Any of them that have UPS JB Hunt on them if they are late have the OK to run 70 MPH to make up time. That tell you anything when the rest are stuck at 60 mph. When the Super Fleet first came out in the Early 90’s trains 198-199 would get 4-5 GP60M B or B-40-8W for a train that might weigh 4K tons. The normal Power to Weight is 4-5 HP a ton for a Z on the BNSF. I have seen them put extra power that was isolated on line to make up time before to get them on time.
What about the other IM and stack trains? It sound like they run at just standard freight train speeds. Is that correct?
It might be correct, but it’s not the issue.
Whether the trains’ top speed it 60 MPH or 70 MPH isn’t nearly as important as keeping the priority train moving. Priority involves which train “Holds the Main” and which train gets out of the way more than top speed.
OK, then let me rephrase that. Are all of the other intermodal and stack trains considered priority trains???
Anything that is a Z train if needed can run 70 mph if needed to make up time. Basically on the BNSF a Z train is anything that has a UPS trailer on it. Also Roadway Fed Ex ABF Marten Stevens JB Hunt and most of major Trucking companies pay for Z service. The Shipping Compaines are S service and they normally go no faster than 60 mph. Also the DPU equipped stack train is IIRC restricted to 60 max.
Sorry, I haven’t much to add, but I must say that I got off and walked up to the loco’s when we were on the CZ. It was a smoke stop. Galesburg is a wonderful city. I remember seeing a UP IM racing toward what looked like our train. Everyone was kind of getting uneasy as we raced toward each other. Then…. SWOOSH! We raced under the train. We all got a good laugh out of that!
If necessary to reroute from the Pacific Northwest to the east, is Powder River to Alliance, NE and onto Galesburg used as an option?
If it was just after 0800 on 8/13, it was the Z-DENCHI9-12A (5282 - 1071 on the point) with about 5000’ feet of train.
You can run that way, but just not very fast in many places. (less than 50 MPH, BN used to do it)