The three tunnels in Southern IL don’t appear to be tall enough to handle double stacks.. Are containers routed over Cairo or are container trains via the Cutoff limited to single stack?
I found a recent on-line railfan video that shows Memphis-bound Q196 with double stacks on the Edgewood Cutoff near Stonewood, IL on January 4, 2019. Other videos show this and other stack trains passing through Centralia on the original line, but I believe that Q196 often uses the Cutoff, so the line does, apparently, have clearance at least for the international container stacks shown in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vbqxx9fTOg
- Ed Kyle
Additional information I've run across is that Edgewood Cutoff (Bluford Subdv) tunnel clearances were increased during 2006 to handle stack trains. Tracks were lowered to increase clearances.
FRA crossing data shows an average of 7 trains per day on line generally north of the Ohio River. The old main line through Centralia, meanwhile, is shown at 10 to 14 freights and 2 Amtraks per day.
Main issue with the cut-off, is with the increase in BNSF and UP traffic utilizing the Metropolis Bridge. CN and BNSF own the bridge jointly, and UP has various trackage rights with both, plus the PAL. Trains are often lined up on both sides of the river, waiting to cross. Most trains are going to, or returning from, coal and grain terminals in KY and TN. The last 40 or so miles of the cut-off has more BNSF and UP traffic, than CN. If there are intermodals on the cut-off, I never see them. The bridge at Cairo on the mainline doesn't have the traffic issue.
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