COFC in the Upper Pennisula?

[CAT345C]

Found this great shot from Chuck S on rail pictures, note the caption, anyone have any more information on the COFC? Now the line is welded rail.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 68&nseq=65

[AARR]

I seem to recall reading SOO running intermodal in the U.P. before they got rights on CSX in lower MI.

[Mr. Tops]

Well, in the caption it says the trains were later moved to CSX from Chicago to Detroit. Obviously these are what turned into CSX R200 and R201 -- and eventually X500 and X501 which originally ran between Minneapolis and Montreal. Another pair of COFC trains were added later; X502 and X503, which only ran between WC's Schiller Park Yard (Chicago) and Montreal. More trains were added throughout the years, including X504, X505, X511, X512, X513, X514, X531, X532, X533, X534, X536, X537, X544, X546 and X747 and all the others I forgot.

[AARR]

Well, in the caption it says the trains were later moved to CSX from Chicago to Detroit.

I didn't read the caption...I'll go to my corner and take a time out

[J T]

Found this great shot from Chuck S on rail pictures, note the caption

I wish RP would correct grammatical errors in captions.

[GAP]

Yes, I lived in Sault Ste Marie from 1976-1984 and regularly saw container traffic on the Soo Line. It was passed off to the CP who took it east to Sudbury and further. Back in those days the noontime train arriving in the Sault was regularly 100+ cars. That changed when the traffic went to the CSX. Now the CP's container traffic goes on the NS thru Butler IN and trains across the UP are back to 100 cars. It's still fun to watch them.

[AARR]

Yes, I lived in Sault Ste Marie from 1976-1984 and regularly saw container traffic on the Soo Line. It was passed off to the CP who took it east to Sudbury and further. Back in those days the noontime train arriving in the Sault was regularly 100+ cars. That changed when the traffic went to the CSX.

It would have been great to see those intermodal trains in the U.P. Anyone notice WC never tried to run intermodal across the U.P. Even though it looks like it would be better than going through Chicago it must not be for some reason. Maybe Canada taxes it higher?

[CAT345C]

To run trains of that size they would need bigger sidings, while they could do it with the hand throw switches a problem may occur if one of the manifest freights had to meet a train some where, the sidings at most hold 25 2 bay covered hoppers.

[CERY]

I hate to dig this up but when did the R series trains start running on the Plymouth and Lansing subs?

[csxt4617]

I believe 500 and 501 started summer of 85. There was no R then, as Chessie didn't use that system. They became R200 and R201 on 7-1-87 with the adoption of the new CSX train symbols (all the Chessie symbols disappeared too). I don't recall when they changed to X500 series, but for a short time before going to X500's, they were run as Z500's.

[CERY]

Awesome, thanks.