The other day, I saw a BNSF coal that was destined for Westin in Wausau, Wis…On another forum, someone was talking about a coal train that was supposed to be in Green Bay but the mistake was found at the plant when the plant relized that the cars were bottom dump cars…that was also a BNSF coal train…
Did the UP lose the WPSX coal contract and why?
Paul
It looks like BNSF must have made a better deal. Also it appears that CN has lost their part of the Weston contract, for now at least, all Weston trains are going via CP/Soo. The former Soo Line (now CN) bridge can’t handle 286k cars. It is possible that this may have cost both UP and CN the contract. The trains for Pulliam (Green Bay) are routed BNSF/CN via Chicago.
A UP/CN routing means lots of extra horsepower and an extra crew (helper) to get the train from Hoffman Ave up to the CN. Possibly would require an extra unit all the way to Jct City.
A BNSF/CP routing can be done with two AC4400’s for 115 cars, just requires a crew change at Dayton’s Bluff/Pig’s Eye and New Lisbon.
Last time I was up the Valley Sub the maximum authorized car weight was 263,000lbs for the whole subdivision. Has the CN actually upgraded for 286k cars or just done a paper upgrade?
I know that CP retained some operating rights from New Lisbon north on the Valley Line, but I didn’t know they could go all the way up to Weston. What’s the story?
CP’s only rights on the Valley Sub. are to service Weston, there is a Crew pool just for this.
CP has had the spot contract for several years with UP delivering the trains to CP at St. Paul Yd. It has been running about 3 trains per month.
I talked to a conductor for the CN and he said that the BNSF trains will traverse to Chicago then on the EJ&E to their own line to Green Bay. Can’t remember if he said that the same will go for the Westin trains but I’m sure he mentioned the Westin train using the same route. Training on DPU trains should be completed in February and start coming off the BNSF with DPU power all the way to the power plants.
Paul
The Wisconsin Public Service ACF Coalveyor trains were on the Soo Line in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, just years before CP make the merger official.
Were the WPSX coal trains traveling over original SOO tracks or former MILW tracks?
Andrew
I know when the MILW trains switched to the Lake States (late days of the Soo Line around Neenah) and then the Wisconsin Central, started taking the Shawano Sub to the GB&W to Green Bay, there were at times anywhere from 40-80 cuts of cars of coal in MILW and SOO black hoppers, especially on Sundays. In the early days of WC, these trains were powered by 4 axles since the GBW lines couldnt handle the 6-axles. The lines were mainly 90 and 100 pound rail and it made for some interesting derailments on both lines. I can remember 6 of them that was caused by the loaded coal hopppers (always involved and the railroad wouldnt say that was the cause but everybody knew).
I only saw one full coal train heading up to GB and it was the normal length of that time (108-112 cars). Got that one on tape (7 units, all 4-axles grunting up the hill in Appleton by Presto products)
That would help explain something that I saw yesterday. Usually there are 2 UP newer model 6 axel locos at North Green Bay laying over while the coal train is unloaded. Yesterday there was a newer model BNSF loco, but no UP units. The UP contract goes back a long way. Seems like that may have been perhaps a 10 yr deal.
yep. This might be very late but you’re correct. BNSF now does the WPSX unit coal trains Don’t kno where they come from, though. BNSF has alot of trackage rights trains these days. another is the WEPX unit train to Pleasent Prarie, WI.
A couple months ago I saw a coal train with BNSF DP (2x1) go north on the CN though Antioch. I didn’t think much of it, but it was in DP mode. Who do they have to train that needs until February?
Nothing like reviving a 3 year old thread…lol
The railroad had to train the engineer for movements with DPU.
UP is getting back the contracts in Jan(?) and the weston coal trains will be using the Wausau line all the way from the south. The Green Bay coal trains will either come down from Junction City to Neenah, run around the train and then head up to GB (very time consuming) or come up from Chicago to GB as the trains traverse already.
so when UP gets the contract back, they’re not gonna run on the edge of the Windy City? that stinks, Guess I’ll have to go to Rondout and get BNSF ad their WEPX trains then 