tree68 CSSHEGEWISCH Based on the info provided in the two previous posts, could the train count include transfer runs and terminal switch jobs running beyond yard limits? Even jobs that never leave the yard have a symbol. Whether they are included in that 1,300 number is unknown.
CSSHEGEWISCH Based on the info provided in the two previous posts, could the train count include transfer runs and terminal switch jobs running beyond yard limits?
Based on the info provided in the two previous posts, could the train count include transfer runs and terminal switch jobs running beyond yard limits?
Even jobs that never leave the yard have a symbol. Whether they are included in that 1,300 number is unknown.
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Some time back, My wife asked one of the 'BNSF guys' about the count of the trains through this Mulvane area [ generally, the confluence of THREE ines.
]They, Being the BNSF's Southern Transcon(?), The Ark City Sub, and the Eldora Sub [Main#3](?). Apparently, the railroad counts are around 60 trains per day.
I suspect that tree68 is right and the transfer cuts [from Wellington to Wichita, and other yards, are possibly included, as well? Boeing. Watco's trackage rights, BNG's Trackage rights [Blackwell Norhtern Gateway RR]
Counts are dependent on the rules the counter is using in makng the count. Without knowing the specific rules you have no idea what the count is actually counting.
Considering that EHH in his implementation of PSR on CSX also changed various metrics from those that had been established when CSX had indigestion when it swallowed 42% of ConRail. Metrics that had become the standards of the industry when reporting on service issues. With that being said, I have no idea how CSX is currently defining a train in their 1300 count.
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If it has a symbol (and meets the other technical requirements), it's a train.
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The CSX symbol wiki on railroadfan.com lists some 2,400 possible CSX train symbols. Many run daily, some run certain days of the week, and others run "as needed," which could mean daily (or even multiple trains daily) or once a month. Or less.
It is not inconceivable that CSX could run 1,300 separate trains a day.
Generally, when a given symbol leaves its departure point, it holds the same symbol for it's entire run. There are trains that run from Selkirk to Chicago, f'rinstance, or Florida to Michigan.
It's also possible that a there could be more than one train with (almost) the same symbol running at the same time. I say "almost" because if K422 (ethanol empties) runs from Tampa to Chicago two days in a row, the complete symbol will be K42201 and K42202, where the last two digits are the date (in this case, the first and second days of the month). Odds are both trains will be on the system at the same time. This is the case for any train covering a significant distance (say, LA to CHI).
There are CSX symbols for two trains of nominally the same symbol starting on the same date, too. Too much to explain here.
The diamond at Deshler, OH sees 50-60 trains a day, of which near half are generally regularly scheduled trips (daily or specific day).
One train, a local, sometimes has one locomotive, and sometimes it has two. And it does a lot of switching. It's district is well under 100 miles, which helps balance the 1000 miles a long distance IM might cover.
From the CSX Rule Book
CSX Book of RulesTrain - A locomotive, with or without cars, displaying a marker.
https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/company-overview/network-and-operations/
and BNSF says they run ~1,500 trains per day
https://www.bnsf.com/about-bnsf/pdf/fact_sheet.pdf
I'm curious what a "train" means in this context. Two ideas come to mind:
But each of these ideas runs into some issues. According to the railroad's data BNSF owns ~8,000 locomotives, runs 164 million annual train miles, and uses, on average, 3.3 locomotives per train. CSX owns ~4,000 locomotives, runs 67 million annual train miles, and uses, on average, 2.3 locomotives per train.
So why is this a problem?
Let's use CSX as an example. If a train is measured the first way then you have 1,300 trains using ~3,000 locomotives and running 142 miles per day. That seems like a reasonable use of locomotives (3/4 of locomotives get used each day) but an awfully short distance to haul. And if a train is defined the second way then let's say a train goes through three zones - then a train moves 426 miles but you're only using ~1,000 out of your 4,000 locomotives.
I guess what it boils down to is these numbers suggest that either railroads a) have the majority of their locomotives sitting around each day or b) are running most of their locomotives and only making it ~140 miles (it's ~300 miles for BNSF out west) a day.
I know this is a convoluted question but I hope it makes some sense.
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