Everything/Anything CF&E thread...Part 3

[MagnumForce]

You have obviously never heard of pull aparts in cold weather.

[bdconrail29]

Come on man think about what you said... If NS wasn't paying trackage right fees we wouldn't be having this discussion. Six NS trains a day would be moving over the line each and everyday.....

NS doesn't maintain the line that's G&W's responsibility. If NS paid for maintaining the line, RA-G&W would never have let it slide down into miles of 10 mph slow orders. I believe this is the second time NS has directly chipped in on maintain the line (not counting the section around Fort Wayne they've been using or Colsan-Bucyrus). First was back 2008-'09 ish when NS was looking into doing the same thing before the recession hit. I believe Atlas was the contractor on that work. NS doing the work themselves this time I presume is more out of sense of urgency than anything else. The thing to remember is that NS is doing this on their dime for their own good. Going to G&W and asking to them to raise the track speeds for free was going to get them nowhere.

Here's my take on the dispatching and I'm not privy to anything on how or why. NS already owned Tolleston to Warsaw before the split so they already dispatched it. I'm going to presume with NS getting east end of the Fort Wayne line it was more of an agreement with CSX that it made better sense to just continue to let the old Conrail dispatcher position keep it even though it was going to NS. CSX obviously never factored the line into it's future at that point so why not let NS dispatch it on their dime?

NS does maintenance and NS dispatches it. I'm not sure why NS needs to pay anyone since at merger time they were granted trackage rights for so many trains.

First, nobody said they WEREN'T paying trackage rights fees. Did they? I didn't know either way.

Secondly, the only MoW gangs I've ever seen on the Fort Wayne Line were NS. Maybe circumstantial evidence over the last 16 years. Mabye because like you said, on their own dime for their own good.

[bdconrail29]

I know that the NS is paying someone to run those trains. I know your statement thinking the NS didn't need to pay anyone to run those trains was wrong.

In other words, you don't know.

[ELwillie]

Yes, miscalculating the amount of thermal contraction or expansion can create a failure. In the southwest slow orders are issued during high temps. Rails expand creating a chance of rail spread, but haven't been a lot of reports of trains falling off the tracks. One other point, if now is not the time to do track work, when there is a derailment that tears up track, the carrier must detour traffic and wait for warm temp. to repair the damage? The MOW crews do track work for a living. I bet they don't need our help with their job.

[CSX_CO]

Yes, miscalculating the amount of thermal contraction or expansion can create a failure. In the southwest slow orders are issued during high temps. Rails expand creating a chance of rail spread, but haven't been a lot of reports of trains falling off the tracks. One other point, if now is not the time to do track work, when there is a derailment that tears up track, the carrier must detour traffic and wait for warm temp. to repair the damage? The MOW crews do track work for a living. I bet they don't need our help with their job.

They usually have to heat the rails to a median temp before replacing them. Pretty cool to watch them use the rope to heat the rails up.

Most railroads don't do track work in cold weather. The rails get brittle and will absolutely shatter if something happens. Usually they do patch work until warmer temps allow a more permanent repair. Don't know the science behind why the rails do what they do, but can only speak from limited experience.

[bnsf8000]

EB NS train through Van Wert at 9:55PM. Leading were an NS/CP/CP on a manifest train. Could this be the 16E for today? At least it is running the whole CF&E line.

PW

[bnsf8000]

1/24/15. Around 6:15PM Saturday evening there was an EB NS manifest train through Van Wert on the CF&E. Had 3 NS six axles upfront not sure I got numbers right NS 9453/8467/2716 hauling around 111 cars. train consisted of 41-42 BNSF grain hoppers upfront, with 6 more grain hoppers in train, 4 large reefers including BNSF, 19 tank cars: ADM, Tate & Lyle, UTLX among others, a cut of 16 box cars all SRY, 2 more box cars, 1 flat, 6 loaded centerbeams, 6 2-bay covered hoppers, 4 4-bay covered hoppers and 5 gons. Nice freight train. Looked like it might be a 16E again. Can anyone verify this train?

PW

[nictd1000]

Yes, NS 9453 was leading 16E-24. They took the NKP from Valpo to Ft Wayne. Also, a 65q showed up Westbound in Valparaiso yesterday afternoon with the NS 8335, anyone see that?

[alittlevanwerty]

Something got TA Adams to 300. Didnt hear train ID or power. LIVW has Cole to 289

[alittlevanwerty]

There is a 66X loaded oil on the CF&E today. First loaded oil run. I was at wallyworld so I'm am unsure of their location. I heard them on the scanner looking for a yard or trainmaster. I also heard the dispatcher mention a track inspector doing the pre run inspection Lima to Colsan as soon as the 16E clears

[60Tonner]

Loaded Eastbound oil train thru Van Wert around 3PM.It had two CP locomotives and 105 cars.


60Tonner

[CG Tower]

Z6X ethanol train just called for EB signal at NS Tower in Lima a.

CG

[alittlevanwerty]

Z6X ethanol train just called for EB signal at NS Tower in Lima a.

CG

Dispatcher was calling it oil. Are you sure it's ethanol?? For some reason the symbol changed from 66X to Z6X once it was recrewed at the CF&E yard in Ft Wayne. The crew seemed confused why and they had to get new bullitens because of the change.

[alittlevanwerty]

For those of you not on Facebook here is an update on a meeting held today:


From the briefing I was in today with Public Safety Officials and CF&E Brass:

-104 Trainmen were transferred to Ft. Wayne and Mansfield(?) yesterday just to support the additional NS trains.

- Up to 6 NS trains per day, although this may not always work out this way. It could be no trains today, but 12 trains tomorrow.

- NS plans to "fleet flow" these trains, sounds like most of the NS traffic will roll eastbound, and they'll taxi crews back. (This is to start with until some sidings are possibly replaced).

- Oil trains, mixed merch, and other hazmat is expected. CF&E and NS are working together with local agencies to make sure everything is on the up and up.

- Additional investment into the rail line will continue for the next year or so. Track will be held to a 40MPH standard. Trains will run 40MPH through most towns, including Lima once things are all upgraded and worked out.

-Track inspections will go from 1 per week to 5 per week. (Additional track inspectors are being hired - get your resumes fired up!)

- Several Road Crossings will be replaced and upgraded. Top Priorities are Van Wert, Delphos, and Lima. TSRs will remain in effect in Van Wert for head-end only 10MPH until crossings are fixed.

-Expect to see lots of Sperry cars or other ultrasonic testing gear/equipment over the next year to get a "feel" for the rail.

-Additional sidings maybe added, especially west of Lima. No certain plans yet...still looking at options.

-They plan to do continuous public education with Operation Lifesaver to educate the public of the safety for trains and respect of the rail and right of way. ****Trespassers will be prosecuted.****

-With NS traffic, and CFE Traffic, the total number of trains per day will average 10. But again, as stated before if NS holds trains from one day, they could easily run more the next, and therefore the daily count will be higher for a given time period.

-This stretch of rail was / is the most under utilized stretch of track between the east coast and Chicago. That is all about to change. Exciting times if you've lived in this area for any amount of time. And if you remember the Conrail / Amtrak days, it'll be just as fun, if not more so now. And to think that Conrail was this [<->] close to abandoning the line.

Happy railfanning, have fun, be respectful of the RoW, and most importantly be safe.
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[CG Tower]

Yes it was oil...mind drifted on that one.

Thanks for the correction!

Eric

[alittlevanwerty]

Most of the track between Ft Wayne and Lima was officially increased to 40 mph today.. 66X hit the dd west of Van Wert at 37 mph and another train did 40 at the 266.? DD.

[bnsf8000]

1/29/15. Another loaded EB oil train at 6:12PM through Van Wert. Leading were CN 8940/CN 5752/CP 9740? with 101 tank cars and 2 buffer cars. Most tankers were DPRX with some SHPX and GATX mixed in as well.

1/28/15. Another NS EB last night most likely 16E. At 10:34PM had NS 2586/8000/CEFX 121 pulling 100 cars. Train consisted of 30 tank cars, 40 2-bay covered hoppers, 10 pressurized hoppers, 13 grain cars, 2 gons, 2 CN box cars, 1 AMRN reefer and 2 loaded centerbeams.

The LIVW was in Van Wert today as well.

PW

[nictd1000]

NS 2586 did lead 16E-28 out of Chicago, it went NKP to "Mike" because of 13J going Westbound on the CFE out of Fort Wayne.

[bnsf8000]

1/29/15. At 11:44pm another eb ns 16e with ns 1054/6766/9283/6907 hauling 121 cars. Consisted of 74 2-bay covered hoppers, 9 grain hoppers, 15 tank cars, 13 box cars, 2 flats, 3 rbmn coal hoppers, 1 gon, 1 pressurized hopper, 2 armn reefers,1 centerbeam.

Also, at8:25pm the lifw back to lima was through van wert. Leading were cfe 3882/3024 with 59 cars. Consist was 42 gons upfront, 3 loaded steel flats and 14 grain hoppers.

Keeping the rails polished!

Pw

[alittlevanwerty]

CF&E 11 (Delphos train) with 3886 just hit the 266DD at 39mph. Must have put it in notch 8 coming out of the yard!