CSX is now running I47 and I48 between Columbus, Oh and Chicago. I believe the first trains were this morning (perhaps symboled as last night).
I48 went thru Deshler, Oh at 441EST with 2x0 (light power) and I47 was westward leading, still proceeding at 446EST with 2 motors and 30 containers.
Just curious how these short intermodal trains fit into the concept of PSR. Plus, someone must be paying for those 2 big motors and a short train. Perhaps Santa.
Ed
“Franchise” runs?
Q353 always goes east through Deshler light (2 motors), having dropped it’s consist to the west and picking up more east.
The Deshler log has I047 as Westbelt Yard, Columbus to Bedford Park, Chicago, with I048 the reverse. They are both commented as “Holiday Trains.”
We’ll have to see if they grow, I guess.
Have always featured Q353 as a Westbound.
When I was working the run was from Cumberland to Willard with work at Connellsville, Demmler and New Castle on my territory - no idea of what work it had between New Castle and Willard.
Q353 is a Barr Yard (Chicago) to Pottersburg, Oh train which returns as Q352 with auto Racks. The Q353 drops Barr Yard freight off at Garrett then proceeds lite power to North Baltimore. Not sure if it picksup at NWO or not but it turns south at Galetia.
Today the Deshler train log showed I47 west at 552am. It had 28 containers with 6 of those UPS.
No I48 was listed.
This train has run for several years now is often referred to as the “Christmas Train” by crew and dispatchers. It has always been a short train.
Am curious about who pays for the short train. Obviously it makes sense for the trucking industry to “charter” this as to provide drivers between Chciago and Columbus for 30-40 loads daily would stretch capacity.
My guess is there is a “minimum charge” to run the train, divided by number of units…but just a guess.
ed
So it is numbered for North South operation, not East West operation as it was when it was a Cumberland-Willard train.
Q353 is a BRC Clearing train. It carries a Cincy block, a Walbridge block, a Willard block and a Garrett local block. Q351 picks up the Cincy block, Q200 originates the Walbridge, and Q566 gets the Willards. The Garrett block is for one of the three locals that work out of there.
n012944:
Thanks for that info! Sounds like Garrett is still a somewhat busy terminal.
Update on the Holiday trains…
Q47 and Q48 both had 11 containers today (11/14) and thru Deshler 551 and 605am.
It will be interesting to see how volumes pickup thru the next few weeks.
ed
Trains size is slowly getting bigger.
Today I48 had 2 motors and 11 containers
I47 stepped up with 2 motors and 42 containers.
Ed
Most folks reference CSX train symbols as a letter and three numbers, including any leading zeros.
Especially with the new I series. Just makes them more readable.
Tree:
Understood. To me 047 is the same as 47.
BTW today’s trains:
I048 eastbound had 5 containers
I047 westbound had 34 containers.
Big imbalance.
I recall the NH with their first generation diesels had them numbered with preceeding zeros. I suspect a proper train order would have to identify those locomotives with their preceeding zeros.
On CSX the Train ID consists of one Alphabetic character - three numerics in the range of zero to nine and a further two numerics specifying the day of the month the train originated - ie. I04718 for the train I047 that originates today. Frequently many will show that in correspondence as I047-18. CSX software both in the Car & Train application that keeps track of all cars on CSX as well as the CADS software used in the Dispatching system require the use of all six fields of the identity. Train Dispatchers will refer to the trains that have a preceeding zero by using the preceeding zero.
Nitpicking here, but often one will hear the train referred to as I oh 47 instead of I zero 47 with the letter “o” being used in calling the symbol instead of the proper “zero”.
Today’s report:
I048 thru Deshler at 439 with 2 motors and 11 container, 7 which appeared to be UPS boxes.
Io47 contained 39 containers, 14 of which were UPS. Lots of XPO boxes moving west.
Holiday rush is ramping up. Between 1335 and1557 (just over 2 hours in Berea, Oh) 134 branded UPS containers/trailers moved east on NS trains 20E and 24m and CSX I008 and I010. Who knows how many more on leased trailers or moving in truckload relay operations. Not nearly the volume of FedX trailers, probably about 10.
Ed
Ed
I was tought that the proper way to refer to a 0 (zero) was “naught.” when transmitting orders. Has that been abandoned?
naught
nounNORTH AMERICANthe digit 0; zero.
We are no longer in the era of Train Orders where the Book of Rules required numbers to be both pronounced and spelled when verbally transmitting or repeating train orders. YMMV
We generally spell out numbers on our Form D’s.
We call out block stations. My usual approach is “A D I X one two three four north passing block station Fred. ADIX twelve thirty four out.”
Don’t generally use “naught,” though. You’re more likely to hear “zero.”
Our fire unit numbers are department number, type, sequence, ie, 99-0-1. I wish our dispatchers would use ‘oh’ in times (sixteen-oh-one) instead of zero. Makes my ears perk up when I hear the time and it sounds like my FD call.
The only reference I could find in GCOR was to using zero for a digit. Naught no longer appears.
I used to use naught if I had to repeat something with a zero, sometimes still might if the mood strikes. Generally, zero used for zero by almost everyone. The number of those who worked in TT&TO times is rapidly dwindling. That’s kind of why I use zero now.
I once was repeating a track warrant (about 20 years ago) to a dispatcher who had been a Rock Island operator. (One of the first RI female operators, she had her picture in the RI employee’s magazine in 1969. She’s now retired.) I was using naught and she said something like, “While naught is acceptable, zero was easier to understand over the radio.” One of the numbers was something like 6060. I mentioned this to one of our local management at the time. He was also from the old school and was upset that I had been corrected. To him naught was always allowed.
GCOR used to require individual single numbers to be spelled out. Example, “main track 2, t-w-o.” But that requirement is no longer in the book either. Just say numbers has individual digits, “MP 235, 2-3-5.” Or just “MP 2-3-5.”
Jeff
Things learned in my teen’s stay with me. At 86, I still remember them.