New Connection in Bellevue (N. Sandusky District - Yard)

[CSX_CO]

It appears that adding more rails in the yard (that is if there is even room to do so) isn't going to take very much pressure off the main line. How many trains run on that line pre day? Maybe NS needs to find another alternative route.

Adding more capacity to the yard will alleviate pressure on the main lines. But if you then try and flood said yard with extra traffic you're not going to get a net gain.

On second thought, you're right. The peavine is the missing link to solve all of NS's problems....they need to open it post haste...

[Bellevue_Guy]

On the topic of Bellevue, what are the stack trains that use the Cleveland district? Over the past year or so I've noticed stack trains going through the yard, which as far I can remember is a relatively recent development.

leaving the Bellview line open for just double stacks and tankers.

Which line are you talking about anyway?

[heypal6878]

I agree with CSX_CO adding more tracks in the yard isn't going to solve the problem. The Peavine cannot take Double Stacks. It would be too expensive for NS to rebuild the line to take on this product. Yet the Peavine would take some pressure off the Bellevue main line. Then the problem ends up in Cincinnati where lines are already full yet the yards are not full so maybe it would be a fix.

NS is holding on to the Peavine and doesn't want to abandon the line so maybe they have something up their sleeve for future use.

[redside20]

On the topic of Bellevue, what are the stack trains that use the Cleveland district? Over the past year or so I've noticed stack trains going through the yard, which as far I can remember is a relatively recent development.

Those are trains 20R, 21R...Running to and from Calumet Yard in Chicago for a year and a half now..I was surprised to see one going through the yard as well because they haven't done that since the Conrail split.

HeyPal while your at it, why don't you get NS to open up Buckeye Yard again...That'll alleviate some congestion.....

[heypal6878]

From what I last seen the Buckeye yard is mostly used for storage for CSX and NS. Little of no activity goes on there any more due to the infrastructure. So they still may dump from freights in there for longer storage. I really don't think NS wants to move any more money in there as it just doesn't work for them. CSX has part ownership in that yard as well.

As far as the Peavine is concerned yes with a few million bucks they could open the line up again. The only rail yard for the Peavine is Clare which has had most of the rails pulled up over the years down there and the only activity there at the moment is frights sitting waiting for the CCET to run up to Afton.

Overall the Peavine is one rail up there that could take some pressure off the main rail in Bellevue.

[cbehr91]

From what I last seen the Buckeye yard is mostly used for storage for CSX and NS. Little of no activity goes on there any more due to the infrastructure. So they still may dump from freights in there for longer storage. I really don't think NS wants to move any more money in there as it just doesn't work for them. CSX has part ownership in that yard as well.

As far as the Peavine is concerned yes with a few million bucks they could open the line up again. The only rail yard for the Peavine is Clare which has had most of the rails pulled up over the years down there and the only activity there at the moment is frights sitting waiting for the CCET to run up to Afton.

Overall the Peavine is one rail up there that could take some pressure off the main rail in Bellevue.

Buckeye was made redundant after the Conrail split, has nothing to do with its infrastructure. It was actually a really new yard compared to many of the others that continue to be used. CSX got the yan yard side, which is still very much in service and has been expanded quite a bit since 1999. There was no way NS needed four hump yards within a 500 mile radius. Heck, it really didn't fit great with Conrail either, but they still managed to fill the Departure Yard on an almost daily basis.

Terminal congestion happens. It just does. Also I'm told NS furloughed a bunch of crews at the time of the recession and not very many of them came back when traffic picked up in the past years and the railroad came calling.

[heypal6878]

I heard last month that NS is hiring for crews up that was ASAP. That is what I read on another forum page. I know CSX used or is using part of the Buckeye Yard. The problem for both NS and CSX is what is going to happen in another year when the Panama Cannel product starts coming over on boats. Rail traffic is going to really increase on the east coast and will soon need to come east. Bellevue is a mess now and will only get busier next year about this time. I know NS is looking at alternatives. I have a buddy who works in their main office in Atlanta. NS is getting ready for a big boom. They know rail traffic will be increasing. Already they have put down new rails on the east coast and have opened a few rails that have been on discontinuance. It will be interesting to watch.

[Bellevue_Guy]

Those are trains 20R, 21R...Running to and from Calumet Yard in Chicago for a year and a half now..I was surprised to see one going through the yard as well because they haven't done that since the Conrail split.

Thanks. And, to the topic of this thread, anyone know how many trains have been using this new connection so far?

Or to a further extent, how many extra trains have begun originating/terminating at Bellevue since the new bowl opened?

According to an NS .pdf I posted in the fall the following changes were projected to happen regarding train totals in Bellevue:

Originating +13/+72%
Terminating +12/+75%

Line to:............Pre Expansion...........Post Expansion
Toledo.............12........................16/ +33%
Sandusky...........5..........................9/ +80%
Ft Wayne..........23........................26/ +13%
Columbus..........25........................31/ +24%
Cleveland..........14........................22/ +57%

How much of that has actually happened so far?

[bdconrail29]

I want to warn everyone in this thread and who also might read it:

[heypal6878]

You boys should read the Surface Transportation Board weekly notes to look at the traffic that is not moving on the rails on the Bellevue line. It is very impressive of how many trains are sitting and not moving on the line and how many frights are sitting in the yards for days without going anywhere. I'm sure not too many customers are happy if they can't get their products. This is only going to get worse when the extra freight begins to shuttle over from the east coast with the canal opens up later this year. NS has a big increase in traffic this year but what happens next year.

Add more tracks? Add more tracks to the yard, Open another yard? Open the Peavine to relive pressure, open anther line that is discontinued. Hire more crews All options are open, yet so far no decisions.

[bdconrail29]

I don't know why I'm doing this, but the problem here is you're not understanding the key issue here. Do you think NS isn't trying to hire crews? They can't find anyone. No one's applying. So, we never get past the root cause and this a bigger problem. That's what we're trying to tell you. More tracks just means even more unused tracks, without crews. Crews that aren't coming.

[cbehr91]

How much of that has actually happened so far?

14Q/15Q were extended to Chattanooga and run via the Dayton and Sandusky Districts (thus Bellevue) and 375 is now originating at Bellevue instead of Columbus (still terminated at St. Louis). We had been getting a 127/128 pair on the Dayton District too but I'm not sure those are still running or not. I don't follow Chicago Line happenings as much anymore but I do know 308 is being used for Chicago-CN to Bellevue.

[redside20]

I've been hearing a 147/148 out on the Columbus side...Somebody reported on another site that 233 was running the Chicago Line and not the NKP and said that 306 was too...

[heypal6878]

I can't believe that NS can't get any crews for the line. I heard on another forum that NS was hiring crews for Bellevue like three weeks ago so they must be applying. Anyway that is only part of the issue there.

I'm not a railroad guy just a railfan. By just being a spectator I can see there is a traffic issue up there. I would like opening other lines getting some of the traffic off the main would be the best solution. Crews would be great as well but if NS can't get them then the only way to work it out is open lines that are closed.

[CSX_CO]

I can't believe that NS can't get any crews for the line. I heard on another forum that NS was hiring crews for Bellevue like three weeks ago so they must be applying. Anyway that is only part of the issue there.

I'm not a railroad guy just a railfan. By just being a spectator I can see there is a traffic issue up there. I would like opening other lines getting some of the traffic off the main would be the best solution. Crews would be great as well but if NS can't get them then the only way to work it out is open lines that are closed.

If they can't get crews for lines currently with crews, how do you get crews for lines that have been in mothballs for 10 years?

Practice Safe CSX

[cbehr91]

174 ran via the Dayton and Sandusky Districts last night, which is another train that usually runs via Muncie and Ft. Wayne. I don't know if this routing is because of crew reasons or if this train is working Bellevue.

And going back to Bellevue guy's post about train counts pre/post expansion. Those seem about right. North of Weber Rd. in Columbus where the Dayton District trains enter the Sandusky District there's a healthy average of 1-2 an hour.

[bdconrail29]

"Crews would be great as well but if NS can't get them then the only way to work it out is open lines that are closed."

What?

[heypal6878]

No crews means status stays the same I guess. Everything stays jammed up. Maybe that is how it will stay until someone figures it out.

[CSX_CO]

No crews means status stays the same I guess. Everything stays jammed up. Maybe that is how it will stay until someone figures it out.

Figures what out?

NS takes a good look at what they're trying to cram through Bellevue and that would go a long way.

Practice Safe CSX

[heypal6878]

Not sure what else NS can do. They need to run the trains that way or go around. Maybe stager. Go around, then they will have issues somewhere else.