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[Anonymous]

Today i had my scanner on and was listening to the BNSF train dispatcher talk to a train here in town told him to wait for the Z train what do they mean by that when they said A train or Z train what trains have priority and stuff like that can anyone tell me about how that works i hear it all the time they will say like A train or Z train etc?

[dehusman]

Piggyback trailers have reporting marks that end with a Z, so one the UP and BNSF they call them Z trains (as in ZYCMX). Trains that carry auto parts and autos have a symbol that starts with an A so they are called A trains (as in AKSMQ).

Dave H.

[BaltACD]

Each railroad has their own Train Identification conventions when it comes time to indentify the trains. Most railroads adhere, or at least pay lip service, to the following priorities.

1. AMTRAK
2. Intermodal Trains
3. Automotive trains - (Loaded & empty racks and loaded & empty parts cars)
4. General Merchandise Trains
5. Bulk Commodity Trains (Coal, Coke Iron Ore, Grain, Phospates etc. etc. etc)
6. Main Line Wayfreights or Locals
7. Maintenance of Way Work Trains.

Some roads may have specific moves that will have prioities at varience with the above general listing (ie. CSX Orange Juice Train). Also depending upon specific circumstances ANY repeat ANY train can be the hottest train on a territory on any particular day....even the lowly MofW Work Train. The ever changing pirorities, from day to day, or even from hour to hour, are one of the elements that keep Train Dispatching from being a boring way to make a living.