New CSX Oil Trains in Central Ohio

[strugglin]

I wanted to start a post on here to keep track of the new CSX oil trains that started running through Ohio this month. As far as I know, K079/080 were the first two trains added, and are supposed to be running from Chicago south via Fostoria and the C&O. Then K081/082 were just added last week, and these would run via Deshler and the Toledo Branch/Scottslawn Secondary to Columbus.

I saw my first oil train last week, a K080 at night which had a BNSF/CSX lashup on it on the C&O here near CP Goodale in Columbus. Then today, I got this train sitting above McKinley Ave at the south end of the Scottslawn Secondary at 5:10pm. Power is BNSF 7620, NS 1011, & BNSF 4446, but from a post on Trainorders, I guess this train is actually a K030 which came out of St. Louis on the Indy Line, then turned south at Ridgeway to head down the Scottslawn. Train had a buffer car on the rear, no DPU though.



I will continue to post updates on these trains as I see them here around Columbus, and anyone else can feel free to post updates here on these trains as they bring colorful lashups of foreign power through Central Ohio!

[JoJames]

K080 loads K082 loads for Yorktown Virginia.
K081 empties from Yorktown Virginia.

K030 loads via St Louis may be coming out of somewhere besides the Dakotas.

[Y@]

These trains are all in the K080-089 series and are profiled to run the C&O via Fostoria. The K030's are rerouted K080's running via St. Louis due to the usual congestion in Chicago, plus the recent series of events on CSX between Garrett and Dolton. The trains are for Yorktown, VA.

[AARR]

I'll have to take your word for it that's an oil train because all I see are three engines and part of a covered hopper

[strugglin]

I'll have to take your word for it that's an oil train because all I see are three engines and part of a covered hopper

Yes, definately an oil train, 2 buffer cars up front, 1 on the rear, no DPU, 1267 placards on all the tank cars.

K030 loads via St Louis may be coming out of somewhere besides the Dakotas.

I believe the K030 is just an alternate routing via St. Louis to reduce congestion on the B&O east of Chicago, the oil is still coming from the Dakota's.

I'm obviously intrigued by these trains because of the foreign power, but also will be curious how many will run per day/week. This could be a significant increase in traffic when you think about 20-25 trains a day on the C&O, and maybe a dozen or so on the Toledo Branch/Scottslawn Secondary.

The Scottslawn Secondary is literally about 400 yards southwest of my place, I hear every train that goes by, I can also hear NS trains blowing horns at Harper Rd & Hague Rd on the Dayton District. I can see the Buckeye Line across Hidden Lake from my place, but only see Q123 in daylight. The C&O at Scioto is only 6 minutes from me, so yes, I'm very interested in any new traffic on any of these lines.

[cbehr91]

on it on the C&O here near CP Goodale in Columbus.

Yes this is nitpicky, but Goodale is not a CP. It's a #2 east only intermediate.

[PowellWye]

Never been a K079 via Columbus that I know of. K030 today turned in to a K080 at Parsons and was likely just not entered properly when it hit Rose Lake to start with. Normal moves should be K080/82 loads and K081/83 empties.

[SousaKerry]

1 on the rear, no DPU

I'm curious as to how often you are seeing DPU in Ohio to begin with??? Albeit I moved out of Ohio 10 years ago but I never saw one on the Williard Sub, and I grew up next to the tracks.

[Y@]

DPU's have been running on the Chicago Line for several months now. CSX has yet to join the DPU group.

[Standard Railfan]

1 on the rear, no DPU

I'm curious as to how often you are seeing DPU in Ohio to begin with??? Albeit I moved out of Ohio 10 years ago but I never saw one on the Williard Sub, and I grew up next to the tracks.

DPU in Northwest Ohio would be like snow tires in Daytona.....

[midland sub]

NS ran a test DPU down through Columbus to Portsmouth and east back in December.

[CSX_CO]

DPU in Northwest Ohio would be like snow tires in Daytona.....

FYI, the DPU is the rear engine on it. A bit of a pet peeve of mine to call it running 'DPU', or saying "Do you have a DPU Unit (Distributed Power Unit Unit) on the rear?" Trains are set up for DP (Distributed Power) running with a DPU on the rear.

DP is for more than just heavy loads. Running DP allows the same locomotives to move 1/3rd more tonnage than running them all on the head end. Also allows for faster application and release of the air brakes.

I just wish CSX, if they're going to be running DP (even in limited applications), gets everyone 'qualified' on how to set them up, and 'tear them down'. Running is no different, if anything it is a bit easier. It is just the work in the computer that requires some experience with to get them working. Such a PIA to have to try and get that rear motor from the rear, to the headend, if the outbound crew isn't qualified to run the train that way. Our west end crews are DP qualified. We have coal trains, and Q687 will still run DP off the UP quite often. Most of "getting qualified" is just how the computer works, everything is nearly the same running wise.

Practice Safe CSX

[Saturnalia]

DPU in Northwest Ohio would be like snow tires in Daytona.....

FYI, the DPU is the rear engine on it. A bit of a pet peeve of mine to call it running 'DPU', or saying "Do you have a DPU Unit (Distributed Power Unit Unit) on the rear?" Trains are set up for DP (Distributed Power) running with a DPU on the rear.

DP is for more than just heavy loads. Running DP allows the same locomotives to move 1/3rd more tonnage than running them all on the head end. Also allows for faster application and release of the air brakes.

I just wish CSX, if they're going to be running DP (even in limited applications), gets everyone 'qualified' on how to set them up, and 'tear them down'. Running is no different, if anything it is a bit easier. It is just the work in the computer that requires some experience with to get them working. Such a PIA to have to try and get that rear motor from the rear, to the headend, if the outbound crew isn't qualified to run the train that way. Our west end crews are DP qualified. We have coal trains, and Q687 will still run DP off the UP quite often. Most of "getting qualified" is just how the computer works, everything is nearly the same running wise.

[I remember hearing that if CSX DP qualified some crews out of GR then they could run the BNSF DPU through Chicago and save sending helper power in most applications for the N903 and N956s.] But then they wouldn't have to worry about crew times as much...often when N956s are in the loop, they do a N903 then N956...but the time consumed by D801/2/3 and the time waiting for the N956 often results in not being able to take the train all the way to Elmdale with the same helpers...and thus two crew calls to move the train.

I have no idea why CSX hasn't qualified for DP on the GR sub...and I mean that literally not "they should do x".

[That is what I have been told.]

[~Z~]

More DPU's please, as it allows one a better amount of photography whether the train is coming or going.

[CSX_CO]

I have no idea why CSX hasn't qualified for DP on the GR sub...and I mean that literally not "they should do x".

Could be its not beneficial to the BNSF to have the DPU engine continue one east of Chicago. Or that the contract isn't written to specify the use of DP east of Chicago, which someone would have to pay for. It could be that the motors BNSF supplies to the train (even with DP), still wouldn't be enough to get it to W. Olive without needing additional power. There must be *some* reason as to why the trains don't continue east of Chicago with DP, at least to GR.

In the case of Q687 down here, the UP delivers the train to St. Louis that way. For the MNPIN on the UP, usually the DPU is mid-train and the 'rear' block is set off in St Louis, while the Indy traffic continues on to interchange at Roselake. It behooves the UP to have the train run that way. For the oil cans, trains are 'hot' enough that they probably don't want to hassle with cutting the DPU off, and just run it through.

Practice Safe CSX

[carrman]

Out here in Oregon, most UP and BNSF trains on the former SP Cascade main run DPU. Big help in the winter when the air just seems to want to leak from everywhere when you have another air compressor at the rear of the train. Enough of a difference they used to run "repeater cars", box cars with air compressors just to supply train air.

[TatesPoint]

Could someone please explain what the numbers such as k087 or q105 are. Are these route numbers ? How does one find this info? Thanks.

[cbehr91]

Could someone please explain what the numbers such as k087 or q105 are. Are these route numbers ? How does one find this info? Thanks.

They're train symbols. Look at the Railfan Wiki which is linked at the top of the homepage for an explanation.

[Saturnalia]

Could someone please explain what the numbers such as k087 or q105 are. Are these route numbers ? How does one find this info? Thanks.

They're train symbols. Look at the Railfan Wiki which is linked at the top of the homepage for an explanation.

http://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/CSX_Train_Symbols

[TatesPoint]

Could someone please explain what the numbers such as k087 or q105 are. Are these route numbers ? How does one find this info? Thanks.

They're train symbols. Look at the Railfan Wiki which is linked at the top of the homepage for an explanation.

http://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/CSX_Train_Symbols

Thank you, that was very helpfull.