Are there freight trains on the Northeast Corridor?

[Willy2]

In train simulator there a lot of side tracks branching out from the main line on the Northeast Corridor. 3D Train Stuff has a Northeast Corridor activity with freight trains too. Did Train Simulator just put in the sidings to make things look a bit more industrial or do freight trains really run on the Northeast Corridor?

Willy

[Supermicha]

As far as i know, the last freight trains hit the NEC in the early 1980´s. Amtrak, as owner of the track demanded high track using fees from Conrail, which operated the freight trains. As Conrail didn´t want to pay them, they withdrawed all trains and used other routes.

Today, there are only Amtraks postal trains there, with boxcars and roadrailers. If you want to call them so, they are freight trains. But thats all as i know.

Micha

[BaltACD]

NS has recently tested some Triple Crown trains on the NEC between Philadelphia and Alexandria, VA....have no idea of wha the ultimate outcome of the tests will be.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

You can see an occasional NS local freight between Baltimore and Perryville, perhaps a little farther east, during daylight hours. Norfolk Southern uses the Northeast Corridor at night to move freights to Wilmington and Baltimore, but on extremely rare occasions you might see its intermodal freight trains around Perryville during daylight hours.

[Anonymous]

I believe there are any number of local freights that run on some of the NEC. FOr example, there are coal trains that run into the D.C. area and up north NS and CR SAA run locals along it as does the P&W and possibly others. There are still quite a few freight customers along the NEC.

LC

[Anonymous]

NS did have some test intermodal trains with 3 GP38-2 not sure if their still running

[Anonymous]

They've had to switch to using bicycles to move the freight. to the major cities in the NE.
Just kiddiing.

[jeaton]

March Trains has a photo of the NS test train. I hadn't seen anything of the results or the prospects for regular service. Interesting prospect. There is a large nightime window with no Amtrak trains operating.

[jchnhtfd]

There are a few locals, here and there, still. One of the problems is part of the classic conflict between high-speed (well, relatively speaking, guys!) rail and freight: the passenger service needs a much higher quality of surface on the track, and the freights (particularly the newer ones with the really high axle loadings) can knock the heck out of your surface in no time at all.

North of New York there is freight service regularly on much of the old New Haven Shore Line, though. Providence & Worcester provides most of it. They're pretty good about flat wheels and the like, and there doesn't seem to be much of a problem.

[Anonymous]

Isn't there a height problem running some freight cars under catenary, though? I'm thinking that the NEC would have some real concerns about running double stack intermodals on it.

Erik

[Anonymous]

Yes! In Delaware NS service a Chrysler Plant in Newark (on the NEC) and a Dupont Plant near the Delaware/Pa line. Both plants can only be accessed via the NEC for some distance.

[oltmannd]

Yes! Yes! But most is at night. NS operates two road freight trains a day each way between Perryville and Baltimore and two a day each way between Perryville and Newark DE. NS also operates a train or two a day between Philly and Wilmington. NS also operates some locals as well.

On the North end, Conrail operates locals over most of the NEC between Phila and Newark NJ.

[Willy2]

Thanx to all for the answers! I always thought that the NEC had only passenger trains on it. As the saying goes... "You learn something new everyday!"

Willy

[TH&B]

Isn't there also still some Conrail transfer/locals on the NEC around New Jersy to Philly area?

[michaelstevens]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 440cuin

Isn't there also still some Conrail transfer/locals on the NEC around New Jersy to Philly area?

Yes there are at least 6 tracks on the NEC, between Zoo and Frankford Junct., then for several miles (RR) North.
Locals run round the clock to the numerous local customers.
Made up "manifest"(and the occasional unit coal) trains use the NEC to access the Delair Bridge (over the Delaware River) en route to Pavonia Yard (Camden NJ) -- which is a Conrail Shared Assets (NS/CSX) hot spot.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by doccm9

They've had to switch to using bicycles to move the freight. to the major cities in the NE.
Just kiddiing.

VERY FUNNY

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