Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS New Connection in Vermilion Ohio question

Hello-

I was reading in this month's Railpace from a press release in that the new connection will enable eastbound trains (206 and 23K?) to run on the ex NKP instead of the ex NYC to the Cloggsville connection.   I thought there was a limit on the number of trains that could be run on the ex NKP through the western suburbs?  

My understanding is there is a limit over which NS would pay a penalty. They're not even close yet though. Mainly, it is for intermodal trains to avoid congestion at Rockport, as occurred during 2014. (My statements, not NS).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/16 07:56 by halfmoonharold.

How many more trains that take the NKP west of Conneaut will this affect

I believe this will affect 205/206, 22K/23K, and maybe a loaded ethanol train.  316/145, 28N, and 310 already use an all NKP routing. 309 works Rockport and has to run via the Cloggsville, while 287 is a tossup.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/16 10:40 by Oakway.

halfmoonharold Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My understanding is there is a limit over which NS
> would pay a penalty. They're not even close yet
> though. Mainly, it is for intermodal trains to
> avoid congestion at Rockport, as occurred during
> 2014. (My statements, not NS).

A penalty? To run their trains on their tracks.  Does this BS go back to the Congressman Dennis Kucinich's demands pandering to the western suburbs  prior to the Conrail split?
RichS 

richs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> halfmoonharold Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > My understanding is there is a limit over which
> NS
> > would pay a penalty. They're not even close yet
> > though. Mainly, it is for intermodal trains to
> > avoid congestion at Rockport, as occurred
> during
> > 2014. (My statements, not NS).
>
> A penalty? To run their trains on their tracks.
>  Does this BS go back to the Congressman Dennis
> Kucinich's demands pandering to the western
> suburbs  prior to the Conrail split?
> RichS 


Not sure if was Kucinich or Cleveland in general, to not oppose the merger/Conrail split.  I remember they wanted NS and CSX to use the opposite lines than what they do now in Berea and use the connector tracks there.   Believe some of it was a concern for the number of grade crossings in populated areas and it being single track for the NKP line.  The cloggsville connection was used instead and then I think Cleveland dropped the opposition to the Conrail split then.  I am not sure where the cloggsville connection is, but guessing it is in an isolated part of Cleveland?    



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/16 11:22 by WLE2679.

The NKP line as noted has numerous grade crossings on Cleveland's west side, Lakewood, Rocky River, Avon, etc.   It is single track CTC.  So it won't be a fast alternative, but a few more daily trains thru the above suburbs won't be a big deal.  And it will keep the former NYC line fluid.  It is part of the 'Premier Corridor' which NS wants to keep flowing.  The Vermilion connections provide alternative operating paths should be there any problems on either line. 

The CP Cloggsville is just west of West 25th Street in Cleveland. West of the former NKP drawbridge. NS originally announced they would run something like 30 trains a day on the former NKP. This led to the agreement being hashed out to mollify the west side residents. The connection at Vermilion (CP222) was originally supposed to look like the new one being built now. It was flip-flopped to accomodate the agreement terms, and put eastbound traffic on the CR line, instead of on to the NKP.