Eastern Railroad Discussion > Fastest trains on NS?

Just throwing out a question about which NS trains get the most power, average the fastest speeds, etc.

My guess is it would be one of the Chicago to North Jersey intermodals. Relatively little work along the way, tend to be recrewed and on their way quickly. Often run close to a schedule.  Good track all the way.

Any thoughts

In terms of the North Jersey-Chicago corridor.  the highest priority train symbol is 21M, North Jersey to Chicago.  However, there is a higher priority train, NS 21E, which runs from Morrisville, PA direct to the BNSF Willow Springs intermodal terminal, heavy with UPS traffic.  For the NJ/PA-CHI corridor, those are the two "hottest" trains on the system.  Each morning at Wyomissing Jct, train will be stopped on the east and west side of the single track connector at least 20-30Mins before 21E arrives to assure she gets up onto the main with zero delay.  Both 21E and 21M usually command three regular NS road engines.

 As far as eastbounds go, the 20E is pretty high priority, which runs CHI-NJ, but not at the priority of either the two westbounds.

Coming up from the south to North Jersey, symbol 212 and counterpart 211 are the "hot" trains, running Atlanta to Croxton and Croxton to Atlanta respectively.  

That's how things shake down for what we see through the Reading area, obviously things may differ depending where on the system you are.

Tehachapi-TJ Over & Out

229,23G,and 295 seem to be pretty hot on the CNO&TP, though they did have 23G shove a grain train over the ridges between Clinton and Knoxville the other day. 23G normally has two units on the head end and a DPU.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/17 11:27 by dan7366.

Further south in Macon, GA, 209 ("the Hotshot") and 229 (the "Little Hotshot") seem to get the priority on their way south to Jacksonville, FL.

JL

Norfolk Southern's eastbound (southbound) Chicago, IL - Charlotte, NC train No. 218 its westbound (northbound) counterpart No. 217 are known to be some of the hottest trains on the system.

Nolan Majcher
Broadview Heights, OH
Nolan Majcher Photography

NS 203 (Rutherford, PA - Atlanta, GA) is considered one of the hottest trains on the NS Lurgan Line besides the above mentioned 211. I can pretty much predict when this train will pass near me on most days.....

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/17 00:19 by darkcloud.

20E/24M...Moses is called out to halt traffic for these two. 24M UPS traffic for Baltimore. These two trains will run around all others to keep their schedule.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/17 04:30 by Forever-Railfan-45.

20E certainly seemed to be a consistent player (Chicago to NJ).

What is the run time on 21m from crouton to Chicago?
Also why are the westbounds higher priority? At CSX it's same with 003 and 009 very hot trains, this may be just a thought but both railroads have their share of single track getting their trip started going west (NS single and double until Harrisburg and CSX single and double up river to Selkirk) then it's on double rest of way . Or is it more westbound traffic ?

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On CSXT I have heard trains carrying UPS are just as not in both directions. Q001 and Q002 are two such examples. I think Q004 is just as hot as well.

Inbound train 234 to Norfolk makes it from Chicago to Norfolk in around 18 hours, with a 1000 mile inspection in Roanoke. Usually also has about an hour of work in Crewe, but still is considered the hottest train on that stretch of railroad. Counterpart 233 isn't quite as hot, but still near the top of the priority list. 

mw2007 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is the run time on 21m from crouton to
> Chicago?
> Also why are the westbounds higher priority? At
> CSX it's same with 003 and 009 very hot trains,
> this may be just a thought but both railroads have
> their share of single track getting their trip
> started going west (NS single and double until
> Harrisburg and CSX single and double up river to
> Selkirk) then it's on double rest of way . Or is
> it more westbound traffic ?
>
> Posted from iPhone

​NS 24M and 20E carry a good bit of UPS and FedEx traffic eastbound. Also 20K is considered a high priority on the Pittsburgh Line.

I forgot to mention the 22W to Rutherford as well. When I have chased this train when it has a HU leading, I have noticed DS keeps it moving....



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/17 05:39 by ns1000.

Although it is a Q train on the BNSF  (BNSF QLACAUG) when interchanged to the NS in Memphis it becomes a hot train as NS 264. Solid JB HUNT train.
Runs out of Memphis east across northern Mississippi & Alabama on the Alabama DIV. then south out of Chattanooga on Georgia DIV to NS Whitaker Yard in Austell.
Leaves Austell to Inman with stacks for other points on NS system

MEMPHIS, TN (BNSF QLACAUG) - ATLANTA, GA  (SA-WE)
 

At one point 202 from Tn to up north was the hottest on the NS system but that may have changed

Gary