Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX Waycross - Manchester GA -Atlanta/Birmingham traffic

I am wondering what trains CSX runs on its old AB&C lines between Waycross and Atlanta/Birmingham?

I am also curious how much Waycross - Birmingham traffic goes via Montgomery AL?

I appreciate any help with this.

> how much Waycross - Birmingham traffic goes via Montgomery AL?

I believe the answer is little to none. Under PSR, the Montgomery-Dothan-Waycross line is primarily for local freight. 

ctillnc Wrote:
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> > how much Waycross - Birmingham traffic goes via Montgomery AL?
>
> I believe the answer is little to none. Under PSR,
> the Montgomery-Dothan-Waycross line is primarily
> for local freight. 

Appreciate it. So the line via Manchester must be the route for Birmingham-Waycross traffic.

The following are the scheduled trains on the Fitzgerald Sub between Manchester and Waycross.  This Sub sees virtually all traffic between Waycross and Atlanta / Birmingham.  Overall, there are about 26 road trains in a 24-hour period plus a good handful of locals. 

•intermodal
Q025 Bedford Park, IL - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL daily
Q026 Jacksonville Duval, FL - Bedford Park, IL daily
Q125 Memphis, TN - East Savannah, GA Su-Th
L125 Memphis, TN - East Savannah, GA Fr, Sa
Q126 East Savannah, GA - Memphis, TN daily
Q142 Jacksonville Duval, FL - North Baltimore, OH daily
Q143 North Baltimore, OH - Jacksonville Duval, FL daily 

•autorack
Q220 Baldwin, FL - Montgomery, AL daily
Q237 Louisville, KY - Baldwin, FL daily
Q238 Baldwin, FL - Talladega, AL daily
Q241 Walbridge, OH - Baldwin, FL daily 

•manifest
Q514 Waycross, GA - Nashville, TN daily
Q515 Nashville, TN - Waycross, GA daily
Q541 Cincinnati, OH - Waycross, GA daily
Q542 Waycross, GA - Cincinnati, OH daily
Q601 Waycross, GA - New Orleans, LA (UP MCXEW) daily
Q602 New Orleans, LA (UP MLIWX) - Waycross, GA daily
Q605 Waycross, GA - New Orleans, LA (UP MCXLI) daily
Q606 New Orleans, LA - Waycross, GA daily
Q645 Birmingham, AL - Waycross, GA daily
Q646 Waycross, GA - Birmingham, AL daily
Q647 Bedford Park, IL (BRC) - Waycross, GA daily
Q648 Waycross, GA - Bedford Park, IL (BRC) daily 

•locals
A726 Fitzgerald, GA - Sessoms, GA turn Su-Th
A730 Cordele, GA - Oglethorpe, GA turn Sa-Th
A731 Oglethorpe, GA - Mauk, GA turn daily
A732 Oglethorpe, GA - Junction City, GA turn daily
A753 Oglethorpe, GA - Fitzgerald, GA turn Su-Th
A754 Fitzgerald, GA - Waycross, GA turn Su-Fr
A770 Waycross, GA - Brownsand, GA daily
A771 Brownsand, GA - Waycross, GA daily 

•unit trains
There is an average of 4 unit trains of either coal, ethanol, phosphate, or grain. 

The Manchester Sub (between Manchester and Atlanta) is fairly sleepy nowadays.  The only scheduled trains are Q241, Q541, Q542 and maybe a unit train or two.  Everything else runs the Lineville Sub to Lagrange. 

Andrew

florida581 Wrote:
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> The Manchester Sub (between Manchester and
> Atlanta) is fairly sleepy nowadays.  The only
> scheduled trains are Q241, Q541, Q542 and maybe a
> unit train or two.  Everything else runs the
> Lineville Sub to Lagrange. 
> Andrew

And if you go about 33 miles to the northwest to LaGrange Georgia in addition to what is listed above you can catch another 10 Stacks 
most with BNSF power.
Q154 Fairburn,GA - Memphis,TN
Q155 Memphis,TN(ZLAME) - Fairburn,GA
Q181 East Thomas,AL(BNSF) - Fairburn,GA
Q182 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
Q183 East Thomas,AL(BNSF) - Fairburn,GA
Q184 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
L184 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
Q185 East Thomas,AL(BNSF) - Fairburn,GA
Q186 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
L186 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA

NSSpike Wrote:
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I added the days of operation for the intermodals:

> Q154 Fairburn,GA - Memphis,TN
Q154 runs via Atlanta and Chattanooga so it won't go through Lagrange.

> Q155 Memphis,TN(ZLAME) - Fairburn,GA
Su-Th
> Q181 East Thomas,AL(BNSF) - Fairburn,GA
Mo, We, Fr
> Q182 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
Su
> Q183 East Thomas,AL(BNSF) - Fairburn,GA
Th-Tu
> Q184 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
Tu, Th, Sa
> L184 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
Mo, We, Fr
> Q185 East Thomas,AL(BNSF) - Fairburn,GA
Fr-We
> Q186 Fairburn,GA - East Thomas,AL(BNSF)
Tu, Th, Sa


Largrange also sees the following intermodals and long distance road locals:
Q028 Fairburn, GA - Chicago 59th St, IL daily
Q029 Chicago 59th St, IL - Fairburn, GA daily
A743 Atlanta, GA - Montgomery, AL daily
A744 Montgomery, AL - Atlanta, GA daily

Andrew



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/19 12:25 by florida581.

Thanks everyone. That's more traffic than I realized. I guess there is no question about Waycross-Manchester-Birmingham remaining part of the CSX core system.

I'll probably have some more questions as I take time to digest this information.

Since Q125 and Q126 run via Waycross, are there any intermodal or through trains on the Georgia Road?

Thank you in advance.

PRR_4859 Wrote:
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> Since Q125 and Q126 run via Waycross, are there
> any intermodal or through trains on the Georgia
> Road?

These intermodals are the only through trains on the Georgia Road:

Q197 East Savannah, GA - Fairburn, GA daily 
Q198 Fairburn, GA - East Savannah, GA daily 

Andrew

florida581 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These intermodals are the only through trains on
> the Georgia Road:
>
> Q197 East Savannah, GA - Fairburn, GA daily 
> Q198 Fairburn, GA - East Savannah, GA daily 
>
> Andrew

Thanks Andrew. I guess those carry the Chatsworth GA Inland Port containers and connect with the Cincinnati service at Fairburn?

ctillnc Wrote:
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> > how much Waycross - Birmingham traffic goes via
> Montgomery AL?
>
> I believe the answer is little to none. Under PSR,
> the Montgomery-Dothan-Waycross line is primarily
> for local freight. 

CSX was upgrading the line from 25mph to 40mph. It sounds like some traffic will be routed this way. Especially since they sold off the panhandle route.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 11:16 by flarails882.

flarails882 Wrote:
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> CSX was upgrading the line from 25mph to 40mph. It
> sounds like some traffic will be routed this way.
> Especially scence they sold of the panhandle
> route.

Now that is interesting. I would think that Waycross-Birmingham via Montgomery would have more favorable grades and alignment than via Manchester, but probably is a little longer in distance.

PSR has sharply reduced CSX traffic Atlanta-Manchester as well as Atlanta-Chattanooga. 

Note that after the realignment of trackage in LaGrange some years back to create an easy connection between the ex-ACL and the ex-A&WP, any Montgomery-Waycross traffic can run via LaGrange (335 miles, all signaled) instead of via Dothan (315 miles, all dark). 

The Montgomery-Dothan line has substantial grades, and it's curvy. Even the South Wind of the 1950s averaged only 45 mph between Montgomery and Dothan, with no stops. Furthermore there aren't many long sidings between Montgomery and Waycross via Dothan. 

ctillnc Wrote:
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> Note that after the realignment of trackage in
> LaGrange some years back to create an easy
> connection between the ex-ACL and the ex-A&WP, any
> Montgomery-Waycross traffic can run via LaGrange
> (335 miles, all signaled) instead of via
> Dothan (315 miles, all dark). 
>
> The Montgomery-Dothan line has substantial grades,
> and it's curvy. Even the South Wind of the 1950s
> averaged only 45 mph between Montgomery and
> Dothan, with no stops. Furthermore there aren't
> many long sidings between Montgomery and Waycross
> via Dothan. 

Interesting.  Thank you for dispelling my hunches.