OMAHA, Neb. — More of Union Pacific’s intermodal trains will operate daily, up from five or six days a week, as the railroad boosts departures as part of its shift to an operating plan based on the principles of Precision Scheduled Railro...
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/12/18-union-pacific-to-run-more-intermodal-trains-every-day-to-balance-network
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
I am little confused by this operating plan. I was under the impression that UP was going to increase the length of many of their intermodal trains as that has happened with both CN and CP.
If they are going to increase the length of the their trains (and forgive if I am wrong about this) this means as an example two trains that run 5 fives a week will be consolidated to one train that seven days a week. Is that thought process correct or am I wrong?
ADRIAN BALLAMI am little confused by this operating plan. I was under the impression that UP was going to increase the length of many of their intermodal trains as that has happened with both CN and CP. If they are going to increase the length of the their trains (and forgive if I am wrong about this) this means as an example two trains that run 5 fives a week will be consolidated to one train that seven days a week. Is that thought process correct or am I wrong?
Traffic on routes is rarely balanced - with that being the case resources have to be moved to support the traffic, even if the 'balancing move' is less than full tonnage or footage.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD ADRIAN BALLAM I am little confused by this operating plan. I was under the impression that UP was going to increase the length of many of their intermodal trains as that has happened with both CN and CP. If they are going to increase the length of the their trains (and forgive if I am wrong about this) this means as an example two trains that run 5 fives a week will be consolidated to one train that seven days a week. Is that thought process correct or am I wrong? Traffic on routes is rarely balanced - with that being the case resources have to be moved to support the traffic, even if the 'balancing move' is less than full tonnage or footage.
ADRIAN BALLAM I am little confused by this operating plan. I was under the impression that UP was going to increase the length of many of their intermodal trains as that has happened with both CN and CP. If they are going to increase the length of the their trains (and forgive if I am wrong about this) this means as an example two trains that run 5 fives a week will be consolidated to one train that seven days a week. Is that thought process correct or am I wrong?
The plan hasn't been completely implemented, yet. When it is, the word going around is that every train except for the very hot Z trains, may be subject to filling with manifest traffic. (Last trip I saw a manifest that the first half was manifest cars, the second half was stacks.)
To that end, the K intermodal symbol is gone. All former K trains are now regular I symbolled trains. Most extended haul coal trains have lost that designation. (The extended haul trains have restrictions on how many work events they can do before needing a new intial terminal air test that has to be done by a carman.)
If a train won't have enough intermodal cars, I'm sure they'll find other cars to fill with. The metrics are now focused on car movement, not train performance.
Jeff
Just watched a two-engine eastbound on the Rochelle webcam which had mostly reefers in the front half, and stacks in the back half...
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
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