I have been a railfan for about four years now but it has only recently come to my attention that BNSF has trains listed as locals and road switchers. I’ve always referred short distance freight runs that service local customers as locals or road switchers and I’d use the names interchangeably. But then I found out that the BNSF local that runs by me is officially identified as an R train (road switcher) by BNSF instead of an L train (local train). Why does BNSF list certain trains as locals, while others are road switchers and how are they different?
While I don’t know the BNSF and its intricacies, I did work 51+ years for CSX and its predecessors.
On CSX a defined Local operated between two points, servicing industries between those points and tied up at the away from home point upon the completion of that trip.
Road Switchers had a on duty point and worked industries on a nominal 69 mile radius from the on duty point which was also the off duty point for the Road Switcher. Maximum mileage for Road Switcher’s is 138. The limits of the Road Switcher are defined in the bulletin on which the job is advertised. The limits may be 20 miles in one direction and 49 in the opposite direction or any pair not exceeding 69 miles.
Locals were paid at the through freight rate of pay, Road Switchers were paid at the Road Switcher Rate which is slightly higher than through freight rate,
I have been retired for 7 years and things change over time and things may not still be that way today.
Welcome on board AmtrakFan6905
David
Thanks for the insight and help!
Thanks