THE HIGH POINT AND ROME RAILROAD

[legostudios34]

Most of our trains are on the south end right now.


HPR 105 has been interchanged to NS/FEC in Macon, GA. Power is FEC 100, HPR 712 and 218. 94 TOFCs, 12 Autoracks, 13 empty wells. Quite an impressive train, at 119 cars.

HPR 109 with HPR 99 and 400 for power, clear Experiment. 21 loads, 16 empties.

HPR 206 left Jacksonville, FL just under an hour ago running north on NS/FEC. 35 TOFCs, 21 Autoracks. FEC 416 and 703 (A heritage unit) for power.

HPR 733 leads HPR 208. Clear signal State Line. 9 loads, 4 empties. On the other end of the spectrum, we have a 13 car road train today.

HPR 91 and FEC 504 lead HPR 210. Arrived into Macon of NS/FEC about 20 minutes ago.

[legostudios34]

High Point and Rome has purchased 2 SD40T-2s from LTEX. Former numbers were LTEX 7444 and 9218. Will become HPR 401 and 402.

[legostudios34]

HPR 401 and 402, the new SD40T-2s have been added to the roster. 402 has been repainted at High Point.


Heres 401 at Birmingham. (Please excuse the bad photoshop job.)

[legostudios34]

HPR 17X (Saturday 107) is on the ground in Cedartown after picking the diamond. Power is 400, 401, and 99 (BSRR Heritage). 33 loads, 42 empties. The power and the first 22 cars have been derailed, and a covered hopper carrying grain spilled. It is unknown when this will be cleaned up. Some detours for the trains to Florida over NS may be necessary. This is not the first time 99 has been derailed either. It picked a switch leaving the yard in Jacksonville, AL late last year.

HPR 221 and 222 lead HPR 204. 204 is stopped in Piedmont because of the derailment in Cedartown. 44 TOFCs, 6 Autoracks.

HPR 600, 717, 704, 602, 603, and 701 lead HPR X600 South, a coal train to plant Wansley. 54 loads, 0 empties. It is currently stopped at Cedartown siding north of the diamond, also waiting for the wreck to be cleared.

[legostudios34]

HPR 501

[legostudios34]

High Point and Rome has bought the Chattooga and Chickamauga Railroad from Genessee and Wyoming. The line runs 57 miles from Chattanooga, TN to Rome, GA. The portion from Lyerly to Rome has been abandoned since 2008, as a bridge was found to be in very poor shape. The track is all FRA excepted, but as soon as the bridge becomes operable, trains will begin running. No intermodal anytime soon, as a 10 MPH intermodal train is not really competitive with anything NS can offer between Chattanooga and Birmingham. This will operate as the subsidiary Rome, Lafayette, and Northern RR (RLNR reporting marks). All 4 Alcos and the RS36 slug will be assigned to this operation. Run through trains will operate with regular HPR power. I will be creating a new topic for this subsidiary, so more info will be there. I will be developing a timetable for both this and HPR as time allows, so look out for the files in the photo gallery.

Trains that will run on the RLNR -

RLNR 1 - Chattanooga to Rome
(Mixed Freight - Replaces NS 371)
RLNR 2 - Rome to Chattanooga
(Mixed Freight - Replaces NS 370)
RLNR 3 - Chattanooga to Birmingham via HPR
(Mixed freight - Replaces NS 367)
RLNR 4 - Birmingham to Chattanooga via HPR
(Mixed freight - Replaces NS 164)
RLNR 5 - Chattanooga to Lafayette
(Local turn, switches industries along the line)

[legostudios34]

The High Point and Rome Railroad (and subsidiary RLNR) have followed in the footsteps of the Pan Am railroad and have filed a request for exemption from PTC installation. With the cost to install PTC for all of the HPR fleet and track, it is expected to cost over two million dollars, money which HPR does not currently have because of the recent purchases of the Norfolk Southern Cedartown, GA to Macon, GA line and the Chattooga and Chickamauga RR (Now Rome, Lafeyette, and Northern Railroad). If the exemption does not go through, High Point and Rome will have to stop transporting Chlorine and other hazardous materials, and a potential passenger train between Macon, GA and Birmingham, AL could never be implemented. Currently materials considered hazardous by the FRA account for about 2,500 carloads a year for HPR.

[Saturnalia]

The High Point and Rome Railroad (and subsidiary RLNR) have followed in the footsteps of the Pan Am railroad and have filed a request for exemption from PTC installation. With the cost to install PTC for all of the HPR fleet and track, it is expected to cost over two million dollars, money which HPR does not currently have because of the recent purchases of the Norfolk Southern Cedartown, GA to Macon, GA line and the Chattooga and Chickamauga RR (Now Rome, Lafeyette, and Northern Railroad). If the exemption does not go through, High Point and Rome will have to stop transporting Chlorine and other hazardous materials, and a potential passenger train between Macon, GA and Birmingham, AL could never be implemented. Currently materials considered hazardous by the FRA account for about 2,500 carloads a year for HPR.

If they deny your PTC exemption, you might be able to use the same ATCS-based system we use at MQT. It is an overlay that prevents overriding authority, and monitors engine speed and can apply the brakes if the speed limit, including temp. restrictions, is exceeded by 4mph.

[legostudios34]

Redoing the train symbols list again. I'm also gonna include average car counts with these (mostly to give me a range to throw into a random number generator to determine how long my trains are, LOL). I'll post a whole bunch of technical details about where the freight comes from sometime also. A road local switches industries and yards along the way.

South and Westbound -
HPR 101 - Rome, GA to Birmingham, AL - Intermodal and Autoracks - Average length - 25 - 45 cars
101 goes on duty at 0700 EST. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only.

HPR 103 - Rome, GA to Birmingham, AL - Road local - Average length - 85 to 105 cars
103 goes on duty at 0700 EST. Tuesday and Thursday only.

HPR 105 - Birmingham, AL to Macon, GA - Run-through intermodal from BNSF - Average length - 60 - 70 cars
105 goes on duty at 1200 CST. Runs daily.

HPR 107 - Jacksonville, AL to Birmingham - Interchange with ATN - Average Length - 50 - 75 cars
107 goes on duty at 0500 CST. Runs daily.

HPR 109 - Rome, GA to Clem, GA - Coal Loads - Average length - 108 cars
109 runs as needed and loads are delivered by NS.

HPR 111 - East Point, GA to Macon, GA - Road Local - Average length - 20 - 35 cars
111 goes on duty at 1100 EST. Runs daily.

HPR 113 - Rome, GA to Macon, GA - Road Local - Average length - 40 - 50 cars
113 goes on duty at 2100 EST. Monday and Thursday

HPR 115 - Birmingham, AL to Clem or Krannert, GA - Limestone loads - Average length - 65 cars
115 goes on duty at 1900 CST. Tuesdays only.

HPR 117 - Birmingham, AL to Macon, GA - Crushed rock loads - Average length - 65 cars
117 goes on duty at 0200 CST. Fridays only.

North and Eastbound -
HPR 202 - Birmingham, AL to Rome, GA - Intermodal and Autoracks - Average length - 25 - 45 cars
202 goes on duty at 2300 CST. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

HPR 204 - Birmingham, AL to Rome, GA - Road local - Average length - 85 - 105 cars
204 goes on duty at 2300 CST. Tuesday and Thursday.

HPR 206 - Macon, GA to Birmingham, AL - Run through BNSF intermodal - Average length - 60 - 70 cars
206 goes on duty at 0400 EST. Runs daily.

HPR 208 - Birmingham, AL to Jacksonville, AL - Interchange with ATN - Average length - 50 - 75 cars
208 goes on duty at 2100 CST. Runs daily.

HPR 210 - Clem, GA to Rome, GA - Coal Empties - Average length - 108 cars
210 runs as needed as loads are emptied at Wansley

HPR 212 - Macon, GA to East Point, GA - Road Local - Average length - 20 - 35 cars
111 runs with the same crew as 111, so they go south whenever they are done. Runs daily.

HPR 214 - Macon, GA to Rome, GA - Road Local - Average length - 40 - 50 cars
214 goes on duty at 0530 EST. Wednesday and Saturday.

HPR 216 - Clem/Krannert, GA to Birmingham, AL - Limestone empties - Average length - 65 cars
216 goes on duty at 1300 EST. Thursdays only.

HPR 218 - Macon, GA to Birmingham, AL - Crushed rock empties - Average length - 65 cars
218 goes on duty at 1300 EST. Saturdays only.

[legostudios34]

High Point and Rome has picked up a new customer in Birmingham - Vulcan Materials! We will start running two loaded trains a week, one limestone for plants Wansley and Hammond and one crushed rock to be interchanged to NS at Macon. HPR has recently purchased a fleet of 140 rebuilt ex-Chessie System Ortner Hoppers. Trains will run in 65 car units, with the remaining 10 cars stored on site in Birmingham in case of a problem. These trains will be 6500 tons when loaded and will be 2600 feet long. This will be quite a sight to see when we get 5 GP35s on it (in a 3x2 arrangement) and run it up Dugdown Mountain (1.3% grade, steepest we have). Even like that, the train will be lucky to make 20 MPH. No plans to buy any ACes just yet, we dont have that much money...

Anyway, first train goes on duty in B'ham tonight at 1900 CDT. Power is HPR 728, 711, and 725 on the front with 733 and 712 as the manned helpers on the back. This train is limestone for Plant Wansley in Clem, GA.

[legostudios34]

Saturday morning ops -

HPR 107-23 with HPR 100 and 101 has made a pickup at Wellington, AL and has a track authority to Ragland. 24 loads, 27 empties.

HPR 113-22 with HPR 91 and 99 clear Forsyth, GA at 8:00 with a track authority all the way into Brosnan yard. 14 loads, 35 empties.

HPR 202-22 with HPR 999 clear Wattsville, AL with a track authority to Ragland via the siding track to meet 107. 4 intermodal wells, 21 autoracks.

HPR 206-23 with BNSF 6133, 4457, and ATSF 881 clear Newnan with a track authority to S. Bremen. 61 intermodal wells.

HPR 210-19 (yes, from 4 days ago) with 448, 450, 451, and 449 sits at Wansley JCT waiting on a crew. 108 coal empties.

HPR 214-23 diverging clear Collier with 733, 707, 709, 703, and 501. Track authority to Senoia. 43 loads, 0 empties.

[legostudios34]

Happy thanksgiving from the High Point and Rome railroad!! Only train on the road right now is high priority rock train 218 with HPR 91, 99, and 101 for power. 0 loads, 65 empties. Clear Newnan with a track warrant all the way to Cedartown.

[legostudios34]

The High Point and Rome RR is on Facebook now. Everyone go like our page!
https://www.facebook.com/highpointandrome

[legostudios34]

Effective January 1, 2014, High Point and Rome will be assuming complete control over the following lightly used mains and branches -

NS North Alabama West End between Birmingham and Sheffield, AL
NS Anniston District between Piedmont and Wilton, AL
NS Brunswick District between Macon and Brunswick, GA
NS R-Line Raymond to Columbus, GA
The entire ATN railroad between Wellington and Guntersville, AL
The L&N hook and eye line between Marrietta, GA and Etowah, TN
Trackage rights over CSX between East Point and Marrietta, GA
and we will also be merging the Rome, Lafeyette, and Northern RR completely into HPR.

An updated symbol list and roster will come soon, we will be running about 30 trains a day so we need more power.

[legostudios34]

HPR will be purchasing 20 SD40-2 and 4 B39-8 locomotives from NREX. The numbers are -

B39-8 -
All are in LMX grey.
NREX 8513 to HPR 390
NREX 8514 to HPR 391
NREX 8517 to HPR 392
NREX 8508 to HPR 393

SD40-2
NREX 7209 to HPR 950 - BN Green
NREX 7210 to HPR 951 - BN Green
NREX 7215 to HPR 952 - BNSF H1
NREX 7216 to HPR 953 - BN Green
NREX 7217 to HPR 954 - BN Green
NREX 7225 to HPR 955 - BNSF H1
NREX 7227 to HPR 956 - BN Green
NREX 7238 to HPR 957 - BN Green
NREX 7240 to HPR 958 - BN Green
NREX 7364 to HPR 959 - GSCX blue and white
NREX 7374 to HPR 960 - GSCX blue and white
NREX 7528 to HPR 961 - Wisconsin Central paint. SD40-2 in SD45 body
NREX 9926 to HPR 962 - UP yellow
NREX 783 to HPR 963 - Solid red
NREX 770 to HPR 964 - SOO White and Red
NREX 785 to HPR 965 - CP Red
NREX 3020 to HPR 966 - FURX Green and Grey
NREX 4404 to HPR 967 - CP Red
NREX 4406 to HPR 968 - UP yellow
NREX 5431 to HPR 969 - Primer Grey

[Saturnalia]

The shop is empty in Grand Rapids if you're looking for rebuilds and paint for those SD40-2s

[legostudios34]

The shop is empty in Grand Rapids if you're looking for rebuilds and paint for those SD40-2s

We'll run a quick inspection at High Point and fix any problems, but they will be hitting the road as soon as they are ready to go. Old paint and all.

[Saturnalia]

The shop is empty in Grand Rapids if you're looking for rebuilds and paint for those SD40-2s

We'll run a quick inspection at High Point and fix any problems, but they will be hitting the road as soon as they are ready to go. Old paint and all.

If you want to cycle them through, now or later, be our guest.

[legostudios34]

HPR 91, the New Georgia Railroad heritage unit has been shopped at High Point for a paint redesign. The paint design, which worked alright for F-Units did not work well on 91, so it will be repainted, as it is time for its 180 day inspection anyway.

As of today, repaint still has not been done. We tried a new design but it looked even worse on paper so we didnt bother using real paint. Maybe someday...

[legostudios34]

HPR O01 is changing crews at Cedartown with 955, 952, 969, and 950 leading 120 cars.

HPR O02 clear Piedmont with 964, 966, 968, and 959 leading. 133 cars.

HPR 106 will have 733 and 707 leading tonight.

203 clear Cochran, GA with 401 and 221 leading. 44 cars

204 clear Rosser, GA with 402 and 222 leading. 51 cars. Will swap crews with 203 at Towns, GA.

HPR 209 is planned to have RLNR 424 and RLNR 426 leading tonight.

HPR 210 is planned to have RLNR 425 and HPR 701 leading tonight.

HPR 302 had 500 as the power today and 22 cars when it returned to Gadsden.

HPR 311 had 91 and 99 as the power today, like usual. 39 cars when it returned to Anniston.

315 is in the yard at Brunswick with 37 cars, 501 and the new GP35MAC Testbed 727.

402 clear Relay, GA with 448, 449, and 450 leading and 451 as the DPU. 106 empties.

410 has a stop signal at Piedmont Junction, AL with 101, 100, and 400 leading. 100 empties.