Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS back to 50 mph trains except...

Effective 00:01 4/7 NS will eliminate 60 mph freight trains across the system with the exception of the 40, 60 mph authorized intermodal trains listed below. 201, 209, 212, 217, 21M, 224, 233, 26R, 203, 20K, 213, 218, 21Q, 225, 23N, 282, 204, 20Q, 214, 219, 21T, 226, 24M, 26E, 205, 20W, 215, 21E, 21Z, 229, 24N, 255, 206, 211, 216, 21J, 220, 22W, 25V, 291.
Maximum speed for all trains except passenger trains & these 40 intermodal trains will be 50 mph.
The reason given is "fuel savings" "in the current operating environment."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/20 13:01 by nsrlink.

Interesting insights into what NS obviously considers its hottest intermodals.  Thank you for posting.
 

Surprised 20E wasn't on there.

I don't see 234 in the list.   Does this train still run?

Well, I would say that does not give shippers any hopes of receiving their cars on time.  Oh wait a minute, I bet there is another reason for using less fuel--lower the gosh o' mighty OR and make their Wall Street guys happier.  With fuel at an almost record low price that's just gotta be it.

As big as NS is running most trains, how many would be able to make 60 MPH for any appreciable distance anyway, except maybe on the Chicago line?

overniteman Wrote:
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> Surprised 20E wasn't on there.

I noticed its absence too.
 

tomstp Wrote:
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> Well, I would say that does not give shippers any
> hopes of receiving their cars on time.  Oh wait a
> minute, I bet there is another reason for using
> less fuel--lower the gosh o' mighty OR and make
> their Wall Street guys happier.  With fuel at an
> almost record low price that's just gotta be it.

Wow, you are really missing reality right now.  Do you even work in the transportation industry?  We are dying out here.  OR's and everything else be damned.  It is SURVIVAL at this point, man.  And many companies are not going to make it.
 

overniteman Wrote:
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> Surprised 20E wasn't on there.

Or 23M for that matter. On the Reading line these trains are as fast as 20K or 21M and get priority from my observations.

Posted from iPhone

tomstp Wrote:
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> Well, I would say that does not give shippers any
> hopes of receiving their cars on time.

I would say it wouldn't make a difference.  With the reduced traffic out there right now, LOR delays are next to nothing.

The RRs are already saving money because of the drop in diesel fuel prices. For them to double-dip by slowing trains is an indication of how much of a crunch they think they're in. 

I see 209 can do 60mph but it's counterpart 210 can't

Posted from Android

I just read a forecast from a guy I've followed for years who is right 90% of the time. He says that this virus situation ( which he says will give us a second wave this coming winter) will produce a depression equal at its depth to the 1930's. He predicts months of unemployment in the 15-20% range and a 10-15% reduction in GDP. 

    If he proves anywhere close to correct we're in for some really rough sledding.  

    Plan for the worst....pray for the best.  Ross Rowland 

If you have enough power to keep the speedometer right on the money, you’re loosing 8 seconds per mile running 50mph instead of 60mph.

Assuming you had a 100 mile section of track with no speed exceptions or grades, the train only looses 13 minutes of running time per 100 miles at 50mph instead of 60mph.

Like it was previously stated, businesses are hemorrhaging money, at a loss of income, and many are saddled with a heavy debt to earnings ratio. When those loans come due, you have have to start selling assets, default, or declare bankruptcy. If you have an optimistic risk-taker at the helm, the nuclear option is to take on more debt to cover the old debt in the hopes that revenue returns to normal in the short term and you can keep the OR real lean to pay back the banks.

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
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>
> Wow, you are really missing reality right now. 
> Do you even work in the transportation industry? 
> We are dying out here.  OR's and everything else
> be damned.  It is SURVIVAL at this point, man. 
> And many companies are not going to make it.
>  

AMEN ! 

Before this speed reduction, had NS been allowing empty mixed freight cars (boxcars, hoppers, etc) to run 60 mph?  Though I haven’t seen an employee timetable to verify, CSX is apparently allowing at least some types of empties to run 60 mph.  I recently heard a mixed train, Q300, give his consist to the dispatcher which included loads, empties, tons and a 60 mph speed limit.  

Informed comments on NS and/or CSX or others would be appreciated.  Thank you!

Jay Best
Raleigh, NC

 

RGTower Wrote:
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> If you have enough power to keep the speedometer
> right on the money, you’re loosing 8 seconds per
> mile running 50mph instead of 60mph.

1:12 for 50mph vs 60 for 60. A train on a day schedule can make up (in theory with no stops) up to 240 more miles in a single day running faster.

Joe

The bottom line is it takes horsepower to run fast. The faster you run the more fuel you burn.

During a National Emergency/Worldwide Pandemic, where certain supplies and materials need to be moved quickly, it's nice to see the freight railroads rising to the challenge like this.   [Sarcasm]

-Tom

zchcsse Wrote:
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> During a National Emergency/Worldwide Pandemic,
> where certain supplies and materials need to be
> moved quickly, it's nice to see the freight
> railroads rising to the challenge like this.  
>
> -Tom
But we are talking about railroad.....amazing thing that it doesn't matter how fast you run as long as you continuously run.....one train after another ad infinitum....