I haven’t seen as many UP Empty Coal Trains with DPU’s lately,Why?
I still see a few but NOT as many.(1+1)or(2+1).
They have been running Two on the point anymore which is kind of rare for the UP!
It is still alive and well out here.
I suspect you will find that the loaded coal trains are all still 2+1 or whatever.
My opinion is that the ‘excess’ locomotives are being cut off the unit consists for the period of the return moves, and being used elsewhere. Note this, from the parallel thread about ‘number of locomotives on stack trains’:
…there’s [a] power balancing dillema. Right now is peak season for the UP. Intermodal
is running at its heaviest for the year (pre-season fall retail rush). They’re scrambling to
get power where its needed to handle the trains.
I would not be surprised to find this is true for BNSF as well.
This indicates that, provided there are reasonable ways to assure proper power at the time a train will be dispatched out of loading origination (e.g. PRB), the power over and above what’s needed to move the empty unit-train consist… which might well be a single high-horsepower locomotive in some cases, or over some divisions… might be ‘better’ utilized elsewhere while the train is returning ‘light’ (and generating no revenue for the railroad in doing so).
Some proof of this would be to note the locomotive numbers on particular consists (I would assume that the leading and trailing hoppers in the consists would largely stay the same for reasonable ID-at-a-glance). If my thinking is right, you’d see one of the units stay the same, at least some of the time, with other numbers changing… the unit that does not change might likely wind up either the trailing unit at the head end, or the DPU unit, in a loaded move, but would be the one in a ‘single’ train, or the ones observed on an unloaded move… On BNSF, you might see more ‘alternative’ use of DC units in consists with AC power, in part perhaps to assure that the AC units stay with the trains that most ‘require’ them…
I look forward to hearing from folks who actually run these coal trains, who know exactly how the power operations are optimized…
Ahh got it,Thank you! That’s why I have seen so many goofe things lately.
it’s still there if you go to Rochelle,IL you will see them
kevin
UP runs 2 up front and 1 in the rear even on empty coal trains here.
I can’t say I have ever seen it done any different here since they started the 2 + 1.
Had a DPU leaning into an empty WEPX leaving Proviso two or three days ago.
CP does pretty much the same. They are practically the same thing, but if they ever merge…there is no emticon to convey that!
Matthew
still get them like that all the time here in the midwest, and most all BNSF coal trains are 1+1. i wish i could see the MONSTER coaltrians BNSF runs through KC around here… 3+2 or 2+3!
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by Overmod
I suspect you will find that the loaded coal trains are all still 2+1 or whatever.
My opinion is that the ‘excess’ locomotives are being cut off the unit consists for the period of the return moves, and being used elsewhere. Note this, from the parallel thread about ‘number of locomotives on stack trains’:
…there’s [a] power balancing dillema. Right now is peak season for the UP. Intermodal
is running at its heaviest for the year (pre-season fall retail rush). They’re scrambling to
get power where its needed to handle the trains.
Around here, { Parsons}, ex-KATY Southbound, mostly loaded unit trains. DPU still runs 2+1, but then noticeable variation is the number of mismatched consists…Seems like the wrecks are taking out cars from regular consists and they are being made back with whatever is available… The BNSF run thru’s still seem to rely on 2 units on the head and two in DPU at the rear.
I would not be surprised to find this is true for BNSF as well.
This indicates that, provided there are reasonable ways to assure proper power at the time a train will be dispatched out of loading origination (e.g. PRB), the power over and above what’s needed to move the empty unit-train consist… which might well be a single high-horsepower locomotive in some cases, or over some divisions… might be ‘better’ utilized elsewhere while the train is returning ‘light’ (and generating no revenue for the railroad in doing so).
Some proof of this would be to note the locomotive numbers on particular consists (I would assume that the leading and trailing hoppers in the consists would largely stay the same for reasonable ID-at-a-glance). If my thinking is right, you’d see one of the units stay the same, at least some of the time, with other numbers changing… the unit that does not change might likely wind up either the trailing unit at the head end, or the
It is indeed impressive to see. The line from Lincoln through Parkville often has coal trains with 4 or 5 locos in some form of DPU.
Doesn’t it depend on the power plant as well? In my area, coal trains to Sheboygan almost always have one engine on the front and one on the back, and once in a while have just the two at front with no DPU.
However, the Pleasant Prairie plant almost always has 2+1 consists.