Max Allowable Speed on BNSF Transcon

[Deggesty]

This reminds me of the Southern's practice. In all of the ETTs that I have which showed ATS, the maximum speed limit for passenger trains on any line with ATS was79 mph, so when Southern petitioned to discontinue ATS, it made no difference at all as to the speed limits. Perhaps the railroad did not feel it was worth it to maintain the track so as to allow higher speeds (not that the speed limit was always observed by engineers)?

[oltmannd]

Mario_v

the NS trackage between Pittsburg and Cleveland is equipped witha  cab signal system (The ETTs I have, refer it to be Rule 191/CSS), but maxium speed is only 79 Mph, can that limitation be related to the standard of track maintenance ?

Yes. It's class 4 track:  60 frt, 80 pass.   It could be made 80 mph, but I guess nobody thought about it, cared  or bothered to change the ETT after the cab signal was installed several years ago.  I suppose if Amtrak bugged NS about it, NS would make the change.

[Mario_v]

I believe it's still 90 Mph (AT&SF operated trains at 100 for a while, but scaled back to 90 due to maintenance costs, just like ACL tjat also operetd some of it's Champions at the same s+peed between 1955 & 1957). Porviding track is kept to class 4 standards for passenger trains (and class 5 for Intermodals) and ATS is in place.

Just because of that, one doubt assaulted my mind : the NS trackage between Pittsburg and Cleveland is equipped witha  cab signal system (The ETTs I have, refer it to be Rule 191/CSS), but maxium speed is only 79 Mph, can that limitation be related to the standard of track maintenance ?

[oltmannd]

timz

For freights to be allowed 70 mph the track has to be Class 5, which is 90 passenger if the ATS is still there. Dunno how much of it is.

One of the things that killed 70 mph van trains on Conrail was the FRA told Conrail they could not consider vans to be passenger trains for purposes of max speed on class 4 track.  

I see that BNSF doesn't have public access to their employee timetables anymore.  My hunch is that the ATS that was in place when I last looked a few years ago (2007?) is still there. I was surprised there was quite a bit west of Belen.

[CMStPnP]

My rough guess would be 75 for Freight in Texas.     You tube videos where the driver claims the BNSF freight is doing 80..........have my doubts on that  but I can believe 75 with the speed limit being 70 and the locomotive speedometer being off............or the locomotive engineer claiming that.

[timz]

Class 4 track is 79 or 80 mph passenger maximum, and Class 3 is 60 maximum-- didn't I read that some of the SFe main via La Junta is now Class 3?

For freights to be allowed 70 mph the track has to be Class 5, which is 90 passenger if the ATS is still there. Dunno how much of it is.

[oltmannd]

As of a few years ago, there were still some stretches of 90 mph in NM (west of Belen) and AZ.  You used to be able to download BNSF timetables at their web site. 

Back in the early 90s, Amtrak tested their RoadRailers on the NEC at 100 mph as part of being allowed to operate them at 90 mph on the SW Ltd.

[rjemery]

What is the maximum allowable speed for any train, passenger or freight, on the BNSF Transcon?

Currently, the Southwest Chief traverses most of the BNSF Transcon, the balance along the old Transcon segment between Newton, KS, and Dalies, NM.  According to a news report, "BNSF doesn't want to upgrade sections of the [old Transcon] track used by its slower-moving freight trains to meet the higher speed requirements for Amtrak's passenger trains."

My understanding is that the Transcon, old and new, has been built or re-built for a 79 mph maximum.  Once long ago, I do know speeds in excess of 100 mph were permissible, as I rode the El Cap for years

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/12/3748554/amtrak-route-in-jeopardy-in-nm.html#storylink=cpy

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