I would like to know what the W symbol stands for on CSX Trenton Sub. I monitor them all the time and heard one train talkiing about the location of the W train. I looked it up on the CSX symbol sheet that I have and could not find it or any reference to it.
Thanks for your help . Dennis ( vader225)
Most W trains are Work Trains of one variety or another.
W001-W009 are inspection movements of one kind or another
W010-W029 are rail trains - loaded and empty
W030-W049 are gang equipment trains
W050-W069 are company ‘regular’ ballast trains
W070-W089 are Herzog GPS ballast trains
Above W089 all bets are off.
I suspect the W in this case is a carryover from Conrail days for “Wayfreight,” as in local. Details here:
http://thecrhs.org/conrailfacts/Conrail-Train-Symbols
Scroll down to where it lists Local and Yard Jobs.
On CSX, the W designation has nothing to do with ConRail as it was being used from the inception of the CSX train naming system in 1987 and the ConRail acquisition was not effective until 1999.
On the Class 1 carriers - the Train Naming System is a cardinal element of the carriers computer systems for keeping track of all car and train movement records. When carriers merge, combining their car and train movement computer systems to form a resulting single system can be a monumental undertaking. The train naming conventions are a ‘shorthand’ to all operating employees for the origin, destination, route and intermediate work for each train identity.
The symbol scheme varies greatly between railroads and eras, as does the way the railroads use the symbols.
The Reading and the MP used symbols with 2 or 3 alpha characters, usually codes for the origin and destination points.
After the UP-MP merger the UP went to a two character alpha code for the origin and destination with a leading or trailing character for the type of train. That was changed to having the leading character the train type with a trailing character for service or day of week characteristics.
The BNSF uses a similar system with 3 character codes for origin and destination stations.
If I have this right Q means trains going one way from A to B city and L trains means the version of the train going from B to A city?
I could be wrong on this, but i dont think so.
For instance CSX runs a pair of trains between Chicago adn Chambersburg, Pa.
Q015 is west bound
Q016 is eastbound.
My symbol list shows there is also L015. I believe that the L015 runs on a slightly different schedule, possibly on weekends than the Q015. It might make additional block setouts or pickups that other trains would make during the week.
Remember most intermodal trains are very dependent on Monday - Friday work and shipping schedules. Volumes seem to drop down on weekends, particularly on certain lanes. Thus, a train may only run 6 days a week but certain intermediate locations will still generate loads and require pickups/setouts.
I am not privy to blocking sequences for trains, but very few intermodals or general freights have sufficient volumes to run point to point. Thus there will be intermediate drops, if volumes warrant. This is probably much more common with general freights, but also occurs with intermodals.
There are old Conrail train schedules out there on the internet. These are fascinating in how the system approach to moving freight is available to investigate. I will see if a link can be found…used to be on Multimodal website.
For me the most interesting aspect of this industry is the scheduling and movement of cargo and how that is achieved. My railfanning basically consists of listening to scanner chatter between dispatchers and trains and attempting to understand how the trains operate.
Ed
Here is a source for Conrail train schedules from 1970s thru 90s:
http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/rrs/CR/CR%20Freight%20Schedules/CR%20Freight%20Schedules.html
Lots of great stuff on this website.
ed