I know that Global 4 gets lots of traffic coming off the UP overland route via the CN waukegan sub (ex EJ&E). My question is how much traffic comes to global 4 from St. Louis up the old Alton route that Amtrak uses? It’s my understanding that there are virtually no through freights on that line, locals only as the C&EI route is UP’s freight route between Chicago and St. Louis, although there is no easy way for trains of the C&EI to get to global 4…
Is Global 4 the new yard south of Joliet? If so, I can attest there isn’t anything coming up the old Alton Route. We get Amtrak 10 times a day and a couple of local freights and that is it.
Yeah, it is, it’s on the Alton Route just south of Joliet. Also, I wonder if there is a connection to Global 4 on the BNSF transcon, I know UP has trackage rights on the transcon, however the google earth imagery is not updated to show the completed G4 (on google earth it’s still under construction).
There will eventually be trains that go south down the old GM&O to St. Louis, but they haven’t shifted anything that way other than a occasional baretable train so far. They will also eventually run trains down trackage rights on BNSF out to Kansas City, a new connection between Global 4 and the BNSF has been built just north of Logistics Park Yard on the BNSF. Right now all the trains are running north up the EJ&E to West Chicago, as well as north down the old GM&O from Joliet to the IHB, where they jump on that line and head west to Dolton where they head into Yard Center. These trains are just transfers between Yard Center and Global 4, no actual Global 4 trains are running south down the C&EI. All trains going south from Global 4 will most likely take the GM&O to St. Louis as that is quicker. Another reason for the lack of G4 trains on the GM&O so far is the fact they are upgrading the line south of Springfield for high speed rail, Once that’s all done, I’d expect more trains.
So I’m wondering, the GM&O track is being upgraded to class 6 standards for 110mph Amtrak running, if I’m correct class 6 also allows for 110 mph freight running (technically?) I’m not saying that UP is going to run freights at 110 mph, but possibly run intermodals at 80, 90, or 100 mph?
Keep in mind that UP has no locomotives (well few, anyway) geared for more than 75 m.p.h. They probably wouldn’t buy special locomotives to run over just this 300-mile stretch of a 30000-mile network. Still, I think that you might see the speed limit for intermodal trains increased to 70 on this line.
And even if an employee timetable would show that freight trains could be allowed up to 110 m.p.h. on this track, the special instructions, with limitations on all types of freight equipment, would take it right away again. UP offered at one time to run some trains at 75 for UPS, but that was with only certain cars and locomotives–something you wouldn’t likely see here, with trains capable of coming from anywhere out west or down south.
Maybe in the future, when Positive Train Control is in use, and electronic air brakes have been adopted, some intermodal equipment will be built or rebuilt to allow speeds faster than 70. In that case, UP might buy some faster locomotives, because there would be a lot of railroad that would be capable of handling the faster cars. But then, you’d get the arguments about how much more fuel the higher speeds would take. So we’re not holding our breaths in this corner!
I highly doubt you’ll see freight doing any quicker than 70 down the GM&O, the 110 MPH speed is specifically for Amtrak trains.
So, does anyone anticipate UP jumping into the Chicago-St. Louis overnight intermodal business, ala IC circa 1970’s? I dont see it happening, too much fixed costs involved with little revenue to offset it, but, it sure would be an interesting concept.
Ed
Need some help here. I am not sure if this applies to freight cars but was there some reference that passenger car trucks need additional stablizing items installed to operate over 88MPH? If that is true for freight trucks (?) then operations over 85 MPH would seem to be not economically feasible for the special equipment (trucks) needed. Also is there a limitation (mabe length?) on operations over 70MPH for any freight braking not utilizing ECP? Help please!!
There have been reports of some intermodal trains operating on the old GM&O through Springfield and Bloomington, but it is unclear if all of them are baretable trains or if they have actual container loads. I’m hearing that some do, though I haven’t seen them myself to confirm. I understand that the track work for HrSR is suspended until March, so UP may be routing occasional intermodal trains on that line.
Was reading the August issue of Trains Magazine and there is an article about the best and worst long-distance Amtrak trains. One thing caught my eye in the section about the Texas Eagle as the writer talks about his trip south out of Chicago:
“…on our way to St. Louis, we get a preview of what may someday be the model for running higher-speed passenger trains alongside freights.” “…Union Pacific ramps up its huge new Joliet Intermodal Terminal south of Chicago. Ultimately UP foresees running 20 freights a day, sharing the Chicago-St. Louis line with 16 110-mph passenger trains in addition to the Texas Eagle.”
I’ve seen the varying opinions on the rail traffic effect for St. Louis once Global IV is up and running. But that is by far the most optimistic I’ve seen as far as freight train frequency. Twenty freights a day? Any ideas as to the destinations involved? With the traffic coming from G4, would some of it be domestic containers towards the gulf or Marion, AR maybe? Might some of this be re-located traffic from Yard Center?
I’m glad to hear it may mean more traffic headed towards me in STL…just wasn’t expecting that much based on earlier reports.
Mark
Twenty freights a day? Any ideas as to the destinations involved? With the traffic coming from G4, would some of it be domestic containers towards the gulf or Marion, AR maybe? Might some of this be re-located traffic from Yard Center?
II think Fred Frailey is using UP spokesman Mark Davis’ figures stating maximum freight and passenger train capacity. Similar numbers were carried in Springfield’s State-Journal Register a couple of years ago (after being wildly exaggerated).
That said, I doubt UP will run more than 3-4 intermodal trains on this route.
At least when UP starts running intermodal on the line they will probably be able to get rid of their rustbucket train they use to polish the rails for Amtrak every night on the line…
Also is the line being double tracked or remaining single track?
70 MPH freight trains intermingled with 110 MPH passenger trains will require lengthy sidings with high speed switches or double track with high speed xovers.
Those who have witnessed Amtrak 3 and 4 on the double track Transcon between Barstow and Dalies, NM know how this works well. But with only two passenger trains which do not achieve 110 MPH. Also, no large cities are situated along this Transcon route as a comparison to the Chicago- St. Louis route.
The Trains article I originally referenced said that much of the route was being double-tracked…but that was something I wasn’t aware of. I knew they were adding concrete ties and signaling and new crossing protection, but I hadn’t seen any double-track in the section I see from I-55 between Springfield and Lincoln, IL. But then again I’ve not seen it in the last 90 days or so. So that could be happening in places as well. That much traffic in a short span would require some double-track or some extensive sidings.
I would also suspect the 20 freight total per day to be a little high. But I’ve also seen mentioned that they will take Yard Center intermodal and move it to G4…and that could move a few trains over to the ex-GM&O…IHOYC and so forth. We’ll see. Aside from the Amtraks, there isn’t much to see along that line most days.
Mark
A question: Since ARRA and other federal funds are financing the upgrade to STL are “WILDS” going to be installed just before freight entrances to the track to prevent flat wheel impacts ruining the track smoothness??
Well right now there are 10 daily amtrak trains on this line - if UP says the number of trains go to 20, that would mean 10 daily freights as well (probably 1-2 locals in there that are not intermodal).
20 trains a day still doesn’t seem like too much for a single track line, even if the passenger trains are going at 110 mph.
Ed,
By the time the driver gets the load from Chicago to Joliet, he just as well keep driven’ on to St. Louis. It ain’t that far.
What are WILDS?
I havent read any info on the line, but could it be that the 20 intermodals could pertain to thru trains to and from St. Louis and beyond and also freights from other locations coming off of the former CNW line?
What will be G4’s function? Only freight heading south and southwest? Or perhaps from the west coast also. I could see getting to 20 per day if routings were from the west coast.
ed