Eastern Railroad Discussion > Folkston “mini-trip” train report

Because of upcoming work and family commitments, I won’t be able to attend the upcoming Folkston Winterwatch this December.  To suffice, I just completed a mini day-trip to Folkston.  Unlike most times where I do a 24-hr, midnight to midnight, train count, I was only at the platform for 10 hours.  Although the overall train count for Folkston is at an all-time low, there was decent rail action by the platform for my duration.  12 trains went by within the 10 hours while I was trackside.  Again, Folkston is currently averaging about 25 trains per 24 hours...a far cry from the 60+ a day from past years.  The following is a summary of all the train movements that I witnessed.

Folkston, GA  Monday 11/23/20  09:15 - 19:15

•summary of trains

intermodal: 5
manifest: 3
total unit trains: 2
-1 coal
-1 phosphate 
Amtrak: 2

Total trains: 12

•traffic by routing 

-north of Folkston  
8 trains traversed the Jesup Sub to / from Waycross, GA.  
4 trains traversed the Nahunta Sub to / from Savannah, GA.  

-south of Folkston  
8 trains traversed the Nahunta Sub to / from Jacksonville, FL.  
4 trains traversed the Callahan Sub to / from Baldwin, FL. 

•full report

09:35 E04021 (Taft, FL - Evansville, IN) coal empties 
CSXT 3025 ES44AH
CSXT 266 CW44AC
CSXT 7011 CM44AC (midtrain DPU)
CSXT 3040 ES44AH (midtrain DPU)
CSXT 479 CW44AC (midtrain DPU)
CSXT 3057 ES44AH (rear DPU)
209 cars
11,754 ft
872 axles
Northbound track 1 

10:44 K85421 (Mulberry, FL - Bensenville, IL CP) phosphate loads
CSXT 7218 CM44AC
CSXT 5385 ES40DC
CSXT 28 CW44AC
100 cars
6,338 ft
418 axles 
Northbound track 1

11:42 Q03922 (Charlotte, NC - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL) intermodal 
CSXT 4528 SD70AC
CSXT 120 CW44AC
147 platforms 
10,571 ft
456 axles 
Southbound track 1

12:16 Q20823 (Baldwin, FL - Louisville, KY) intermodal / autorack empties 
CSXT 743 ES44AH
CSXT 5461 ES40DC (Seaboard System decal)
CSXT 3191 (midtrain DPU)
129 cars (67 platforms / 62 racks)
10,306 ft
456 axles 
Northbound track 1

12:32 Q22022 (Sanford, FL - Montgomery, AL) manifest / autorack empties 
CSXT 7001 CM44AC
CSXT 5336 ES40DC
77 cars (15 manifest / 62 racks)
7,028 ft
320 axles
Northbound track 1

13:41 Q45523 (Waycross, GA - Sanford, FL) manifest 
CSXT 909 ES44AH
CSXT 5311 ES40DC
164 cars
9,207 ft
676 axles 
Southbound track 1
(first 2 cars were high and wide loads)

13:43 Q03223 (Jacksonville Duval, FL - North Bergen, NJ) intermodal 
CSXT 3118 ES44AH
CSXT 3080 ES44AH (rear DPU)
72 platforms 
4,710 ft
212 axles 
Northbound track 2

14:40 A76413 (Waycross, GA - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL turn NB return trip) manifest 
CSXT 7209 CM44AC
CSXT 5316 ES40DC
70 cars
4,498 ft
292 axles 
Northbound track 1

15:32 Q02623 (Jacksonville Duval, FL - Bedford Park, IL) intermodal 
CSXT 936 ES44AH
CSXT 16 CW44AC
CSXT 871 ES44AH (midtrain DPU)
89 platforms 
6,431 ft
278 axles 
Northbound track 2

16:14 X20917 (Louisville, KY - Baldwin, FL) extra intermodal / autorack loads
CSXT 3219 ES44AH
CSXT 798 ES44AH
CSXT 5236 ES40DC
CSXT 706 ES44AH (midtrain DPU)
202 cars (196 platforms / 6 racks)
13,909 ft
600 axles 
Southbound track 2

17:39 P09823 (Miami, FL - New York City, NY) Amtrak Silver Meteor
Amtrak 10 P42DC
Amtrak 183 P42DC
Amtrak 161 P42DC
11 cars
1,136 ft
56 axles 
Northbound track 2 

19:12 P05223 (Sanford, FL - Lorton, VA) Amtrak Auto Train
Amtrak 830 P42DC
Amtrak 138 P42DC
35 cars (14 Superliners / 21 racks)
3,254 ft
148 axles 
Northbound track 2


Andrew

thanks very much for posting this info. 

any post with train symbols and other info is a great one as far as i am concerned...........

66

Yes, thanks Andrew for all you do to keep us informed.  The attached diagram was copied in 2014.

---

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> thanks very much for posting this info. 
>
> any post with train symbols and other info is a
> great one as far as i am concerned...........
>
> 66

^ Like.

Great report, Andrew? Is that a new symbol for the Charlotte train, or should be Q037?

Mike Derrick

Posted from Android

Wow Andrew, is about all I can say. Quite a dropoff in traffic. Always enjoy your trackside reports, about as thorough as it gets here on TO. Have a Happy Thanksgiving

Sunday's departure from Charlotte has been running as Q039 while other days it is Q037.

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great report, Andrew? Is that a new symbol for the
> Charlotte train, or should be Q037?
>
> Mike Derrick
>
> Posted from Android

Big reduction in train count, definitely, but a lesser reduction in total number of cars passing through the funnel. PSR creates fewer, longer trains. Also, fewer coal trains than 10 years ago, fewer Amtraks than last year, and of course no solid juice train.   

Does Q392 Charlotte-Moncrief operate via Waycross or Nahunta?
Great listing of trains - thanks!
Andy

twropr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does Q392 Charlotte-Moncrief operate via Waycross
> or Nahunta?

There isn't a Q392.

Andrew

The following are the current scheduled CSX trains through Folkston (not including the peak season intermodals).

Q025 Bedford Park, IL - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL daily
Q026 Jacksonville Duval, FL - Bedford Park, IL daily
Q031 North Bergen, NJ - Jacksonville Duval, FL daily
Q032 Jacksonville Duval, FL - North Bergen, NJ daily
Q037 Charlotte, NC - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL Mo-Sa
Q038 Jacksonville Moncrief, FL - Charlotte, NC daily 
Q039 Charlotte, NC - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL Su
Q208 Baldwin, FL - Louisville, KY daily
Q209 Louisville, KY - Baldwin, FL daily
Q220 Sanford, FL - Montgomery, AL daily
Q441 Waycross, GA - Tampa, FL daily
Q442 Tampa, FL - Waycross, GA daily 
Q452 Miami, FL - Waycross ,GA daily
Q453 Waycross, GA - Miami, FL daily
Q455 Waycross, GA - Sanford, FL daily
Q603 Waycross, GA - Winston, FL daily
Q604 Winston, FL - Waycross, FL daily
A764 Waycross, GA - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL turn daily 

As for the routings north of Folkston:

The following CSX trains traverse the Jesup Sub towards Waycross, GA: 
Q025, Q026, Q208, Q209, Q220, Q441, Q442, Q452, Q453, Q455, Q603, Q604, A764

The following CSX trains traverse the Nahunta Sub towards Savannah, GA:
Q031, Q032, Q037/Q039, Q038

As for the routings south of Folkston:

The following CSX trains traverse the Nahunta Sub towards Jacksonville, FL:
Q025, Q026, Q031, Q032, Q037/Q039, Q038, Q208, Q209, A764

The following CSX trains traverse the Callahan Sub towards Baldwin, FL:
Q220, Q441, Q442, Q452, Q453, Q455, Q603, Q604

Andrew