My two favorite spots to trainspot are the NS K&A line and the CSX KD Sub and I’ve noticed something about each of these.
It seems any NS Intermodal traffic is always mostly double stack, while any CSX intermodal traffic I see is mostly single Stack.
My theory is that since the KD Sub is much more mountainous then the K&A sub, and thus require lower clearance due to tunnels. Is there any ounce of truth to this?
The N&W is now relatively free of main lines with clearance restrictions against double-stacks. It can get to the ports of Norfolk and NY-NJ with double-stacks. CSX can get to Norfolk (or Portsmouth or Newport News) OK, but the Baltimore Tunnels and other restrictions limit CSX to NY-NJ to singles.
David:
Can’t speak to the reasons for the ‘single stackers’ in your area. It is interesting to note that more than a few of those single stack moves seem to go West through this area ( BNSF Southern Transcon ).
They seem to be pretty obvious, because if there are double stacks, they are either on the head-end or at the rear of the single stack train. Occasionally, you will see long strings of single stacks, a couple of four or five unit cars,double stacked, in the train, then a long string of single stacks. Everything that runs East seems to have full utilization of double stack capacity( the rarity is a single stack on one of these trains.)
The reason for not utilizing the extra container capacity? Could it be simply a fast schedule that precludes adding more containers on the double stacks? Is the reason those long strings of single stack containers get out here are their origins in areas where there are clearance issues regarding the double stacking? Lots of questions.
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thank you for your input. THis might actually be the case for why singlestacks are so common here. The more I think about, I realize that the only actuall Intermodal i see in Knoxville on CSX is tacked on to the Cincinatti-Bradenton Juice Train. So maybe Time is more of the essence then most normal CSX trains.
To single or double stack - that is the question?
My apoligies to the Bard. Not all routes on CSX are able to handle double stacks. Those routes that can’t handle 20 foot 2 inch double stacks get trains of single stacks and regular trailer on flat car intermodals.
The National Gateway project has opened up double stack clearances between Chicago and Chambersburg, PA on the old B&O/WM route. This has permitted the daily operation of a single train in each direction with train length between 4500 & 7000 feet with double stacks. When only single stacks could reach the terminal, each days train was 9000 feet of single stacks and occasionally a additional train of 4500 feet of single stacks would be operated to handle the overflow business.
Clearances projects east of Cherry Run, WV have not been finished to permit double stack operation to Baltimore or Portsmouth. Projects are active to permit double stacks to the West Baltimore/Mt.Clare section of Baltimore where plans are progressing to build a intermodal facility - a facility that won’t require the Howard Street Tunnel to be expanded. The projects for a new Virgina Avenue Tunnel in DC and replacement of the ‘Long Bridge’ over the Potomac River are active, but in the early stages of planning and community contact.
A potentially interesting “Map of the Month” for Trains would be one showing which routes (or segments) have clearances for each type of double-stack (the various combinations of 8’-0", 8’-6", and/ or 9’-6" high, etc.) [that is, if one hasn’t been published recently and I just missed it . . . [:-^] ]