Is the UP still running left-handed on the ex-CNW double track main line across Illinios and Iowa. If so,why? I thought that UP had installed CTC that would make this unnecessary.
[#welcome], 70Ace. It’s still not entirely CTC, IIRC- some of the UP employees will either correct me or back me up on that one. Even if it were, it would seem that old habits die hard. The majority of trains running through here are southpaws. Plus, I would guess that siding and yard configurations are still more favorably set up for left-handed running.
I’ll back you up for now, Brian–but it won’t be long before we’re all CTC all the way.
As for the question, the Metra stations on all three ex-CNW lines are on the side of the right-of-way that favors left-handed running.
And for the past couple of years, UP has been putting concrete ties down across Illinois. They’ve done the north track first, because that’s the one that gets the most tonnage–from eastbound loaded coal trains, running left-handed.
In CTC territory, it really doesn’t matter which track is favored for which direction. So for a railroad that does things like paint Heritage units for its predecessor railroads, why not let some old practices remain, as long as they’re relatively harmless?
I’m with you Carl, “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”.
Less than 60 miles of left handed, current of traffic remaining in Iowa. Between Fairfax and East Marshalltown which should be done this year.
I think all of Illinois is CTC on the Geneva Sub.
Jeff
Well, everything west of Kedzie, anyway. East of there is almost exclusively suburban traffic.
What is it east of Kedzie? ABS current of traffic?
Yes, mostly current of traffic from control point to control point. East of Halsted (a recently-installed set of crossovers involving all four tracks) it’s all considered interlocking limits. ATC is also everywhere, at least on the tracks used for through trains.
One thought - if you leave Chicago running left-hand, you’d be on the South track. By the time you get to western IA (Cal Jct or Mo Valley?) you need to be on the north track to get through Blair, NE and Fremont, whereas the eastbound traffic comes through Omaha and Council Bluffs and would have to cross over to the north main to stay left-handed. Probably not a big deal in the distance from Chicago to western IA, but still, it would mean that every train has to cross over somewhere. Once you cross the Missouri River, its right hand at least to Fremont.
On a side note, I’ve noticed a dispropotionately high % of lefty’s in the RR industry, particularly in the intermodal area. Approx 3x the normal population.
In my watching trains traverse through Cedar Rapids, Iowa, they seem to switch back and forth between the two mainlines to get around switching moves, slow trains, track construction and a multitude of other reasons, all the time.
There are crossovers at Bertram, Cedar Rapids (Beverly yards) and Fairfax (and that is all in about 20 miles I think). I assume there are lots of other places where they can switch from one to the other, also, so I don’t think there is anything special about trying to maintain “left-hand running” anywhere. At least, here, in my observance, that is my take on it.
If you watch the Rochelle cam you will see that the UPRR sought of mixes & matches sometime times they run west on what should be the east track. Today so far they are running normal operations west on the west & east on the east