Western Railroad Discussion > Canadian Color at Flagstaff

CP 8622 East leaves Flagstaff, Arizona, in its wake a little before noon today, with Mount Elden in the background.
The BNSF Southern Transcon has been awash in foreign power this week, with many non-BNSF leaders such as this Fresno, CA, to Hankinson, ND, empty DDG train.

Ted Ferkenhoff
Flagstaff, AZ

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That highway bridge is a great location. Nice image.
—Mac

Nice catch. I'd have to get the system map out to look at that routing, but seems a bit out of the way...

Posted from Android

Don't try to figure it out, on most days it doesn't make much sense other than some weird directional routing.
We see North Dakota trains coming Spokane, Gateway, Stockton and over Tehachapi several times a year,
loads that is. The empties never seem to go back the same way. My guess is that with the limited number
of trains run up the FRC that the money trains (loads) are first priroity and the empties go back the least
expensive routing.

Out 

P Wrote:
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> Nice catch. I'd have to get the system map out to
> look at that routing, but seems a bit out of the
> way...
>
> Posted from Android

Hankinson is due south of Fargo in the SE corner of ND. So a routing over the southern transcon to KC then north via Sioux City and Willmar is probably the shortest alternative. A longer routing via Spokane and the OT and the Feather River Canyon could make sense even though longer to minimize the number of slow bulk loads on the faster train dominated southern transcon. 

Great catch Ted!

Posted from iPhone

pbouzide Wrote:
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> Hankinson is due south of Fargo in the SE corner
> of ND. So a routing over the southern transcon to
> KC then north via Sioux City and Willmar is
> probably the shortest alternative. A longer
> routing via Spokane and the OT and the Feather
> River Canyon could make sense even though longer
> to minimize the number of slow bulk loads on the
> faster train dominated southern transcon. 

Hankinson is only served by CP so it will likely be returned to CP at KC or possibly at St. Paul.

Congratulations on the IOTD! Sure could use snow up there, though.

Tom

CP always looks better on someone else's RR.  Nice catch!

Andy

Nice shot!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

SOO6617 Wrote:
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> pbouzide Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Hankinson is due south of Fargo in the SE
> corner
> > of ND. So a routing over the southern transcon
> to
> > KC then north via Sioux City and Willmar is
> > probably the shortest alternative. A longer
> > routing via Spokane and the OT and the Feather
> > River Canyon could make sense even though
> longer
> > to minimize the number of slow bulk loads on
> the
> > faster train dominated southern transcon. 
>
> Hankinson is only served by CP so it will likely
> be returned to CP at KC or possibly at St. Paul.

I'll try to see if it shows up on River line.

Bob

Very nice...!!

robj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SOO6617 Wrote:
> ------------------------------------------------
> > Hankinson is only served by CP so it will
> likely
> > be returned to by CP at KC or possibly at St.
> Paul.
>
> I'll try to see if it shows up on River line.
>
> Bob

There's another possibility. The BNSF Morris Sub crosses the CP main at Aberdeen Line Jct. There is a connection wye on the northwest quadrant. The train could pull north (rr west) on the Morris Sub. Then it could head west on the CP presuming there's a west-facing DP.

BB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/21 20:18 by bmarti7.

bmarti7 Wrote:
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> There's another possibility. The BNSF Morris Sub
> crosses the CP main at Aberdeen Line Jct. There is
> a connection wye on the northwest quadrant. The
> train could pull north (rr west) on the Morris
> Sub. Then it could head west on the CP presuming
> there's a west-facing DP.
>
> BB

That's possible, but highly unlikely. CP originated the loaded train and would have wanted as long a haul as they could get. BNSF for its part would have to send it back by the return route, unless both railroads agree on some other location. If CP turned the load over in KC, then BNSF would seek to return it to KC unless something like crew shortages forced them to return it elsewhere, which would increase BNSF's cost, and I don't think CP would offer a higher share of the tariff. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/21 09:36 by SOO6617.