greyhoundsI don’t want to have a switch engine and crew waiting around to move the loads from the through train to the terminal. That would be an unnecessary expense.
But having automated engines to spot at an intermodal pad (technology that isn't even on the railroads) is not an unneccessary expense?
I've worked trains where we ran thru a yard and dropped off a rear block, or had a crew slam one on. It doesn't take that long - plus you have to rehang the marker, do your class-3, and I don't think the feds are too willing to let DPUs not be tied onto the brakepipe yet.
I guess all that can be automated. But at that point, why not have the trucks drive themselves from LA to the customers in LV, and not even HAVE an IM yard? Seems like if we're going to automate let's automate the damned thing completely.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Shouldn't you be posting all your marketing/operating concepts to professional railroaders and not a fan website? Your current one is a doozy. On the one hand, you want to do it "on the cheap". On the other, you want to use technology that doesn't exist. Which one is it?
Overmod I concur with Zug. If you have all that potential traffic, just use a standard six-axle (6 or 4-motor) unit with DP for the testing... if doing automation you'll be using six-axle units as test mules anyway; divert one. Heaven knows there are enough of them running around now. Notch-limit the damn thing if you're concerned about fuel burn or whatever. We can contact Mike Wolf for the code to be added to the DP radio stream for the disengaging coupler operation; he can probably use the money.
I concur with Zug.
If you have all that potential traffic, just use a standard six-axle (6 or 4-motor) unit with DP for the testing... if doing automation you'll be using six-axle units as test mules anyway; divert one. Heaven knows there are enough of them running around now. Notch-limit the damn thing if you're concerned about fuel burn or whatever.
We can contact Mike Wolf for the code to be added to the DP radio stream for the disengaging coupler operation; he can probably use the money.
1) Provide power for the Las Vegas block
2) Be able to detach itself and the Vegas block from the train autonomously
3) Spot the loads at the Vegas intermodal terminal autonomously
greyhoundsNope. I don’t think it’s a good plan to need a switch engine and crew on duty and in position for this. Automate as much as possible to save dollars.
Instead of having a crew that would be easy to get, we are going to have to modernize an old and quickly disappearing locomotive type (is it even feasable? - I've seen the racks of stuff that had to be added to them for PTC) and rely on technology that's still pretty much in fantasy phase.
Sure.
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure I dont' see the big picture.
Shadow the Cats owner Las Vegas is a freaking desert for outbound loads. You have to deadhead out of there either into Arizona or California for reloads.
BaltACD LA to LV is too short of a haul to be practical and profitable for intermodal service and too difficult to compete against rubber tires on the roads between the points.
I don't think any of the smaller engines are DP capable. Only the more "modern" six axle road power. [/quote]
Well, there's been no reason to make a GP38-2 DP capable. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. It's a fully depreciated locomotive so, as with the labor costs, the ownership costs of the locomotive are virtually zilch.
There will be maintenance and fuel costs, etc.
[quote user="SD60MAC9500”] This would be difficult to do as the terminal is stub ended. So you'd have to reverse then double over to the lead. A regular switch will do. No need to complicate the movement in the plant. Nor add power to a block that will be isolated for most of the trip. [/quote]
Nope. I don’t think it’s a good plan to need a switch engine and crew on duty and in position for this. Automate as much as possible to save dollars.
JoeBlow If gambling wasn't illegal in almost the entire US years ago, Vegas would be about the size of Nipton or 29 Palms, CA. You're roaring down the road at 75 miles an hour, with AC roaring and the radio blaring, you blink, and you miss the entire town.
I pretty much agree with this. Around here, now, pretty much every bar, restaurant, gas station, grocery store, etc. has slot machines. I can make a sports bet on line. But we have to deal with the current reality. And the large population of the Las Vegas area is the current reality.
One chemical of interest being ammoniun perchlorate... A couple of the biggest customers for that are located in Magna and Promontory Utah.
There are the chemical plants in Henderson which do some shipping.
As other posters have stated. Vegas doesn't produce any outbound loads. Despite various attempts over the years, such as Faraday, the entire city's existence largely depends on hospitality.
If gambling wasn't illegal in almost the entire US years ago, Vegas would be about the size of Nipton or 29 Palms, CA. You're roaring down the road at 75 miles an hour, with AC roaring and the radio blaring, you blink, and you miss the entire town.
I don't think any of the smaller engines are DP capable. Only the more "modern" six axle road power.
Jeff
LA to LV is too short of a haul to be practical and profitable for intermodal service and too difficult to compete against rubber tires on the roads between the points.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The biggest reason is this Las Vegas is a freaking desert for outbound loads. You have to deadhead out of there either into Arizona or California for reloads. There is some freight out of Northern NV for the most part NV itself is a desert of outbound loads of all types. You normally end up deadheading with a reefer to places like Bakersfield or Oxnard to get reloaded or with a flatbed head for the ports or mines to get reloads. There was a copper mine in AZ the old Kenndecot mine that provided a lot of reloads over the years for flatbedders across the nation.
greyhounds 10) At the proper point and time, the Vegas block automatically detaches itself, with locomotive, from the train. (i.e., Helper Mate.) It runs itself onto the correct track at the Vegas IM terminal.
10) At the proper point and time, the Vegas block automatically detaches itself, with locomotive, from the train. (i.e., Helper Mate.) It runs itself onto the correct track at the Vegas IM terminal.
Thanks for the good info, '9500!
I guess it is not well known because as we all know, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas....
UP serves Las Vegas. All that traffic rides in exisitng manifest service and is block swapped at its Valley(intermodal ramp) Terminal. Which is also UP's Auto Ramp. Their Valley IM ramp is also a part of the UMAX network.
1) The Union Pacific, last I heard, runs an intermodal train from Los Angeles to Denver via Salt Lake City.
2) The train goes through Las Vegas, NV, but does not carry Los Angeles to Las Vegas loads.
3) Las Vegas has an existing intermodal terminal.
4) The Las Vegas metro area has over one million residents plus all those visitors.
5) The people in Las Vegas need things such as tires, toothpaste, bananas, shoes, orange juice, etc.
6) A lot of these things come out of Los Angeles.
7) The UP doesn’t serve the market.
8) So
9) Let’s add a Vegas block to the rear of the train. Put a smaller DPU locomotive, a GP38-2 would be nice, on a rear end block with the Vegas loads.
11) What could go wrong?
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