Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX running 12000', DP trains on the Short Line (LCL)

CSX has started running some monsters on the LCL, or as locals know it, “The Short Line.”  A few months ago they ran one from Louisville to Cincinnati, about 12,000 feet.  There were some doubts about it making it but it got there OK.  They ran a few more every once in a while, and they seemed to be running OK.  Recently they have been running a nearly daily southbound version.  I had heard about them but had not had a chance to see one, that is, until last night. 
 
I got a heads up that it was at LaGrange, Ky. and heading towards Louisville.  Being about ten minutes from HK tower in Anchorage, I decided to take a look.  I got there and didn’t have to wait but a few minutes for the lights to glimmer on the rails as it rounded the curve.  Turned out to be a rack train, nothing special about that.   About 5 or 10 minutes later another glimmer on the rails announced the arrival of Q561.  Two Diesels, a bunch of cars, two more Diesels, and another bunch of cars.  It was traveling at or close to track speed, about 25 MPH.    There was a signal maintainer there that had been working on the crossing signal and we talked for a few minutes after it passed.   I decided to drive along the route going toward Louisville and was surprised to see FRED winking up ahead.  It turns out that the head end of the train was stopped about 100-150 yards from the Lyndon Ln crossing.  This is a normal place to stop before heading into Louisville.  It’s double track and there’s 8500-9000 feet between that crossing and the next one back.  After passing Lyndon Ln, there are fewer places to stop for a crew change or wait for an opposing train to pass without blocking a bunch of streets.  An 8000 foot train will sit in there without a problem.  However, if you have two trains tied together that total about 12,000 feet, it’s not going to fit between the streets that are 9000 feet apart.  The train was stopped for at least 30 minutes.  When it finally did move, it had the Lyndon Lane crossing blocked for about 16 minutes.  Two Diesels, 127 cars, two more Diesels, and 76 more cars.  While it sat there it had Whipps Mill Rd blocked, a pretty busy two lane road, and UPS drive, the main road into an industrial center.    The next place back from Lyndon Ln that could come close to holding a train like that would be at HK tower.  Going back to from there it’s about 12,000 – 13,000 feet to Chamberlain Ln, and that’s a 4 lane road.

CSX is supposed to directionalize the route from Cincinnati going to Louisville next month. Northbound trains will be going north on the L&I to Seymore and then to Cincinnati.  The longest passing track that I’m aware of on the LCL is 9870 feet.  That signal maintainer I was talking to told me that PTC was being cut in on Sunday between Frankfort Ave and LaGrange.  I guess railroading in this area is about to change.
 
John