Does anyone know anything about this line (i.e. # of trains per day, quality of the route (i.e welded rail or not), speed allowed?, how long it takes to get from St. L to Springfield?
I'm headed through and I'm wondering if there's enough going on there to warrant railfanning the route on the way by.
Thx
- - Stack
Not sure of the number of trains per day, but I do have a recent timetable somewhere. I know the Springfield-Tulsa (Cherokee Subdivision) hosts about 25 trains per day and increasing. It does get alot of doublestack off the transcon headed to Birmingham via Springfield. I think 50mph is the speed limit.
Will get back with more info.
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub
Seem like I am unable to locate the Cuba Sub timetable. Really the only info on it that would be of much use is the radio freq used (which I don't recall). I drive from Tulsa to St. Louis via I-44 and while there are sections of the main that parallel I44, I have only seen a few trains in all the times I've driven it. I have never taken the time to railfan so I am not much help as far as that goes.
If you have specific questions, let me know I will do what I can.
Well well, I guess being the only regular St. Louisan on here does help
The BNSF Cuba subdivision was the focus of the Pentrex Video "Ozark Country Cab Ride" and they did an excellent job. Its a very scenic line and it is used mainly as a Safty valve route, not utilizing the line to its full potential. Current Traffic sees 2 Intermodals (Q-STLLAC- and Q-LACSTL Formerly Q-STLCLO), Manifests M-STLTUL, MTUL-STL, M-GALTEA, M-TEAGAL, and then theres the Local. Occasionally A Unit coal train will make an apperence, but that is rare. Whenever UP does work on its line between Downtown St. Louis and Pacific, they will detour over the Cuba Sub.
Some great places to catch action is at Lindburgh Blvd, 1 mile south of the UP Line in Historic Downtown Kirkwood, Geyer Road, were the tracks go through a intersection, and then Valley park were the tracks narrow down to 1.
The two Galsburg trains are the only trains that run on the Cuba sub that have Distributed Power. this train is also used occsionally for power moves among Galsburg and Springfeild.
In Vally Park, the BNSF interchanges traffic with a small shortline that operates a SD40-2. This railroad is the Missouri and Valley Park, The locomotives are hard to get to since it is all private property, but they will understand if you ask. Be carefull, since they switch the Chrysler North Plant that makes the Dodge Ram Pickups.
That should cover it.
BE SAFE!
BNSFKLINE.............do you know if the M-TULGAL trains go thru ST Louis or do they go thru Kansas City? I also know that there is a daily M-TULSTL and M-TULSGF.
Thanks,
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