I live in the Chicago Area.
What does this say for railroad industry.
I see railroad components being shipped cross coutry by trucks.
Rails, Ties, Wheels and completed trucks. I even seen several long and short hood on truck flat beds.
rrnut282 wrote:You'll see the same thing happen with the airlines whether it's passenger or freight. They ship a lot of stuff by truck even though it will fit throught the cargo door. Sometimes urgency, safety, logistics, or practicality outweighs "free" self-transport.
That is quite true; however, wheel sets, ties, etc are hardly "time sensitive" unless there has been a derailment.
I frequently see that stuff on trucks as well. Makes me wonder about the efficiency of our rail system.
Cheaper. Those items will take up room on a revenue train.
However... Pine Bluff does recieve wheels (And probably ships them) by flatcar. But alot of stuff comes around NLR by truck.
If it is cheeper for the railroads to ship by truck. It is cheaper for everyone to ship by truck.
If the industry that uses the railroad related material not excessable by rail. What do they do with the finished products.
Regarding railcar shops and some repair products only (not rail, ties, etc)
Most manufacturing facilities do not have capabilities to ship via rail. Rail takes longer to load, is terrible to schedule, usually takes longer to arrive, takes longer to unload and often, weight wise is not as cheap as truck. i.e. you max out the floor space and not the weight. Product does not stack to take advantage of the weight cability of rail.
A lot IS moved via rail, but it is in containers and you wouldn't know it (Gunderson Portland from the eastern US for one).
Trinity hauls or contracts most of theirs either with their own flatbed fleet or contract. ARI cotracts via Box van or flat, Union Tank - the same, National Steel car - the same.
Lots of side frames and bolsters come in from overseas and are either delivered direect in the container or off loaded and flatbed shipped.
CN - for one likes to move their material via their own rail, but has found it impractical in many ways.
Some stuff from Columbus Ohio area actually has to truck to Chicago or Detroit depending on rail line.
I know the aircraft engines you see on those drop decks are making $2.00 per mile. They get paid because once they are loaded they don't stop until they reach their destination.
The airlines pay for service and that's what they expect.
Jet engines are another story. IIRC the only commercial aircraft that can carry a "spare" engine is the 747-200. It takes an enormous "hit" on range and cargo to carry that extra engine under the left wing which is nothing but extra drag. That is why you see so manyjet engines on trucks.
Back on topic: I have seen truck sideframes on trucks and wheel-sets, too. I have also seen a special car NS uses to carry wheel-sets many times. I have not seen one on any other railroads. This could be a case of wrong-time/wrong-place.
When I mentioned logistics in my earlier post, I was thinking about the equipment needed to load and unload the railcars at origin/destination. In some cases that will involve renting a crane. Timing that rental with the arrival of a car is tricky, at best. A truck, usually, is easier to load and unload as it deals with smaller, lighter, cargo.
I hauled ballast adjusters may not be correct name, out of Kershaw in Montgomery Al, one to UP Grand Island and one to CR Bethlehem in the mid 80s for about 1.45mi legal wt but 9.6 wide
bethleham
If there are no dogs in heaven,then I want to go where they go.
zapp wrote: I know the aircraft engines you see on those drop decks are making $2.00 per mile. They get paid because once they are loaded they don't stop until they reach their destination. The airlines pay for service and that's what they expect.
Those loads are multimillion dollar loads and anyone who has that contract are sitting "Golden" on the Goose making dollars hand over fist. 2.00-3.00 per mile plus very good support and not have to lift a finger except to toss down a block, tarp or chain at times.
Team trucks run those loads under intensive survillence. They provide a vital service to the Airlines. I had an ambition to be involved in that once upon a time but got into McKesson instead with thier very expensive cargo.
If very Professional driver got that kind of revenue to the truck and had good wages to the team or driver no one will have the troubles were having now in the industry. But we might end up paying 10.00 a roll for toilet paper.
Ive gone tottally off topic again and am sorry. Sheesh, I cannot keep quiet around trucking talk =)
One other thing. About the "Dont stop" part. Some drivers are not up to that. Trains can always change crews and engines and keep it rolling.
Until we treat truck tractors the same way with home based crews operating in a specific territory we will always struggle with the "Dont stop" part.
I had the a few freinds, when I drove a truck, that did this. Most were husband and wife teams and they had those 120"+ sleepers with everything including the kitchen sink!
I'm the same way about the trucking talk, sometimes I miss driving, then there's the other 99% of the time I don't!
Actually if you look at carloadings and take into account all the rail and ballast shipped on a railroad, the railroad is one of its leading customers. Most of those truckloads of stuff are going short distances (under 500 miles) where trucks are most efficient. That's why there is piggyback.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
zapp wrote: I had the a few freinds, when I drove a truck, that did this. Most were husband and wife teams and they had those 120"+ sleepers with everything including the kitchen sink!I'm the same way about the trucking talk, sometimes I miss driving, then there's the other 99% of the time I don't!
Heh.
But sometimes we actually parked that large car and got a hotel room some place nice just to get out of that space and relax sometimes. Once in Ameri-cold on the California Coast we sat for 50 hours 5 yards away from the shipper and reciever's office watching movies, napping and cooking three meals a day for two while waiting for the load to be ready. We did not get paid one dime for our time but it was a good rest period.
It really bothered the clerk to smell bacon (Wyoming ranch brand) and eggs cooking with taters wafting out of that window and downwind into his office he he. Then Soups and bread for lunch followed by steak and taters and some snacks. Boy was that living. Yes the coffee was on 24/7 just had to keep an eye on that inverter because it was pulling 1500 watts and 15 volts.
No. Im grateful for it but today I see cargo getting very valued while drivers are treated as a inconvience or expense that would be best not incurred in the business.
spikejones52002 wrote: I live in the Chicago Area.What does this say for railroad industry.I see railroad components being shipped cross coutry by trucks.Rails, Ties, Wheels and completed trucks. I even seen several long and short hood on truck flat beds.
True, but on the other hand, what about all of those trucks loaded on railcars (Intermodel etc.)?
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