With all the expansion that the UP did in the last decade and all the mistakes that they made that was reported on a few issues ago in Trains, there was one order from Omaha that was never issued: “Effective Monday, all movements on the former Chicago & North-Western dual track area shall cease left-hand running and conform to the accepted standard (right-hand running) of the Union Pacific Railroad.”
Image what would have happened if that edict from Omaha had been issued?
I just saw a EBer going by on the Rochelle cam running the “right” way in the UPRR lingo (not running east on the right hand track) [8D][:D][:)]
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Originally posted by cypriano
I have great hopes for improved UP management.
UP runs left handed on some portions of Sherman Hill, I believe since they built the 3rd track, so it’s not a systemwide standard. Fortunately, C&NW locos weren’t built with a reversed cab layout…
You do realize that UPRR stock has been soaring in the last several months? That sounds to me that investors think UPRR management is on the ball. Also, what does left or right hand running of trains have to do with upper level management? I am sure the ivory tower suits could not care what track the trains run on so long as they run. [:o)][:D][:p]
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Originally posted by daveklepper
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Upper level management, in many businesses, has pre-conceived ideas as to what should be “right” and enforces those beliefs despite what oppertating people may say. The cartoon strip, “Dilbert,” makes fun of upper level management’s habit of muddling along. Recall, also, the habit of acquiring firms have of inflicting its culture on the acquired.
There is another EB train running correctly on the Rochelle cam right now. Check it out! [:o)][:o)][:o)]
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Originally posted by cypriano
When the UP took over the CNW, most of the east/west main was signalled for movement in one direction only. The UP couldn’t just say on day one, OK, trains will now run on the right.
I’m guessing once CTC is in place all the way across Iowa, the normal flow of traffic will be kept to the right unless they need to runaround something or be runaround.
At bridges and culverts, there are small milepost markers, not the normal mile, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 markers but specific location identifiers. Where the track is signalled for one direction only , the markers are placed for left handed running.
Out in Western Iowa where the UP put back in the double track with CTC, the markers were placed for predominantly right handed running even though trains can run either direction on either track.
Jeff
I thought it could have been a signal thing but was not sure. [:o)][:D]
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Originally posted by jeffhergert
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QUOTE: Originally posted by spbed
I thought it could have been a signal thing but was not sure. [:o)][:D]
In some of the areas that have two or more main tracks, the “current of traffic” IS dictated by the signal system. The only places I know of that are like that are:
St. Francis to Butler, and Gurnee to Proviso (on the Milwaukee Subdivision), and Chicago to Kenosha (on the Kenosha Subdivision).
[sigh] As most of you must know, there’s no direction of traffic in CTC territory. What’s right and what’s practical will be determined by the dispatcher reacting to the trains he has to move.
I’ve been around this area long enough to see our main line converted from direction-of-traffic to CTC. Yes, you’ll occasionally see freights, and even scoots, going the opposite direction on a track from what you’ve grown to expect. But guess what–the reason for the left-handed running in the first place was to keep the stations on the inbound side. And I don’t see that changing any time soon.
Oh, and Cypriano, the UP did do something almost as bad–on the day they took over, the track numbers were flipped on the East-West main. CNW numbered its tracks from south to north, but UP changed it so they’re now numbered from north to south. Talk about turning things upside-down!
The former C&NW suburban lines are still running left-handed due to the placement of the station houses as mentioned above. I do remember during my college days at Northern Illinois that there was no assigned direction on the Omaha main and a train could be running on either track in either direction. I also remember the station agent at De Kalb informing the handful of passengers as to which platform to use to board the eastbound “Kate Shelley”.