Triple Crown to Minneapolis

[MP173]

Chicago - Minneapolis service is essentially "2 day service". I the cut-off time is 1pm at Proviso, then the math says the load either has to be picked up early morning or the previous day.

Most loads are shipped in the afternoon. However, JIT is based on reliable service, so if it is a JIT operation, two day service could be ok, but they will never compete for the time sensitive LTL or TL freight.

The LTL is picked up late afternoon, cross docked and then line hauled, cross docked again and delivered the next morning.

Also, it will be interesting, as someone already noted, what kind of traffic comes out of that area. Will there be any cross Chicago movements to the NS TC service? If so, there you have the big Chicago moat again.,

ed

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UP_North

From what ive been told, the majority of the northbound traffic is for Ford. The southbound traffic is still developing so we shall see what the first southbound looks like this evening. It has been called for 1500 cdt at South St. Paul.

When I read this the first time I was a little confused by South St Paul and southbound. Around here when you say southbound, you usually mean the spine line to Des Moines. The route in question here is really more east west, even though leaving Chicago it runs mainly north south. I believe UP uses east and west for the old 400 line.

I finally realized what is happening. The power for the train is being dispatched from South St Paul at 3 PM, and running light up to East Minneapolis to pick up the train. It is then scheduled to leave at 5:30 PM heading east over the joint BNSF tracks to Westminster St, where it enters UP's Altoona Sub for the trip to Chicago and points east.

It sounds like a fun afternoon project to chase this thing. There are a couple of routes the power could take between South St Paul and East Minneapolis. I think I'm starting to foam.[swg]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

QUOTE: Originally posted by UP_North

From what ive been told, the majority of the northbound traffic is for Ford. The southbound traffic is still developing so we shall see what the first southbound looks like this evening. It has been called for 1500 cdt at South St. Paul.

When I read this the first time I was a little confused by South St Paul and southbound. Around here when you say southbound, you usually mean the spine line to Des Moines. The route in question here is really more east west, even though leaving Chicago it runs mainly north south. I believe UP uses east and west for the old 400 line.

I finally realized what is happening. The power for the train is being dispatched from South St Paul at 3 PM, and running light up to East Minneapolis to pick up the train. It is then scheduled to leave at 5:30 PM heading east over the joint BNSF tracks to Westminster St, where it enters UP's Altoona Sub for the trip to Chicago and points east.

It sounds like a fun afternoon project to chase this thing. There are a couple of routes the power could take between South St Paul and East Minneapolis. I think I'm starting to foam.[swg]

Well at least I won't have to get up at 5am and pack sandwiches for this one.[:D][:p][:0][;)]

[UP_North]

While I'm not sure about the line farther north, between Chicago and Butler the UP runs north and south, and we are dispatched that way too. Sorry about the confusion.
Another amazing fact. All three north bound trains so far have made it through Proviso without a problem as far as I know. Wait till the newness wears off and they will be sitting just like any other train in the yard

[CShaveRR]

My own questions about the operation in Chicago (if I worked days, I'd probably know):

How do these trains run between NS and Proviso: via IHB, or via the Rockwell SD?

And in Proviso: via County Line, or via 19 Main?

For old heads: can't you imagine Armando (Herman) I. trying to keep these suckers moving?

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UP_North

While I'm not sure about the line farther north, between Chicago and Butler the UP runs north and south, and we are dispatched that way too. Sorry about the confusion.
Another amazing fact. All three north bound trains so far have made it through Proviso without a problem as far as I know. Wait till the newness wears off and they will be sitting just like any other train in the yard

No problem, the Twin Cities are an interesting place for the UP, because 3 sub divisions meet here. The Altoona is the one these trains are using, and runs to just east of Eau Claire. The Albert Lea is the north south AKA the "spine line". And, the Mankato runs southwest toward Omaha. I just looked at the timetable, and the Mankato is also considered north south.

We went and chased Tuesday's "Chicago bound" train. (I give up on directions, Chicago bound is unambiguous.[;)]) It pulled away from the East Minneapolis ramp at 17:05, moved about a half mile and sat at a signal for over an hour. About 18:15 it had gotten out to the joint trackage, and moved up 2 miles to where we were waiting, 17 trailers in tow. It was very easy to chase, even with city traffic, because it moved so slow. We were able to catch it 6 times over its 20 mile run out of Minnesota. Once it started after that signal, it took over an hour to travel that distance. That has to be so tedious for that crew going that slow for that long.[:p]