BNSF Still runs locals

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Saw something interesting this week near BNSF’s Willow Springs terminal in Chicago. On the adjacent mainline, a local job passed by w/ a GP30 on the point in BNSF green followed by another Geep (maybe GP40) also in BNSF green. They were pulling a dozen or so box cars followed by a red Santa Fe caboose (shove platform.) I’m so used to seeing big stack trains and TOFC trains there, that it just struck me funny to see a real, live “local” complete w/ a GP30 and a caboose out there.

2

CSX has a similar job where I live ( Murfreesboro TN ) It carries an old Conrail Caboose with the windows blanked out. It must be hot as all get out in the summer with no ventilation. It usually uses a GP-38 and a GP-30 road slug for power. It serves several businesses around here.

George

3

CP runs a train from it’s Pig’s Eye yard in St.Paul down the Mississippi river a few miles to a big refinery, usually with tank cars. It usually uses a couple of engines (look like GP-38’s) and a caboose / shoving platform…often all still lettered for the SOO.

4

What you saw was the yhod jobs, they used to be road switchers those jobs were converted to yard jobs 5 years ago.

Rodney

5

We see the “Aurora Job” and the “Nabisco Job” run in and out of Eola Yard here in Aurora on almost a daily basis.

6

You see 'em all the time out here in the Twin Cities. The BNSF Hinckley Sub’s Northtown-Hinckley local operates daily near my place, and the Osseo local works at least 4 days a week on the old GN’s Monticello line. Both often have an extended-vision caboose and a GP39 is seen sometimes. I think GP28s or GP40s are more often the power. When I was near Hinton, IA a few weeks ago, I saw a GP39 with two GP40s leading about 30 loaded coal hoppers north out of Sioux City (no caboose).

7

The GP38-2 is seemingly the preferred motive power for our locals here at Eola.

8

when out in Rochelle we saw a bluebonnet and an ex GM leaser doing the chores for delmonte.didn’t see any caboose though.Csx uses whatever engine(s) they decide to drop off here in defiance.They always have the same caboose.

stay safe

Joe