Does anybody know that Global III just Opened?

[Anonymous]

Although I agree that its nice to have a new intermodal ramp out in the "wide open spaces" of Rochelle, you have to think about the economics that it causes.

The expensive part of an intermodal move is the dray portion. It costs 2-3 times more per mile to move a trailer/ container on the highway than on the rail ( I know of what I speak, its how I earn my beer & donut $ each day.) So, lets say you move that traffic so that it ramps out in Rochelle vs. Global 2 or 3. That means that you've added approx $150 in cost to truck it out there. Does anyone honestly think that UP is going to give a $150 discount on the rail rate to offset that? They might at first to incent some business, but ongoing, nah. So, the cost just went up by $150. Who pays that. The intermodal provider? Well, yes, initially, but since their entire margin isn't usually that big, given the competitive nature of the business, they need to try to pass it along to the customer, or the piece of business will become unprofitable and they'll walk away from it, or they'll find a different way to get it there (ie BNSF.) So you go to the customer and say, "Hey, I need an extra $150 bucks from you because some RR decided to build a ramp out in the boondocks." What do you think the customer's response will be? I'm guessing that their response won't include reaching for the checkbook. This is what people in the intermodal business have been telling UP since the day that they announced this project and its location at Rochelle.

[Anonymous]

Although I agree that its nice to have a new intermodal ramp out in the "wide open spaces" of Rochelle, you have to think about the economics that it causes.

The expensive part of an intermodal move is the dray portion. It costs 2-3 times more per mile to move a trailer/ container on the highway than on the rail ( I know of what I speak, its how I earn my beer & donut $ each day.) So, lets say you move that traffic so that it ramps out in Rochelle vs. Global 2 or 3. That means that you've added approx $150 in cost to truck it out there. Does anyone honestly think that UP is going to give a $150 discount on the rail rate to offset that? They might at first to incent some business, but ongoing, nah. So, the cost just went up by $150. Who pays that. The intermodal provider? Well, yes, initially, but since their entire margin isn't usually that big, given the competitive nature of the business, they need to try to pass it along to the customer, or the piece of business will become unprofitable and they'll walk away from it, or they'll find a different way to get it there (ie BNSF.) So you go to the customer and say, "Hey, I need an extra $150 bucks from you because some RR decided to build a ramp out in the boondocks." What do you think the customer's response will be? I'm guessing that their response won't include reaching for the checkbook. This is what people in the intermodal business have been telling UP since the day that they announced this project and its location at Rochelle.

[David3]

Yeah, I have been in West Chicago and the population is mostly hispanics, at least trains don't get stuff stolen out of them like in Joliet, Ill. A man stole $1,000 worth of NIKE shoes out of a boxcar that was on a waiting BNSF manifest.... (TRUE STORY!!!!!).

[David3]

Yeah, I have been in West Chicago and the population is mostly hispanics, at least trains don't get stuff stolen out of them like in Joliet, Ill. A man stole $1,000 worth of NIKE shoes out of a boxcar that was on a waiting BNSF manifest.... (TRUE STORY!!!!!).

[eolafan]

To zardoz1, you might find it enlightening to know that West Chicago residents (the ones who said NIMBY to UP) are primarily blue collar folks and very heavily Hispanic by heritage, so your comment about "yuppiescum" simply doesn't ring true at all. I for one support more traffic via rail and less on highways but can also understand the concern the West Chicago residents had for the safety of their population (in particular the kids) due to extremely increased truck traffic (which would have been on many feeder streets and not just on highways). Jim

[eolafan]

To zardoz1, you might find it enlightening to know that West Chicago residents (the ones who said NIMBY to UP) are primarily blue collar folks and very heavily Hispanic by heritage, so your comment about "yuppiescum" simply doesn't ring true at all. I for one support more traffic via rail and less on highways but can also understand the concern the West Chicago residents had for the safety of their population (in particular the kids) due to extremely increased truck traffic (which would have been on many feeder streets and not just on highways). Jim

[zardoz]

Anyway, since the yuppiescum NIMBY's got their way, now they can battle all those trucks on their precious highways instead of watching them go by on a train.

DUH!

[zardoz]

Anyway, since the yuppiescum NIMBY's got their way, now they can battle all those trucks on their precious highways instead of watching them go by on a train.

DUH!

[CShaveRR]

From what I've seen, there is at least one "transfer" run between Global 3 and Global 1, and two from Global 3 to CSX's 59th Street Yard (IG3CH, and often 2-IG3CH). These might be the stack trains that have stuff like SD40-2s instead of newer, bigger power.

I'm not sure that Global 3 is the primary cause for the "parking-lot syndrome" along the main line, but I'd rather not speculate on that. I'm sure that sometime down the road you'll see a lot more third track than the current Metra extension is providing.

Trains have been running into and out of Global 3 for several months now; it actually did its first switching last November or thereabouts.

And yes, West Chicago was considered as a spot for this thing even before Maple Park was. I'd seen schematics for the proposal there. Never saw much about the proposal at Maple Park (they did promise some sort of enhanced access to I-88), but that was only around for a month or so anyway.

[CShaveRR]

From what I've seen, there is at least one "transfer" run between Global 3 and Global 1, and two from Global 3 to CSX's 59th Street Yard (IG3CH, and often 2-IG3CH). These might be the stack trains that have stuff like SD40-2s instead of newer, bigger power.

I'm not sure that Global 3 is the primary cause for the "parking-lot syndrome" along the main line, but I'd rather not speculate on that. I'm sure that sometime down the road you'll see a lot more third track than the current Metra extension is providing.

Trains have been running into and out of Global 3 for several months now; it actually did its first switching last November or thereabouts.

And yes, West Chicago was considered as a spot for this thing even before Maple Park was. I'd seen schematics for the proposal there. Never saw much about the proposal at Maple Park (they did promise some sort of enhanced access to I-88), but that was only around for a month or so anyway.

[eolafan]

ChrisRS is exactly right, the Rochelle location is really good when it comes to getting trucks into and out of Global III. West Chicago would have been a nightmare for UP, not to mention the reisdents around W. Chicago and the motorists around Routes 64,59, etc. in the area. Jim

[eolafan]

ChrisRS is exactly right, the Rochelle location is really good when it comes to getting trucks into and out of Global III. West Chicago would have been a nightmare for UP, not to mention the reisdents around W. Chicago and the motorists around Routes 64,59, etc. in the area. Jim

[Anonymous]

That facility is right down the road from me (I can hear them working from my home on the scanner). I'm actually going on the tour/train ride to Nelson with the brother in-law and his kids. The UP has been doing a ton of PR on this in the area, and hopefully it will bring a lot of growth. I can see the UP mainline from just about every room of my house, and let me tell you, traffic is up! I've heard rumor of Boise Cascade putting a distribution center out here. The only problem is that eolafan is right; sounds like another place for crews to die. Heard one die just the other night. Wonder if they're going to base any trains/yard crews there.

Let's face it, things are moving West; It's not all about Chicago proper anymore. The UP originally wanted to put it not by West Chicago, but in the Maple Park area. The NIMBY's in that area did get their way, but Rochelle along with Ogle and Lee counties welcomed the UP with open arms. If I'm not mistaken, Lee county actually allowed Ogle to annex a certain amount of land as the yard bridges the two couties. Frankly, I think Rochelle is a much better location with not only the BNSF interchange, but the major crossroads of I-88 and I-39. I think getting trucks in and out of the far West suburbs would have been more problematic as there's no good highway access.

[Anonymous]

That facility is right down the road from me (I can hear them working from my home on the scanner). I'm actually going on the tour/train ride to Nelson with the brother in-law and his kids. The UP has been doing a ton of PR on this in the area, and hopefully it will bring a lot of growth. I can see the UP mainline from just about every room of my house, and let me tell you, traffic is up! I've heard rumor of Boise Cascade putting a distribution center out here. The only problem is that eolafan is right; sounds like another place for crews to die. Heard one die just the other night. Wonder if they're going to base any trains/yard crews there.

Let's face it, things are moving West; It's not all about Chicago proper anymore. The UP originally wanted to put it not by West Chicago, but in the Maple Park area. The NIMBY's in that area did get their way, but Rochelle along with Ogle and Lee counties welcomed the UP with open arms. If I'm not mistaken, Lee county actually allowed Ogle to annex a certain amount of land as the yard bridges the two couties. Frankly, I think Rochelle is a much better location with not only the BNSF interchange, but the major crossroads of I-88 and I-39. I think getting trucks in and out of the far West suburbs would have been more problematic as there's no good highway access.

[dknelson]

At least for a while the photo on the trains.com intro page is of the tour train that the UP is running. I hoep to get there tomorrow (Saturday). We were able to get close to it (way closer than I suspect we could get now) when it was under construction -- that is one big project.
One effect is that I imagine fewer eastbounds will actually come past the "deerstand" at Rochelle and instead will stop at Global 3. Whether there will be more transfer trains from Global 1 and 2 remains to be seen I guess.
Dave Nelson

[dknelson]

At least for a while the photo on the trains.com intro page is of the tour train that the UP is running. I hoep to get there tomorrow (Saturday). We were able to get close to it (way closer than I suspect we could get now) when it was under construction -- that is one big project.
One effect is that I imagine fewer eastbounds will actually come past the "deerstand" at Rochelle and instead will stop at Global 3. Whether there will be more transfer trains from Global 1 and 2 remains to be seen I guess.
Dave Nelson

[eolafan]

Last weekend I spoke with a UP employee who told me that since Global III (unoficially) opened and since all of the tracks are not yet in, they essentially have a parking lot from Rochelle to Proviso these days with trains proceeding a bit and then stopping, starting, stopping again, etc. He also told me that in most cases the "big" power (i.e. SD70M's) do not go beyond Global III and that they use "smaller, older" power as shuttle power to Proviso from out west. This is going to be interesting. On another note, too bad nobody made a bigger deal out of the Global III opening at Rochelle, I for one would have taken the time to go out there to see the action, but had no idea! Jim

[eolafan]

Last weekend I spoke with a UP employee who told me that since Global III (unoficially) opened and since all of the tracks are not yet in, they essentially have a parking lot from Rochelle to Proviso these days with trains proceeding a bit and then stopping, starting, stopping again, etc. He also told me that in most cases the "big" power (i.e. SD70M's) do not go beyond Global III and that they use "smaller, older" power as shuttle power to Proviso from out west. This is going to be interesting. On another note, too bad nobody made a bigger deal out of the Global III opening at Rochelle, I for one would have taken the time to go out there to see the action, but had no idea! Jim

[David3]

Yeah, that's why I think it's a good idea because it ain't that close to the congested Chicago metro area.[8D][8D]

[David3]

Yeah, that's why I think it's a good idea because it ain't that close to the congested Chicago metro area.[8D][8D]

[David3]

Actully, I think it opened about 3 months ago but they were only handling a small amount of trains. But I'm not sure. But thank you for clearing up the opening/grand opening thing!

[David3]

Actully, I think it opened about 3 months ago but they were only handling a small amount of trains. But I'm not sure. But thank you for clearing up the opening/grand opening thing!

[Anonymous]

Technically, it opened about 3-4 weeks ago. They had a "grand opening" event yesterday. I think its a really cool place if an intermodal carrier wants to truck their load an extra 70 miles into the Chicago market.

The NIMBY's (not in my back yard) got their way with this and pushed it waaaaay west of where it would have been actually quite useful (i.e West Chicago area)

[Anonymous]

Technically, it opened about 3-4 weeks ago. They had a "grand opening" event yesterday. I think its a really cool place if an intermodal carrier wants to truck their load an extra 70 miles into the Chicago market.

The NIMBY's (not in my back yard) got their way with this and pushed it waaaaay west of where it would have been actually quite useful (i.e West Chicago area)

[David3]

In Rochelle,Ill the new $181 million dollar intermodal facility has just opened, I am happy for the city of Rochelle and the UP railroad itself. Does anybody not like the idea of the intermodal center or do most of you like it? You can see the article on the Trains News Wire.


Go UP and Rochelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[David3]

In Rochelle,Ill the new $181 million dollar intermodal facility has just opened, I am happy for the city of Rochelle and the UP railroad itself. Does anybody not like the idea of the intermodal center or do most of you like it? You can see the article on the Trains News Wire.


Go UP and Rochelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]