Is this map right? www.bnsf.com/markets/intermodal/pdf/Intermodal_map_large_2006.pdf Does the BNSF run intermodal trains west from St. Paul on two routes. Do they run IM between Omaha and Billings, then west on the MRL? They’re putting on new IM service between the Pacific Northwest and Memphis. I was trying to guess what route that business would take when I came across this map. It raised more questions than it answered. Is it right or somebody’s mistake?
I can not get my previous post for format correctly. I apologize. But I think substance is more important than form, so does anyone have an answer?
Also according to their map, they have some of their intermodal trains going through Sacramento when traveling between the Bay Area and points south.
I know that BNSF was, and presumably is, running a stack train between LA and Seattle. I do regularly see long BNSF stack trains on the UP tracks through here. Presumably these are trains traveling between the Pacific Northwest and LA. I BNSF conductor I talked to said that BNSF routes their H EVEBARs (if I remember correctly) this way.
BNSF still has the ex GN and ex NP routes west of St Paul. The ex NP line in Montana was sold to MRL, and they move BNSF traffic that is delivered to them. The -preferred’ route is NP trackage to Fargo, ND, then GN trackage to Sandpoint, ID, then NP trackage to Spokane, WA, and finally GN trackage to Seattle, WA. The ex GN line out of St Paul/Mpls usually handles coal trains, as does the ex NP line west of Fargo.
The ex CB&Q line from Nebraska to Billings handles mainly coal trains, but I have seen at least one general merchandise train/day on the line. West of Billings, The traffic can be given to MRL, or kept on BNSF north to the ex GN line via Great Falls to the ex GN mainline. The BNSF does run trains down the ‘Inside Gateway’ in the Pacific Northwest to Keddie, and trackage rights over UP’s ex WP line to the Bay area. If they do use that ex CB&Q line out of Billings, they can run down through KC.
Jim
The southern route on the map described above, out of St.Paul, is ex-Milwaukee Road to Terry, Montana, then ex-NP to Laurel, then MRL to Spokane.
Yes they do run intermodal trains on both routes west out of the Twin Cites. Most of the intermodal traffic runs on northern route in the map. However there is one daily intermodal train that runs to Laurel, MT from Chicago and uses the western route to Willmar, MN and eventually South Dakota. The train is the Z-CHCLAU and it usually isn’t all that long. Lately it’s just 15-20 truck trailers and that’s it. It will on occation run with mixed freight up front. It does not run on Fridays and on Thursdays it is a Q train (Q-CHCLAU). Here are a couple examples.
http://www.morris.umn.edu/~vandenbm/individual/ztrainheadon.html Running westbound after leaving the yard in Willmar, MN.
http://www.morris.umn.edu/~vandenbm/individual/zdarwin.html About 30 miles east of Willmar, all the intermodal was on the rear of the train.
Happy to answer any questions,
Mike V - Morris, MN
Do they run IM between Omaha and Billings, then west on the MRL?
When I lived in Seward on the BN’s Coal line I could expect to see one of two intermodal trains that ran that way- both were symboled out of Kansas City- one was the V-KCMPTL, it did carry some autoracks, but this train was always mostly double stacks and pigs- the second train was the Z-KCMTAC, which was easy to spot because it was mostly double stack with Evergreen containers (and the Boeing fuselage cars on occasion). As far as I know there was no dedicated train from Omaha that ran to Billings- but it’s interesting on the map they do not show the route the KC-West Coast trains took KC-Lincoln.