Busiest rail jct. in America?

[Toppysager]

So I had to ask this. I was talking to another railfan in this weekend, and I asked him what he thought was the busiest rail jct. in America. He said it was somewhere in Kansas City, and the place got 220 trains per day. This shocked me and I am wondering if its true. If you have any intel that would be great!

[railohio]

I believe there are more trains at Jamaica Station in Queens.

[JStryker722]

I believe it's the Argentine Flyover where Union Pacific and BNSF cross.

[MagnumForce]

The answer will not be a freight operation, that is pretty obvious. My vote is for Tower 18 on the L above Lake and Wells.

[Toppysager]

The answer will not be a freight operation, that is pretty obvious. My vote is for Tower 18 on the L above Lake and Wells.

How about regarding freight? What would be #1?

[Saturnalia]

The answer will not be a freight operation, that is pretty obvious. My vote is for Tower 18 on the L above Lake and Wells.

How about regarding freight? What would be #1?

For a metro subway-type operation, yes. For intercity/commuter passenger, probably Roosevelt Road in Chicago? For more than 50% Freight, IDK for sure, but Santa Fe Junction (I think that is the name) near Argentine Yard sounds like a pretty good canidate. And then there is UP's line west of North Platte kills 99% of other freight junctions, and that is just a mainline. Might not beat Santa Fe, but certainly is one busy stretch of railroad.

[StupidFlee​t]

For a metro subway-type operation, yes. For intercity/commuter passenger, probably Roosevelt Road in Chicago? For more than 50% Freight, IDK for sure, but Santa Fe Junction (I think that is the name) near Argentine Yard sounds like a pretty good canidate. And then there is UP's line west of North Platte kills 99% of other freight junctions, and that is just a mainline. Might not beat Santa Fe, but certainly is one busy stretch of railroad.

What about Porter Junction?

[MagnumForce]

Depends what you call a junction. Roosevelt road is not technically a junction.

A place like Berea isn't a Junction either (well, anymore).

[penn central]

I have done 24 hours at Dolton Jct Ill and got 130 trains back on Memorial Day Weekend 2008, And Blue Island i got 120 trains on Labor Day Weekend 2012, I spent three days in Grand Island Nebraska back in 1995 and it was pretty epic let me tell ya. I would for sure add these places for freight action.

[Toppysager]

I have done 24 hours at Dolton Jct Ill and got 130 trains back on Memorial Day Weekend 2008, And Blue Island i got 120 trains on Labor Day Weekend 2012, I spent three days in Grand Island Nebraska back in 1995 and it was pretty epic let me tell ya. I would for sure add these places for freight action.

So in other words there's nothing in Kansas City that gets 220 per day?

[CSX_CO]

So in other words there's nothing in Kansas City that gets 220 per day?

What are you looking for? Single busiest junction or terminal? Chicago is one of the busiest (if not THE busiest) railroad TERMINALS in the world. I don't know the exact numbers, but I would guess that, easily, 500 trains a day enter and exit the Chicago Terminal in all directions.

Practice Safe CSX

[penn central]

I have done 24 hours at Dolton Jct Ill and got 130 trains back on Memorial Day Weekend 2008, And Blue Island i got 120 trains on Labor Day Weekend 2012, I spent three days in Grand Island Nebraska back in 1995 and it was pretty epic let me tell ya. I would for sure add these places for freight action.

So in other words there's nothing in Kansas City that gets 220 per day?

Oh my goodness Toppysager i forgot about Santa Fe Jct in Kansas City i spent a week out there in 1997, And it was sweet i got there and it was was dead at first and i thought oh man i hope it doesn't stay like this. Then all of a sudden like a giant tidal wave of trains they just kept going threw and going threw sometimes three at a time. I was told by a couple people that Santa Fe Jct is off limits to railfans since 911 that would be a bummer.

[Saturnalia]

For a metro subway-type operation, yes. For intercity/commuter passenger, probably Roosevelt Road in Chicago? For more than 50% Freight, IDK for sure, but Santa Fe Junction (I think that is the name) near Argentine Yard sounds like a pretty good canidate. And then there is UP's line west of North Platte kills 99% of other freight junctions, and that is just a mainline. Might not beat Santa Fe, but certainly is one busy stretch of railroad.

What about Porter Junction?

Even at my projected 2035 levels, Roosevelt still has it beat by 800 trains...

As far as my defeinition goes, I'd consider a junction somewhere two lines (or more) meet/cross at Grade (only 1 connection must be at-grade, so Santa Fe still counts). So really, the L doesn't add to Roosevelt, but there we're still talking 400 trains per day.

So here is my list, going off what I know (AFAIK)
Busiest Downright: The L at Tower 18
Busiest Non-Subway: Roosevelt Road (not counting the L)
Busiest Majority Freight: Santa Fe Jct
Busiest Mainline: UP west of North Platte.

[CSX_CO]

As far as my defeinition goes, I'd consider a junction somewhere two lines (or more) meet/cross at Grade (only 1 connection must be at-grade, so Santa Fe still counts). So really, the L doesn't add to Roosevelt, but there we're still talking 400 trains per day.

Busiest Non-Subway: Roosevelt Road (not counting the L)

One problem. Roosevelt doesn't meet your definition of a 'junction'. There isn't a crossing there. Even the lines to the former CBQ tie into everything south of there. If "Roosevelt" counts, then Harrison Street Interlocking (which is now under the post office) is just as busy. Roosevelt is just where everything meets and converges going into CUS.

By that definition, any busy yard could qualify. Heck, there's an average of 60+ moves a night past my window as a yardmaster, so you're looking at 200 "trains" a 'day' just on the east end of Avon Yard.

I think the poster meant 'separate' movements, so engines going back and forth wouldn't count for 'multiple' moves.

Practice Safe CSX

[Racer]

Did 24 hours at Gibbon, NE in Summer of 2010 and I clocked 120 trains in a full 24 hours.

[Saturnalia]

As far as my defeinition goes, I'd consider a junction somewhere two lines (or more) meet/cross at Grade (only 1 connection must be at-grade, so Santa Fe still counts). So really, the L doesn't add to Roosevelt, but there we're still talking 400 trains per day.

Busiest Non-Subway: Roosevelt Road (not counting the L)

One problem. Roosevelt doesn't meet your definition of a 'junction'. There isn't a crossing there. Even the lines to the former CBQ tie into everything south of there. If "Roosevelt" counts, then Harrison Street Interlocking (which is now under the post office) is just as busy. Roosevelt is just where everything meets and converges going into CUS.

By that definition, any busy yard could qualify. Heck, there's an average of 60+ moves a night past my window as a yardmaster, so you're looking at 200 "trains" a 'day' just on the east end of Avon Yard.

I think the poster meant 'separate' movements, so engines going back and forth wouldn't count for 'multiple' moves.

Practice Safe CSX

Sure it does. Now, I'm guilty of not being specific I what I was getting at by Roosevelt. I generally refer to Roosevelt as a much larger interlocking than Roosevelt proper, and I take it all the way to the river (I'm not trying to "be right", I really do generally cnsider it all one spaghetti bowl for general identification). All you need is one connection, which we've got more than enough of going from CUS to UP, and there you go.

If it floats your boat, no, Roosevelt Road proper does not meet my definition.

And as far as I'm concerned, each train must be under a different symbol. So your yard goat does not count there.

[MagnumForce]

Talk about stretching a definition to suit your needs.

[JStryker722]

Hold it:CSX_Co is a yard master at Avon Yard??? Cool

[Saturnalia]

Talk about stretching a definition to suit your needs.

The way I described it is the way I have it logged from my Amtrak #370/371 trip. A stretch, maybe, but I didn't make it up for this thread.

[JoJames]

East end yard lead North Baltimore Ohio.