Noob Q: More traffic Saturday morning?

[DBFanatic]

Greetings, Railroadfans,

I have noticed that there seems to be a lot more activity in and out of the NS Melvindale yard on Saturday mornings. A friend of mine suggested it was because the railways either a) don't have the same fines for blocking grade crossings or b) can 'get away with it more' because of the reduced road traffic.

Do either of these theories have merit? Am I imagining things when I say there is more traffic on Saturday mornings?

Thanks,

- Carsten

[SD80MAC]

No. That first one is funny though.

[KenB]

Thanks to the City of Plymouth, the railroads are not fined for blocking grade crossings anywhey, what grade crossings would they block on the Wabash anywhey? Sat and Sunday mornings do seem a bit busier. Just they way carloading goes, tends to pick-up as the week goes on.

[Saturnalia]

Carload traffic tends to be less on Monday and Tuesday, and more Thursday and Friday, due to most firm's 5-day workweek. Thus your big over-the-road trains tend to be a bit heavier on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is a trend, not a rule, however.

Worth noting perhaps that CN, under Hunter Harrison, tried really hard to get carloadings even throughout the week, with mixed results.

[hoborich]

Trainmasters like to clean out the yard on weekends. "Get rid of those cars in seven". "Where should we send them"? "I don't care. Just get rid of them".