Eastern Railroad Discussion > Railwatch 2021 Folkston, GA 24-hr report

Folkston Railwatch 2021 24-hr report
Saturday 4/10/21 midnight to midnight 

•summary of trains (by type)

intermodal: 8
manifest and / or autorack: 14
unit (bulk commodity) / extra trains:
- 3 coal
- 1 ethanol
- 1 rock
welded-rail train: 1
Amtrak: 3

Total trains: 31

•traffic by routing  

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

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

•full report

00:15 Q45310 (Waycross, GA - Miami, FL) manifest 
CSXT 5460 ES40DC
CSXT 3297 ET44AH
106 cars
6,261 ft
436 axles 
southbound track 1

00:28 Q45208 (Miami, FL - Waycross, GA) manifest
CSXT 443 CW44AC
CSXT 373 CW44AC
CSXT 2009 GP38-3
222 cars
13,335 ft
904 axles 
northbound track 2

03:35 N04005 (Oaktown, IN - Taft, FL) coal loads
CSXT 3425 ET44AH
CSXT 3190 ES44AH (DPU)
98 cars
5,348 ft
404 axles 
southbound track 1

03:42 Q20210 (Baldwin, FL - Walbridge, OH) autorack empties 
CSXT 3188 ES44AH
CSXT 5341 ES40DC
CSXT 831 ES44AH (DPU)
101 cars
9,607 ft
422 axles 
northbound track 2

04:01 Q14210 (Jacksonville Duval, FL - North Baltimore, OH) intermodal 
CSXT 5406 ES40DC
CSXT 5245 ES40DC
115 platforms 
8,251 ft
332 axles 
northbound track 2

05:44 E01507 (Jacksonville, FL - Evansville, IN) coal empties
CSXT 3337 ET44AH
CSXT 385 CW44AC
CSXT 3322 ET44AH
91 cars
4,973 ft
382 axles 
northbound track 2
(note: The train originated at Bostwick (Palatka), FL.  It runs under a local symbol between Palatka and Jacksonville.)

06:29 Q64508 (Birmingham, AL - Baldwin, FL) autorack loads  / manifest 
CSXT 7215 CM44AC
CSXT 3362 ET44AH (DPU)
154 cars (67 racks / 87 manifest)
11,521 ft
628 axles 
southbound track 1

07:15 P05309 (Lorton, VA - Sanford, FL) Amtrak Auto Train
Amtrak 831 P40DC
Amtrak 816 P40DC
36 cars (15 Superliners / 21 autoracks)
3,399 ft
152 axles 
southbound track 2

07:23 P09109 (New York City, NY - Miami, FL) Amtrak Sliver Star
Amtrak 167 P42DC
Amtrak 13 P42DC
13 cars
1,237 ft
60 axles 
southbound track 2

07:38 Q44209 (Tampa, FL - Waycross, GA) manifest 
CSXT 3328 ET44AH
CSXT 3184 ES44AH (DPU)
127 cars
8,258 ft
520 axles 
northbound track 1
(note: This train also carries loaded Tropicana reefers from the Bradenton, FL plant.)

07:41 Q03109 (North Bergen, NJ - Jacksonville Duval, FL) intermodal 
CSXT 769 ES44AH
CSXT 7206 CM44AC (DPU)
160 platforms 
10,597 ft
452 axles 
southbound track 2

08:52 A76409 (Waycross, GA - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL turn-southbound run) road local manifest 
CSXT 373 CW44AC
CSXT 443 CW44AC
137 cars
8,266 ft
564 axles 
southbound track 2
(note: This train also carries empty Tropicana reefers for the Ft. Pierce, FL plant via FEC.)

09:09 Q60409 (Winston, FL - Waycross, GA) manifest 
CSXT 973 ES44AH
CSXT 911 ES44AH “Spirit of Our First Responders” (DPU)
248 cars
13,691 ft
1,004 axles 
northbound track 1

12:20 A96410 (Jacksonville Moncrief, FL - Waycross, GA) re-crew A764 road local manifest 
CSXT 135 CW44AC
CSXT 73 CW44AC
CSXT 8901 ST70AH
CSXT 526 CW44AH
CSXT 410 CW44AH
CSXT 5220 ES40DC
237 cars
15,685 ft
1,012 axles 
northbound track 1
(note: This train also carries loaded Tropicana reefers from the Ft. Pierce, FL plant on FEC.)

12:47 A03210 (East Savannah, GA - Jacksonville, FL turn) loaded welded-rail train
CSXT 49 CW44AC
30 cars
1,770 ft
122 axles 
northbound track 2

13:03 E04008 (Taft, FL - Evansville, IN) coal empties 
CSXT 748 ES44AH
CSXT 111 CW44AC
CSXT 3346 ET44AH
98 cars
5,325 ft
410 axles 
northbound track 1

13:26 Q45510 (Waycross, GA - Sanford, FL) manifest 
CSXT 355 CW44AC
CSXT 428 CW44AC
CSXT 6358 GP40-2
56 cars
3,245 ft
240 axles 
southbound track 2

13:32 Q22010 (Sanford, FL - Montgomery, AL) manifest / autorack empties 
CSXT 3250 ET44AH
CSXT 806 ES44AH
203 cars (166 manifest / 37 autoracks)
12,518 ft
824 axles 
northbound track 1

14:00 X14309 (North Baltimore, OH - Jacksonville Duval, FL) intermodal 
CSXT 5499 ES40DC
CSXT 5304 ES40DC
100 platforms 
6,586 ft
284 axles 
southbound track 1
(note: This is a re-symboled Q143 due to its reroute via Chattanooga and altered run time.)

14:47 Q03709 (Charlotte, NC - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL) intermodal 
CSXT 852 ES44AH
CSXT 991 ES44AH
190 platforms 
13,523 ft
572 axles 
southbound track 1

15:14 Q03210 (Jacksonville Duval, FL - North Bergen, NJ ) intermodal 
CSXT 3255 ET44AH
CSXT 8903 ST70AH (DPU)
122 platforms 
8,026 ft
352 axles 
northbound track 2

15:31 Q02610 (Jacksonville Duval, FL - Bedford Park, IL) intermodal 
CSXT 3383 ET44AH
CSXT 3139 ES44AH
CSXT 3116 ES44AH (DPU)
198 platforms 
13,601 ft
578 axles 
northbound track 2

16:53 Q441 (Waycross, GA - Tampa, FL) manifest 
CSXT 911 ES44AH “Spirit of Our First Responders”
CSXT 973 ES44AH (DPU)
105 cars
5,830 ft
432 axles 
southbound track 1
(note: This train also carries empty Tropicana reefers for the Bradenton, FL plant.)

17:19 K42307 (Chicago, IL - Tampa, FL) ethanol loads
CSXT 78 CW44AC
CP 9675 AC4400CW
BNSF 9023 SD70ACe
98 cars
6,068 ft
410 axles
southbound track 1

20:04 P05210 (Sanford, FL - Lorton, VA) Amtrak Auto Train
Amtrak 832 P40DC
Amtrak 835 P40DC
39 cars (16 Superliners / 23 autoracks)
3,690 ft
164 axles 
northbound track 2

21:56 X45209 (Wildwood, FL - Waycross, GA extra Q452) rock empties 
CSXT 742 ES44AH
CSXT 874 ES44AH
160 cars
7,770 ft
652 axles
northbound track 1

22:15 A76409 (Waycross, GA - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL turn-northbound run) road local manifest 
CSXT 432 CW44AC
CSXT 529 CW44AH
CSXT 443 CW44AC
CSXT 373 CW44AC
221 cars
12,420 ft
908 axles 
northbound track 1
(note: This train also carries loaded Tropicana reefers from the Ft. Pierce, FL plant via FEC.)

22:23 Q02509 (Bedford Park, IL - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL) intermodal 
CSXT 3267 ET44AH
CSXT 584 CW44AH
CSXT 3459 ET44AH (DPU)
170 platforms 
11,537 ft
506 axles 
southbound track 2

22:49 Q03810 (Jacksonville Moncrief, FL - Charlotte, NC) intermodal 
CSXT 991 ES44AH
CSXT 852 ES44AH (DPU)
97 platforms 
6,650 ft
288 axles 
northbound track 1

23:14 Q45209 (Miami, FL - Waycross, GA) manifest
CSXT 3198 ES44AH
CSXT 3183 ES44AH
238 cars
13,777 ft
964 axles 
northbound track 1

23:37 E01009 (Tampa, FL - Evansville, IN) coal empties 
CSXT 3008 ES44AH 
CSXT 491 CW44AC
CSXT 898 ES44AH
89 cars
4,937 ft
374 axles 
northbound track 1

Andrew

Really neat to read this report, but one question:  how do you stay awake?

john

Thanks Andrew.  Always look forward to your reporting.

Looks like the best times were 0545-0915, 1200-1730, and 2000-0030. Conveniently allows a nap in the morning and a leisurely dinner. But 52 and 53 were running late. Is it correct that if they're on time, they usually pass through Folkston around 0500 and 1900?

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

---------------------------------

Thanks for that info.   I wouldn't have thought the numbers were so close.

Crazy to see axle counts over 1,000 in several instances. Thanks for posting all of the details.

Traffic has really dropped since PSR. Neat report.

Posted from Android

This looks like another spot for the 'OS Trainsheet' like is found on Virtual Railfan Net cams at Chehalis, WA

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ke0YQqnn6qD6wwaiIShpXnHBChZjrLiWSzsPtlNBybA/edit#gid=1869451970

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

A couple of notes:

A few scheduled trains didn’t make it by the platform during the 24-hrs.  Q203 (Walbridge, OH - Baldwin, FL) was rerouted through Chattanooga; away from its normal route through Birmingham.  This added extra transit time.  Q603 (Waycross, GA - Winston, FL) was late departing Rice Yard in Waycross.  A763 (Baldwin, FL - Waycross, GA) was either combined with Q220 or was annulled altogether for that day.

As for the sharp decline in traffic through Folkston, a lot of things were a contributing factor.

•Coal traffic has taken a big hit.  Within the past decade, Florida had at least 8 power stations that received unit coal trains.  Today, only two receive regular deliveries and another gets them sporadically.  The other plants have either converted to natural gas or have been shut down completely.

•Unit train traffic, that used to run as its own train, especially rock, is usually combined with manifest trains.  Empty ethanol trains and empty phosphate trains are often combined together.

•A couple years ago, CSX sold off the Tallahassee Sub.  All the New Orleans - Waycross trains that had run though Folkston are now routed via Manchester, GA and the Fitzgerald Sub.

•Some manifest and intermodal services were combined.  For instance, Jacksonville’s Moncrief Yard used to have its own manifest pair.  Jacksonville’s Busch Yard did as well.  All that traffic now runs on a single turn out of Waycross.  Chicago used to have two pairs of intermodals.  Now there is a single pair.  As a result, train lengths through Folkston are noticeably longer.   

Andrew

Good point. Trains are longer. The total car count passing through Folkston isn't down by the same percentage as the train count.