Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS mixing IM and merchandise on H Line?

.On the Shenandoah Junction camera.I have seen some some trains with both intermodal and merchandise lately.
I guess this is 227, the train that works the Virginia Inland Port.  I heard 227 and 228 were handeling both between
Crew and Norfolk.  But seeing it on H Line is new
Does this effect track speed?    Can we expect more of this?

hollywood
NS B Line MP 74  

holiwood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> .On the Shenandoah Junction camera.I have seen
> some some trains with both intermodal and
> merchandise lately.
> I guess this is 227, the train that works the
> Virginia Inland Port.  I heard 227 and 228 were
> handeling both between
> Crew and Norfolk.  But seeing it on H Line is
> new
> Does this effect track speed?    Can we expect
> more of this?
>
> hollywood
> NS B Line MP 74  
Do not be alarmed....it is NS playing monkey see monkey do and flushing itself down the toilet right behind CSX. 
 

holiwood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> .On the Shenandoah Junction camera.I have seen
> some some trains with both intermodal and
> merchandise lately.
> I guess this is 227, the train that works the
> Virginia Inland Port.  I heard 227 and 228 were
> handeling both between
> Crew and Norfolk.  But seeing it on H Line is
> new
> Does this effect track speed?    Can we expect
> more of this?

Generally, NS is about to roll out their latest version of PSR dubbed TOP21 Phase 3, which will apply PSR initiatives (clean sheeting is another catch phrase for this,) to their intermodal & vehicle network. I think they said either this quarter or Q1 2020 they were going to start rolling it out. In some areas, I would expect to see them TRY to run even longer intermodal trains, probably with Distributed Power.  I think you'll also see some more merchandise on some of the intermodal trains also; they call this "blending traffic" vs. a having a dedicated IM / vehicle train.  We'll likely see some schedules revised and perhaps additional intermodal service lanes cut.  In theory & on paper, since most merchandise trains (the cars) can now run at up to 60mph, the mixed freight cars won't slow down the intermodal trains.  But not on paper:  the "rationalization" of power (in many cases down from 3 to 2 engines on a train & less horsepower per ton,) and the extra tonnage from a block of mixed freight added on to the intermodal trains will indeed slow things down.  Not to worry, whatever they try, they will deem it a success no matter if it works or not.

It'll look just like the UP in a short time, neat looking train, IM block, autos block and lo and behold a cut
of hoppers trailing!

Out

Clean sheeting was a yard/terminal thing.  Top21 is the mainline program.

Eng.Shadetree

shadetree Wrote:
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> Clean sheeting was a yard/terminal thing.  Top21
> is the mainline program.
>
> Eng.Shadetree

Yeah.  My reference to the "clean sheeting" of the intermodal /vehicle network referrs to anticipated adjustments in s/o p/u activities that will occur at various intermodal /vehicle termails, (and some merchandise yards,) which they have referred to on their earnings calls.  If they revise some of the IM schedules & s/o p/u actions, it stands to reason there will be "clean sheeting" at the origin /destination intermodal terminals as the schedules & activities are based on what happens at the IM terminals.

I think they may be going down the toilet ahead of csx

two

 
> Do not be alarmed....it is NS playing monkey see
> monkey do and flushing itself down the toilet
> right behind CSX. 
>  

Posted from Android

I think mixing IM and merchandise on 227 and 228 would work.  They run between Norfolk and Harrisburg with Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal is were
they do a lot of work. These are not hot trains and length varies. Some times 228 is light engines to VIP and sometimes they have to run a I28. Sometimes
They will have a block of JB Hunt containers.  Some days 227 is only a few cars after VIP setoff so adding freight makes sense on those days.  

hollywood
.   . 

holiwood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think mixing IM and merchandise on 227 and 228
> would work.  They run between Norfolk and
> Harrisburg with Virginia Inland Port in Front
> Royal is were
> they do a lot of work. These are not hot trains
> and length varies. Some times 228 is light engines
> to VIP and sometimes they have to run a I28.
> Sometimes
> They will have a block of JB Hunt containers. 
> Some days 227 is only a few cars after VIP setoff
> so adding freight makes sense on those days.  
>
> hollywood

That or combine it with another train.  We assume they will try some train consolidations as they did with the manafest network.  Just tack the traffic on an existing train & make it stop somewhere new.  Sure it slows everything down, but who cares?

Longer trains sounds like bigger wrecks. One big derailment for a self insured company sounds like it would pay for a few more crews. Just thinking to myself.

steamloco Wrote:
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> Longer trains sounds like bigger wrecks. One big
> derailment for a self insured company sounds like
> it would pay for a few more crews. Just thinking
> to myself.

Especially when the railroad cars are mixed types in hilly and curvy territory.