If Rochelle is a truly 'automatic' crossing at grade (as I have been told), the Dispatchers have nothing to do with it's operation. The movement of trains across the crossing is goverened by the activation of the various relays in the signal mechanisms that govern the crossing.
Either TTSI (Timetable Special Instructions) or local custom will govern the operation of trains when operating on less than Clear Signal indications and those Instructions or customs will instruct trains where to hold their trains, based upon train length, when the signal system does not indicate that the trains have clear movement across the crossing so as to prevent blocking road crossings for extended periods of time.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Of course, the trains that were blowing for crossings before the trains on the other railroad cleared were proceeding prepared to stop at the home signal. It sounds like the railroads were cooperating with each other this afternoon. Had they not been, there was a possibility that grade crossings in the city would have been blocked. The dispatchers had to know that a window was gong to open, or the trains would have been stopped short of the city, clear of crossings.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Fairly heavy traffic this afternoon. In the last few minutes, I've seen:
Gotta close that window. I'm not getting anything else done.
ChuckAllen, TX
cefinkjr CBT Yesterday I saw a UP double stack back up and pull forward then back up and pull forward etc... Check Google Earth, CBT. There's a fair sized container terminal just west of the diamonds. Impossible for a normal length eastbound to leave or take blocks without using the main.
CBT Yesterday I saw a UP double stack back up and pull forward then back up and pull forward etc...
Yesterday I saw a UP double stack back up and pull forward then back up and pull forward etc...
Check Google Earth, CBT. There's a fair sized container terminal just west of the diamonds. Impossible for a normal length eastbound to leave or take blocks without using the main.
And i just saw a littlle muskrat beside the track.
Moving now ... Turned on the scanner feed and heard "Red Flag Restriction" mentioned.
Let's see how many UP trains are backed up!!
rdamon Been watching a stopped BNSF train full of Auto Racks stopped for the last two refreshes.
Been watching a stopped BNSF train full of Auto Racks stopped for the last two refreshes.
Auto racks still there; what's that, about half an hour? BNSF storing them across the diamonds? That's not going to sit well with UP.
/Mr Lynn
Interesting fact about the cab signals, thanks for sharing. Guess all of that is on borrowed time now with PTC.
There was a recent Trains article on run-through power. Don't have the issue handy to cite.
Just saw the mid-day local heading long-hood forward into the siding with a few boxcars. What engine is it--GP-XX? And what are the white bulges atop the cab?
The lead unit of all trains on the UP has to be able to work with the old C&NW's cab signals and Automatic Train Control. So you shouldn't ever see any foreign units in the lead.Just last week I saw a train off CSX (nothing but CSX power) sitting on the UP main line at the west end of Proviso, with a UP unit about to tie on for the trip west. Foreign trains are allowed to come as far west at Proviso (15 miles or so).
I do hate that we get very little to no variety of foreign power on CN in Canada, even as trailing units. I guess that is the downfall of requiring a fridge and microwave in every lead unit.
10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ...
A couple months ago i caught two UP engines leading a four engine Stack on the Bnsf and the VERY next train WB on UP, had two Bnsfs, not head end, but in the power consist. was a bit slow to getting a picture of them and missed it.
Probably "run through power," and/or paying back horsepower hours.
Nowadays, it's not uncommon for the locomotives a train starts with to stay on it for the entire trip. We're mostly talking bulk commodities and expidited runs (UPS, perishables). They therefore "run through" from origin to destination, even though they run on the home road's rails.
Of course, NS will want some compensation for the time that the locomotives are off home rails. There's a lot of accounting that goes along with that. One way that compensation can take place is for BNSF locomotives to be used on NS. The "currency" is horsepower hours in that case. If things get too out of whack, to the point that one railroad simply can't give up enough power to make the payback, cash may well change hands.
That's not to say that leasing doesn't take place, but I believe most leasing these days is from third party vendors, as opposed to other railroads. I'll gladly stand corrected.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I saw that too!!
The train that went by while he was up there was interesting as well. It was about as close to a unit train of wood products as you could ever see. From logs to various types of finished lumber.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Nice friendly wave from the workman on the roof!!
Just got a Rio Grande diesel on the Union Pacific.
My thoughts exactly. Maybe because UP heralds on MoW trucks are smaller than their BNSF counterparts that I've seen, I had also assumed it was UP crews performing the maintenance. But even if our assumptions are correct, BNSF would still be likely to be paying for the maintenance if BNSF (OK, a predecessor) is the junior road.
MrLynn My impression was that the crews who park over on the right-hand side of the diamonds (between the eastbound UP and the westbound BNSF tracks) and do almost all of the work I have seen, were all UP people. Was this wrong? Both roads seem to use all-white trucks, and I can't see any logos. /Mr Lynn
My impression was that the crews who park over on the right-hand side of the diamonds (between the eastbound UP and the westbound BNSF tracks) and do almost all of the work I have seen, were all UP people. Was this wrong? Both roads seem to use all-white trucks, and I can't see any logos.
I have on occasion been watching the webcam feed when a MOW truck has arrived and maneuvered so as to show the doors of the truck and it was pretty clear that the truck was a UP truck. The trucks, especially the heavy ones, certainly look like the UP trucks one often sees in Tehachapi, especially at night when they are parked in front of the motel on Tehachapi Blvd. Lots of trucks in the parking lot does not bode well for daytime train watching the next day.
CBTThe first road through would have no worries about maintaining anything that is made necessary by a later arrival on the scene.
I suspect UP (or any other "senior road") would object to the phrase "no worries" here. Their mgt is going to be just as much or more concerned with maintenance of diamond(s) as the junior road's.
The junior road would be responsible financially for the maintenance but local (and very old) agreements will determine who actually performs the maintenance. The senior road would frequently not trust the junior's MoW crews and would insist on doing the maintenance with the junior paying for it. The senior road was, of course, in the stronger bargaining position.
Deggesty CBT Oh, and a question. If the diamond is shared bu UP and BNSF who is responsible for the maintence of the diamond. Thanks to any answers. Chris Johnny-come-lately--in this case the Burlington (now the BNSF) is the one responsible. The first road through would have no worries about maintaining anything that is made necessary by a later arrival on the scene.
CBT Oh, and a question. If the diamond is shared bu UP and BNSF who is responsible for the maintence of the diamond. Thanks to any answers. Chris
Oh, and a question. If the diamond is shared bu UP and BNSF who is responsible for the maintence of the diamond. Thanks to any answers.
Chris
Johnny-come-lately--in this case the Burlington (now the BNSF) is the one responsible. The first road through would have no worries about maintaining anything that is made necessary by a later arrival on the scene.
chris
Johnny
Just caught a NS powerd train.
Did I miss an email telling me that this thread had been abandoned? Anyway:
Just saw a WB UP Salad Shooter (?); about 70 or 80 white reefers behind 4 units. Most of the cars had been tagged; that's understandable as their white sides are great canvases for taggers. But two things occurred to me as I watched that train pass:
1. About 20% of the cars had a bright orange stripe at the top and bottom of the sides. Few of these had been tagged. Newer cars or cars that are normally spotted where taggers can't get at them?
2. Much as I hate to admit it, some of the tags really look nice. Such a waste of money, time, and talent!
Just saw an EB UP stacker rockin' and rollin' through the diamonds on #2. Looked like the offender was the diamond with BNSF #1 but can't be sure; I only saw the last 10 or 15 cars and the train was moving at or near track speed.
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