"Were does all that go?"

[magicman710]

Something that I often think about whenever seeing a train is were all those cars are actually going. But sometimes, it just seems like its to much. Let me tell you what I am talking about.

In Folkston, GA, 2 lines converge together, like most of you know. The CSX line from the West, and the CSX line from the North. And with this, Folkston sees nearly 60 trains a day. And me as my witness, about 60% of those are mixed freight. (With about 30% making intermodel and 10% making coal)

So with that, about 40 trains a day are going by Folkston... Coming and going. If you average 120 cars per train, its just about 5,000 cars a day.

All of those cars origintated as locals, and probabily will be delivered by locals. They all are going to be spotted at a industry to be unloaded or loaded.

I know that happens. But for just some reason I cant just grasp that ALL of those cars are REALLY doing that. It just seems to much. All of those cars coming and going from one state.

 

So basically what I am saying is, have you ever though about that and said, how could all of those cars possible be going to one state... Every car being spotted at a industry... Every last car doing the basic same thing as all the rest... It just seems like there is to much for that...

[MP57313]

Some years back Trains ran an artcile that traced some trains and their routings.  Even further back, there was an article about a manifest train, where it listed every car's origin, destination, and what it was carrying.  There's a lot going on out there!

[BaltACD]

If the number of car loads grab you....just count the trucks you see on I-95 on your trip to Folkston....there is a WHOLE LOT OF FREIGHT moving in this country.

[CShaveRR]

It just seems too much. All of those cars coming and going from one state.

I suspect that some of these freights that you're seeing are unit trains of varieties other than coal.  Fertilizer?  Orange juice?

From Folkston north (or northwest), these trains probably all go to or through either Savannah or Waycross, respectively.  If you could, look at the classifications made up by the yards in these two spots, and you'd get an amazing variety of destinations.

I haven't really looked at any information on Folkston, because I have no immediate plans for going down that way (have a friend in Augusta I could visit sometime, though).  Does a website for the Folkston Funnel railfan park give any indication of where trains could be headed?

Also remember that, even if you have one or two carloads in a train destined for any given industry, a lot of these places are not your grandfather's industries--some have the capability of handling dozens of cars at once.

[TH&B]

If the number of car loads grab you....just count the trucks you see on I-95 on your trip to Folkston....there is a WHOLE LOT OF FREIGHT moving in this country.

 

Freight or junk ?   That is the question .   In this country alot of the stuff being moved is large quantities of junk food that is not realy good for consumtion, poor quality merchandise made at point A, packackaged at B, sold to C, and resold to D.  D being fairly close to A sometimes. (unless A is China)   Often the long route round to get from A to B. It's alot of junk that moves in the US, guess it keeps the economy going .... until enough learn it's a rip off. 

 

A little synical pehaps, but it seems that's the way it is.  As a rail fan just fill the trains, but as a consumer I'm becoming afraid to buy because I feel ripped off so often even with refund policies in place ( =more transit of goods, there and back).

[SALfan]

With 8,000,000+ residents, Florida is a huge consumer market.  It also produces vast quantities of phosphates, although much of that travels by ship.  Unless something has changed recently, Florida is one of the top 5 cattle-producing states in the country, and we all know about the citrus and fresh fruit/vegetable production.  Even though not a lot of those commodities travel by train, a good portion of the production inputs do.  It's a big market, and the majority of the rail traffic passes thru Folkston.

[JoeKoh]

Some of those phospahtes make a turn in Deshler to go to Chicago.This is where railroading can meet geography(even with multiple reporting marks and graffiti covered cars.When Matt asks where is that at we get out the atlas and look it up.

stay safe

joe