Demise of the Olympian Hiawatha

[SD60MAC9500]

After Milwaukee opened its Stacy Street Container facility, Milwaukee had over 50% of the Container traffic, as against BN’s three mainlines, and the UP.

Has Seattle ever been a competitive port for containers in the PNW? For the West Coast period? You also fail to realize UP has access to the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Port of Oakland which has always produced substantial TEU loading for UP vs. The Port of Seattle… Considering Seattle has small dislocated terminals in its Port district. Which dock(s) was this +50% loading coming from? T5? T18? It seems you’re not familiar with the inefficient operations at the port of Seattle…

Mark Meyer: "Examples: Grain train Great Falls to Longview, 100% more expensive via NewMil; Chicago to Portland, five major grades on NewMil versus zero on BN); Seattle to Chicago, four major grades on NewMil versus two on BN).:

We don’t actually know that. You made it up.

What we DO know is that no shipper would make a decision the way that Mark Meyer proposes. Why would they?

Mark Meyer has never “shipped” an ounce of freight in his entire life.

The s

[Vermontanan2]

[quote user=“TRR”]

These were Train #261’s running times, with its fast, high value, freight.
"District Mileage Avg. MPH (incl. work) (excl. work)
Bensenville - Aberdeen 700 42.2 52.2 mph
Aberdeen - Harlowton 629 44.7 46.3 mph
Harlowton - Avery 438 39.8 43.0 mph
Avery - Tide Flats 419 28.2 31.8 mph

"You will note, this is a train in mountain territory that is averaging 43 mph in the Rocky Mountains between Harlowton and Avery, over three mountain ranges. A truck would be pushing it to achieve that average.

"The 10 mph difference between “includes work” and “excludes work” on the Bensenville-Aberdeen portion – the largest such difference – is due to four pickups and the St. Paul fill set-off – the most “work” of the entire trip, and the blocking done on # 261 flat switching at Aberdeen which took ab

[Vermontanan2]

The same could be said about you as well… CP for example had a thing called the Rogers Pass Project back in the 80’s for a reason… A key role in moving freight is using the least amount of assets to move as much as possible from point A to B. Which requires a low grade efficient routing… Facts say the Milwaukee did not have that…

Very true. The Milwaukee Road was indeed the high-cost route to the Pacific Northwest. The NP might have been a close second, but its access to the water-level SP&S route through the Cascades would make it preferable, as is the case today. The UP’s route between Glenns Ferry, Idaho and Pendleton, Oregon is very challenging (multiple grades between 1.5 and 2.2%), but at least it’s confined to a 350-mile segment (if one uses No. 3 track over Sherman Hill.)
The Milwaukee Road Pacific Extension was basically an 800+mile helper district between Harlowton, Montana and Seattle/Tacoma. With 5 major grades (six, for anything destined to Grays Harbor, Longview, Kalama, Vancouver or Portland), they are spaced far enough apart as to require separate helper locations or require using large quantities of power for the entire 800±mile trek. E

[Steven_Otte]

This thread has too many personal attacks, allegations, and insults to be feasibly cleaned up. Therefore, it’s being locked. Next time, try to discuss trains without insulting those you’re discussing them with.