NS ran train 324 from Elkhart to Ft Wayne. Last year it was cancelled (perhaps more accurately it didnt show up). It ran on the ex NYC to East Chicago then down the IHB and back east on the NKP.
The last two nights NS has run a westbound 324 on the ex NKP track. It dropped off cars tonight at Van Loon.
Anyone have info on the "new"324?
ed
bump
There is talk on the local (FWA) website about a new connection track going in the Northeast quadrant at Claypool that would shorten the trip considerably by letting the train use the former NYC Marion Branch to get from the former NKP to the Waterlevel Route. I’m stuck out of state and that’s a little too far out of my way to check out myself.
Didn’t 324 start out as the relief crew for the 323 when they ran out of time on the Van Loon turn?
I believe that years ago 323 was the westbound Van Loon and 324 was the return eastbound. I never heard the EB refered to as 324, but others have said so.
About 3-4 years ago 324 showed up as the Elkhart - FtWayne daily. It disappeared last fall.
If it shows up this evening I will go take a look.
ed
I hear a 365 coming out of the pit (ready track) at East Wayne Yard in the evenings. Is it possible that 365 is the WB counterpart to the EB 324?
No both are westbound, actually 324 has followed 365 all three nights.
324 just cleared Valpo at 930 (365 at 845, both went into sidings for EB 295. I went trackside and watched 324 pass. It is a duplicate of 323 with a pretty big consist tonight. It had 65 cars, almost all were EJE coil cars. There were a couple of CN coil cars and a few covered hoppers at the rear.
My guess…and only a guess is this might be related to the CN taking over the EJE and thus routing coils via the NS at Van Loon (rather than on the ex Conrail line?). I dont know that much about the EJE operations, but this was a considerable amount of empty coils.
Will 324 turn at Van Loon and come home? Dont know and wont find out tonight.
ed
I saw 62T on the Waterlevel Route hauling 70 coil cars (a lot were EJ&E) a few weeks ago. I think this is a dedicated train that wouldn’t be affected by any CN reroutings.
Maybe twinx needs to do another 24 hrs trackside on the waterlevel route to see if there is a difference in steel traffic.
When you do 24 hours like that, do you take many creature comforts, like a cooler full of soft drinks and food? Do you pitch a tent or just stay in the car? Do you go from mid-night to mid-night?
I have done 8 hours on a stretch but not 24.
Thanks
George