Thursday there was a IM led by a CSX - very old CP - and a loco that appeared to be a 4 axel M&B RR. The front part of the train was all Schneider 53 ft containers with rear various containers. Friday afternoon same locos except CSX again with all Schneider 53 ft on front and the all local setouts manifest cars that runs to Montgomery. Approximately 40 - 50 schneider containers.
Anyone know how much interchange traffic is going thru Myrtlewood on CPKC and CSX now?
If that were Meridian & Bigbee, wouldn’t you have noted the natty orange-and-black G&W paint scheme?
They interchange with CSX at Myrtlewood and with both NS and KPKC at Meridian.
What you saw on Thursday was the newly reinstated M526 Myrtlewood to Atlanta train that carries traffic from the CPKC and also hauls Schneider intermodal containers too. This train is notable now because it has usually been running with CP run through power. M526/527 just started running last Sunday the 4th.
Schneider intermodal traffic has been running across the A&WP and M&B daily since December 2024.
Would this train running stacks be a reason for the reported superelevation installation on part of the A&WP?
Possibly or maybe that super elevation needed some maintenance attention. CSX has been improving the A&WP for a while. Since 2015 they’ve been upgrading the rail from the worn out 115lb to 136lb. In 2018 they even extended CTC from LaGrange south Montgomery.
That was the main clue as the orange and black made id the on the second southbound very evident. My surprise was a M&B loco on the train along with the CP unit. The all schneider containers on the Montgomery local was a big clue. first time ever any IM on that train as it mainly interchanges with NS at Opelika and carries empty sand cars to the mine just north of Montgomery. As well the first time ever of a M&B loco. The local also carries empty auto racks to West Point KIA that are quickly dropped on one of the thru sidings with an auto transport to loco for conductor. Not sure how EOT is handled?
Anyone know what are usual times for the Myrtlewood trains?
My suspicion is that part of the reason for the automobile transit is that the conductor brings the EOT from the point of the shove, and is spared having to walk while carrying it.
How many stack trains run on the A&WP these days? I did a little research and was shocked to see that CSX is running a Bedford Park-Fairburn train pair via the A&WP, La Grange, and Birmingham. Then there are the BNSF LA-Atlanta haulage rights trains. Now the Schneider traffic off the CPKC.
Currently the A&WP/WofA Subdivision has the following intermodal trains:
I197/I198
I128/I129
I141/I142
I181/I182 BNSF trains
M526/M527
Most run between Fairburn and LaGrange and then turn either south to Manchester or north to Birmingham. M526/M527 are the only intermodal that traverses the entire route from Montgomery to Atlanta.
Is Hulsey still an operating ramp or has everything migrated to Fairburn?
Good question, I don’t think it is based on the latest street view photos from google.
CSX is running more than the listed IM trains as many manifests are now carrying IM wells with containers. Yesterday there were at least 3 going southbound. The KIA car carriers are really handled very quickly. Have not been able to access the south end of the multiple sidings but the north end has an auto road leading alongside the sidings. That is why the auto carriers always on the end as the trains pulling them can run on a siding and quickly drop the carriers and then proceed on south to Montgomery, It also works the other way. Now KIA sends all new cars at the last known time to a Montgomery sorting center. The KIA switcher ( unknown heritage) places the carriers on a siding and a train to Montgomery or further south to Mobile / New Orleans backs onto the carriers and after brake test proceeds south. Do not know if there is someone to run the initial test on the cars but suspect so.
Your Kia description is not accurate. Currently Kia is worked by only 1 train, the M210 (Baldwin, FL to Walbridge, OH) and it is usually worked in 2-3 hours. M210 also works the Hyundai plant in Montgomery, AL on its way north to West Point, GA. Sometimes M601/605 will work Kia picking up racks destined for Mexico, but I’m sure M527 will likely handle that job now so as to give the Mexico bound racks over to the CPKC at Myrtlewood instead of handing them off at New Orleans. There isn’t any sorting center for Kia in Montgomery. All loads, except the rare Mexico ones, head north to LaGrange, GA. There they get wyed in LaGrange for a run over the Lineville Sub up to Birmingham and then onto Louisville and finally Walbridge, OH.