L&N main line

[samfp1943]

Bryan Jones

 

MP173:

 

I took an early morning drive south out of Louisville, Ky this morning and followed the old L&N mainline (on US31W) south to Cave City.  Two trains were seen - SB general freight and a NB general freight. 

What is the traffic volume on this line?  It appears this is CTC controlled, but the sidings seemed very short...perhaps 6000 ft in length.  Is that accurate?  Probably no coal traffic on this line...too far west, but is there automotive?  Intermodal?

Thanks,

Ed

 

 

This is the Mainline Sub, I live alongside this line in Shepherdsville and grew up in Brooks just a few miles away.

As far as traffic goes, there's around 14-16 trains per day, maybe a couple more. Automotive traffic dominates, thanks in part that there are 2 Ford plants in Louisville. There is a single intermodal train which runs south during the wee hours of the morning. There is both a northbound and a southbound local and every other day there is an RJ Corman aluminum ingot train which operates as a turn. Coal traffic is extremely rare. Plenty of mixed freight.

There are some relatively short sidings but I believe there are a couple in the 7000 ft range. Some of the rack trains run in the 7000 ft range regularly and the intermodal train can run up to 8000 ft.

 

Bryan Jones

To add to what Bryan Jones said:

 I remember running North and south between Elizabethtown and Shepardsville on I-65 when it was originally the Kentucky Turnpike and then after the tolls were lifted.

Many times as I was going down the hill ( Going North)  on I-65 you could observe the trains on the L&N line that lay to the west of the highway. Not sure what the ruling grade is there but with the large, long hill on I65, It seemed to be an extremely heavy grade going south.

There was one area where the railroad was fairly close to the highway and the power always seemed to be 'on its knees' and working extremely hard Southbound)?) . Usual power seemed to be 4 to 6 units(?) they always seemed to be struggling and putting on quite a show.   Northbound there always seemed to be lots of smoke from very heavy brake applications.  The truck stop at Shepardsville was always a good place to  watch the traffic on the L&N line close behind it.

[Bryan Jones]

MP173

I took an early morning drive south out of Louisville, Ky this morning and followed the old L&N mainline (on US31W) south to Cave City.  Two trains were seen - SB general freight and a NB general freight. 

What is the traffic volume on this line?  It appears this is CTC controlled, but the sidings seemed very short...perhaps 6000 ft in length.  Is that accurate?  Probably no coal traffic on this line...too far west, but is there automotive?  Intermodal?

Thanks,

Ed

This is the Mainline Sub, I live alongside this line in Shepherdsville and grew up in Brooks just a few miles away.

As far as traffic goes, there's around 14-16 trains per day, maybe a couple more. Automotive traffic dominates, thanks in part that there are 2 Ford plants in Louisville. There is a single intermodal train which runs south during the wee hours of the morning. There is both a northbound and a southbound local and every other day there is an RJ Corman aluminum ingot train which operates as a turn. Coal traffic is extremely rare. Plenty of mixed freight.

There are some relatively short sidings but I believe there are a couple in the 7000 ft range. Some of the rack trains run in the 7000 ft range regularly and the intermodal train can run up to 8000 ft.

 

Bryan Jones

[MP173]

I took an early morning drive south out of Louisville, Ky this morning and followed the old L&N mainline (on US31W) south to Cave City.  Two trains were seen - SB general freight and a NB general freight. 

What is the traffic volume on this line?  It appears this is CTC controlled, but the sidings seemed very short...perhaps 6000 ft in length.  Is that accurate?  Probably no coal traffic on this line...too far west, but is there automotive?  Intermodal?

Thanks,

Ed