Train Times

[Anonymous]

When it comes to trains i know like passenger like Amtrack has priority over frieght trains Amtrack comes pass this area around 12am and normaly around that time if there is a BNSF train around they will have them stop and wait. I was wondering do Fright trains have priority lists too like what detemins what train has first dibbs like. Here in Becker it is 2 tracks but goes down to 1 from becker to east of big lake then back to 2 tracks so lot of times you will see trains waiting for others. On my scanner i will hear dispatcher tell a eastbound to find a place in becker to stop and wait for 3 westbounders and after BNSF # 4573 goes past then you may start moving again. Do the dispatchers have a list of what trains are hot and need to move etc and others can wait.

[railman]

According to the Consolidated Code of Operating Rules, edition of 1980,
rule S-71, "...Trains in the direction specified in the timetable are superior to trains of the same class in the opposite direction."

Not sure, but there might be a direction that is dominant in this stretch of one track main...although when I rode Amtrak a few years ago, BNSF did a pretty good job keeping Amtrak moving. When we got on that "other" railroad for the Coast Starlight and Cali Zephyr, we got put behind ever train that came along. Just a random gripe here.

[Anonymous]

Each railroad has it's own operating plan that attempts to service its of customers.

Some customers pay premium rates for expedited service, such as Intermodal and Automotive. These premium shipments fit into the customers 'Just in Time' inventory process. On most Class I's Intermodal and Automotive trains have priority over the other trains except Amtrak.

Next on the hirearchy are the general mecrchandise customers....the car loads of lumber, paper, chemicals, and all of the hunderds of 'non-bulk' commodities that the railroad handle. While all these products are involved in the manufacturing cycle, they are not critical in 'just in time' situations and the customers are not willing to pay premium rates for their 'swift' delivery.

The third catagory of traffic is the Bulk Commodities, Coal, Ore, Grain and basically anything else that is not time sensitive and is handled in train load volumes. The object of this traffic is to get it from origin to destination at the least cost, both to the railroad and the customer, ie. Unit Train Rates.

Railroads strive to run the Intermodal and Automotive trains On Time and will give them priority of operation over most all other trains. The 'Merchandise' trains have priority over the Bulk Commodity trains.

All the forgoing is the simplistic view, in real life, various operating and commercial considerations can skew the priorities that can be assigned to a specific situation; under some unusual circumstances the 'Intermodal Flyer' has been known to go in the hole for a coal train.

The Dispatching of a territory is full of do's, don't's and surprises as the dispatcher tries to follow the operating plan and all the 'special' moves that come down during the course of a tour of duty.

[ndbprr]

Railroads even have named freight trains. Some names were "The Rocket", "Hot Rod", "Fruit Bowl Express". You bet there is a pecking order when it comes to freights. The railroads also classified them in many cases from 1-4 with 1 being the highest priority. Higher class trains had the prioirty - end discussion! If a lower priority train held up a higher priority train there better be a good reason or somebody was getting some time off.