they could scrap the idea altogether. 

florida581 Wrote:
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> He's pulling in to Waycross at 09:19. He had 207
> cars (166 loads / 41 empties), 14634 ft, 18854
> tons into Tallahassee yesterday afternoon. He may
> have picked up more cars there. CSXT 3209 was the
> lead motor.
>
> This train had a plethora of problems throughout
> Florida. He broke a knuckle 167 cars deep around
> Tallahassee. He was delayed for several hours.
> It then hit a dragging equipment detector 17 miles
> east of Tallahassee at Lloyd. Talk about an
> operational nightmare!
>
> Andrew
>
> Posted from iPhone

Was this a DPU from NOLA or Mobile ?,  another opinion I have (and I know every one has one ) is that Monster trains are fine for single commodity trains but a Manifest making pick ups and set outs isn't the way to go, cutting employees isn't the way either !!!,  my .02, keep the change !

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Ed,

It had the DPU the entire trip from New Orleans.

Andrew

Posted from iPhone

florida581 Wrote:
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> Ed,
>
> It had the DPU the entire trip from New Orleans.
>
> Andrew
>
> Posted from iPhone
Thanks Andrew

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL