Is there a difference from Slow Drag Freights that PRR ran in the 1960s and CSX PSR monster trains of today?

[anglecock]

I assume the philosophy is the same run them long and hard till something breaks. The PRR had 4 track mainlines and room to do stuff with CSX is double track with going to single with no rhyme or reason. DPU was possible with manned crews and radio but in mountains you could lose signal. The PRR had giant yards to build these trains but CSX has downsized yards. Average velocity is the same at 17 mph from 1959 to 2222

[BaltACD]

anglecock

I assume the philosophy is the same run them long and hard till something breaks. The PRR had 4 track mainlines and room to do stuff with CSX is double track with going to single with no rhyme or reason. DPU was possible with manned crews and radio but in mountains you could lose signal. The PRR had giant yards to build these trains but CSX has downsized yards. Average velocity is the same at 17 mph from 1959 to 2222

In the 50's the drags ran from yard to yard about 100 miles apart and then the train was reclassified and through cars would end up in a outbound train and go another 100 miles to the next terminal for reclassification.

In PSR the drags are going 200 to 300 miles and then block swapping with other trains as each go on toward different destinations.

PSR is against car by car switching and to that end most hump yards on a carrier operating under PSR have been closed - in some cases to facilitate block swapping and in other cases the yard has had the rail removed and the geography bulldozed.

[daveklepper]

The effect: loss of single-car business and thus far fewer customers, concentration on long-distance moves for mlti-car major customers, lower rates for them if inflation is cosidered, greater profitability and retrn to stockholders, much less flexibilty to add new bsiness or work around unforseen problems.

[wjstix]

anglecock

Average velocity is the same at 17 mph from 1959 to 2222

Just curious where you got that info from? My understanding was that the "drag freight era" of railroading was in the first quarter of the 20th century; once higher-drivered 'superpower' steam engines came along in the late 20's, freights sped up considerably from then on. Mainline freights I've seen around here (Twin Cities) are going around 50 MPH.

[Flintlock76]

I can tell you one difference, it wasn't a PRR drag freight that held up Lady Firestorm at a grade crossing in Ashland VA for 15 minutes last Saturday, it was a CSX "Monster Train!"  She thought she was going to be OK to go and then THREE DPU's showed up and she realized the train was far from "over." 

    

I hope Virtual Raifan caught her throwing a fit in her Kia Soul, she was right at the grade crossing.  It'll be very entertaining to watch!  

Being a swing music fan she has no problem with the late, lamented PRR.

"You leave the Pennsylvania Station at a quarter-to-four..."

[daveklepper]

Read a magazine and you're in Baltimore.

[BigJim]

wjstix

anglecock

Average velocity is the same at 17 mph from 1959 to 2222

 Just curious where you got that info from? My understanding was that the "drag freight era" of railroading was in the first quarter of the 20th century; once higher-drivered 'superpower' steam engines came along in the late 20's, freights sped up considerably from then on. Mainline freights I've seen around here (Twin Cities) are going around 50 MPH.

It is all in how you crunch the numbers! The figure used to be just 12.5 mph. High drivers have absolutely nothing to do with it!

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Average speed also includes such things as red signals at junctions, extended stops at intermediate points, etc.

[BaltACD]

wjstix

 

anglecock

Average velocity is the same at 17 mph from 1959 to 2222 

Just curious where you got that info from? My understanding was that the "drag freight era" of railroading was in the first quarter of the 20th century; once higher-drivered 'superpower' steam engines came along in the late 20's, freights sped up considerably from then on. Mainline freights I've seen around here (Twin Cities) are going around 50 MPH.

The speeds reported by the carriers for their collective freight train movements have little relation to how fast a freight train may be moving at any point on the railroad.  A train moving at 50 or 60 MPH at points along the route have no real bearing upon train speed calculations.  Speeds are 'supposed' to be calculated from the departure at origin to arrival at destination - this time includes and and all line of road mechanical incidents, train meets, line of road pick ups and set offs, crews going on the Hours of Service etc.  Additionally, the time spent putting the train together at origin is not included in the calculations.  The time spent in yarding the train at destination is also not included in the calculations.  At most terminals, the operation of other trains can be severely affected by what is required to originate or terminate a train in the terminal.