http://www.businessinsider.com/no-double-dip-in-rail-industry-2010-9
Thanks, Professor;
Interesting bit of news, in a time when in many areas good news seems to be infrequent. My perception is similar ( completely, non scientific) the traffic both east and west through here ( between Mulvane and Wellington) seems to have picked up in frequency on this part of BNSF’s Transcon.
In fact while out this morning walking the dog, there was an unusual COFC move. It was a long train ( poss. a 15000 footer), but it was all well cars with only the lower containers in place. No Doublestacks, and several TOFC’s just ahead of the DPU’s. Might it have been a thru train from over in the NE? Pretty much everything through here is solid doublestacks or mixed with TOFC cars. but the frequency is nowhere near what it was 18 to 24 months ago ( several trains an hour, in each direction. except very late at night, and then everything was pretty much near track speed ± 60 MPH.)
Carl in Lombard probably knows with more precision, but my impression is similar to yours, but mine is on the UP West line. Seems like a lot of traffic lately, primarily COFC’s and unit coal trains.
This time last year I spent the better part of the day sitting at the Mescal Road crossing in SE Arizona along the Union Pacific Sunset Route and the traffic volume was so low that I never bothered to set up my video camera. There were only two or three trains in all that time.
Friday, September 3rd this year, right before Labor Day weekend I spent six hours in the same location and caught 10 trains on video, so traffic does seem to be up considerably from last year.