Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX ethanol train parked for 5 days on the Water Level main line

Last Thursday I noticed an eastbound CSX ethanol train parked in Blasdell NY at the Lake Avenue crossing. I am assuming it is an ethanol train. What was interesting was that it was led by 2 CN units. I happened to use the Lake Avenue crossing this afternoon and it was still there. Is this due to a crew issue or the fact that this train is unable to be unloaded? It looks as though this train is also blocking another crossing at Bayview Road. I haven't had a chance to check that out but am guessing they broke the train in 2 so that the crossing wasn't blocked. I don't remember ever seeing a train parked that long on a mainline.

Posted from Android

When a train is parked that long it would lead you to believe there is a problem at the receiving terminal.  Staging on a mainline track if it is multiple main territory is a last resort.  Given anything can happen with a train over the past two years who knows??????

Thanks for the input. I think there are 2 ethanol receiving facilities in the Albany NY area so maybe they just are backed up.

Posted from Android

NS had the forethought when building a new interlocking by my home where two tracks go into a sigle main for a tunnel, to take over a mile of one of the prior double-track mains and build a semi- controlled siding. I have seen MOW, ballast trains (loaded and empties, Reading and Northern hopper trains crude oil and ethanol trains parked there. A few weeks ago even a double-stack spent a night. A handy storage track where westbounds can leave by signal. Eastbounds have a hand-throw, so usually it is a pull-in, back out or back-in, pull out move. Nothing has sat over a week but it keeps the main open.
Gonut

Most likely crew avaiability issues, FRA will probably be paying that train a visit as ethanol or other hazmat trains are not supposed to sit that long.
JC

Posted from Android

JasonCNW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most likely crew avaiability issues, FRA will
> probably be paying that train a visit as ethanol
> or other hazmat trains are not supposed to sit
> that long.
> JC
>
> Posted from Android

When practiable they cannot sit on a siding either...and should when practicable have tracks on one or both sides...really railroad rules are so disposable as to be useless. 

Isn't a lot of ethanol delivered to Albany NY then transferred to coastal barges?

Posted from Android

As of lunchtime today it's still parked on the mainline.

Posted from Android

many times these parking of loaded ethanol and oil trains have nothing to do with crew availability but the ability of the destination terminal to accept....

Not just railroads having issues digesting supply these days........

Perhaps the railroad in this case took advantage of a window of greater crew availability to move it as far as they could......

Rumor is lots of experienced conductors quit at Selkirk recently.
Not sure if this would effect this train.

Posted from iPhone

FWIW, it has been common to see ethanol trains stuck on the controlled sidings in the Mohawk Valley for some time. Now that those controlled sidings are being taken out of service, there are fewer places to stash trains locally. 

Question for the OP:   If you noticed, were or are the engines shut down ?  You may not be able to tell from public locations of course.  Just curious.

SZ

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FWIW, it has been common to see ethanol trains
> stuck on the controlled sidings in the Mohawk
> Valley for some time. Now that those controlled
> sidings are being taken out of service, there are
> fewer places to stash trains locally. 

And that's one of the replies I was looking for.

Posted from Android

To an above comment....

I suspect that the locos were shut off. Fuel conservation is a BIG deal now and even if the train was crewed, today's locos are equipped with AESS.

Posted from Android

They were shut down but number lights were lit. Looks like after a week it finally moved.

Posted from Android