Does anyone know if BNSF still runs Z trains on this route - or did they go away when UPS shifted some of its packages to highway movement?
Do you know what their schedules are?
I know BNSF does still run a Nightly Intermodal to Denver From Chicago. I want to say it leaves Chicago at about Midnight or so.
Yea I know this doesn’t answer your question at all, but I’m suprised at the amount of traffic on the ex-Q route at night. From about sundown until sun-up it’s almost non-stop.
Yes BNSF is still running the Z CHIDEN9 and the Z DENCHI9 everyday. The Z DENCHI9 does not run on Mondays though. The Z CHIDEN9 is supposed to depart Chicago everyday at around 1645. The Z DENCHI9 departs Creston Iowa around 0100 and is supposed to get to Chicago around 1000. They are also running Q trains about every day also, but to answer your question yes BNSF is still running Z trains with UPS trailers.
If you go to the BNSF.com website, click on “markets” then “intermodal” then “service schedules”, I think you’ll find lots of data. It doesn’t require a password.
Origin: CHICAGO, IL
Destination: DENVER, CO
Service Level - P CUTOFF N/A TUE 2100 N/A THU 2100 N/A N/A SUN 2100
CONTAINER AVAIL N/A FRI 0800 N/A SUN 0800 N/A N/A WED 0800
GOAL HRS N/A 60 N/A 60 N/A N/A 60
Yes, that’s what got me wondering. According to that they have intermodal service from Chicago to Denver three days a week at an average speed of 17 MPH. If that was right, then they’d pretty much abandoned the market.
Glad to hear they haven’t.
Thank you.
Yes we run it I didnt think the average mph was that bad but I have been looking at oodis and seeing trains ( mostly q and s symbols but quite a few z’s as well) dropping back to be over 5 hours late.
I know KRS will run the Z around anything he can to keep it on time, but I think a lot of the problem is up in Willow where you have on average 15 trains sitting there trying to go to Corwith and west.Its a ZOO!!!
I got the chance to take it up to WSP and it was a great fast ride until you dump the trailers in WIllow. Then your just another stack train stuck at Nerska.Oh fun. Got to take the Quagmire chiden once. Underpowered over tonnage and 14 hours off the schedule ( am glad I am not paying for the service!)
Don’t forget that the times quoted are for trailer cutoffs. The trailer must be through the check-in gate by that time. The departure time is at least one hour later. Also the quoted arrival time is the available for pickup time, again the train would if on time arrive at least one hour before the available time.