Global 3

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I visited Rochelle and area last weekend and was kind of disturbed at what I saw. Besides the fact that every train in the area was stopped or moving very slowly, Global 3 was completely PLUGGED. Trains in both directions were sitting on the main waiting to get in, blocking all other traffic. I thought Global 3 was supposed to help Union Pacific, not hurt them. It didn’t make much sense. Anybody got any ideas?

2

no ideas, but i went by there yesterday. it’s pretty neat. i hauled a LOT of gravel in there as it was being built and today was the first time i saw the final product. bumper to bumper!

3

Hi Till,
here’s my spin on G3. I was on the ramp about 3 weeks ago. At that time, the actual lot was only about 20% full. However, on the inbound - outbound tracks, all but one were full of trains, loaded with containers.

Here’s how UP operates G3. Right now there are no full trains that start / end at G3. Rather, some trains coming from the West drop their G3 block there. Some trains coming out of G2/Chicago pick up a block there. That accounts for the units on the ramp which only take up around 20% of the ramps capacity. (There’s lots fo room to grow out there.) G3 helps Chicago by lifting these units. The dropped blocks and the blocks that are created for pick up get set out on those inbound - outbound tracks.

The inbound - outbound tracks get used for two other purposes.

  1. When G2 is running heavy, they will set up 1/2 of a train and have a local crew shuttle it out to G3 and set it out there. That opens space up at the G2 ramp. They then have room to manuver to set up other trains or the rest of that train, then when the train departs G2, the block is picked up at G3.
  2. Finally, if G1 or G2 are getting back up, the inbound / outbound tracks at G3 provides a place to store that train until the ramp is ready to take it. The helps Chicago by not having to bring the train into an already over-crowded ramp.

G3 could still benefit from a bunch more regional traffic coming in the gate there, but it does provide a lot of support to Chicago by giving Chicago a place to hide some stuff that they can’t hold in the City.
Hope that helps.

    • Stack.
4

Thanks dbl.[:D]

5

I wish I could have been there! Everytime I head to Rochelle, it seems fewer trains pass through. Maybe a trip to Rochelle this late in the year might pay off.