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Starting next week, Q335 will run west out of GR as a solid BRC train. Belt traffic that was routed out of Toledo through Garrett will now be handled though GR. Q327 will continue to run with Barr traffic. As of right now there is no eastbound counterpart scheduled, that may change in the future.

Thanks for the update. Sounds like the Q335's from Toledo to GRP will continue to have car counts well into the 100+ range.

So, are there now going to be S335's and the like because of not just the GR traffic, but now routing the BRC traffic over the former PM? Is it just me, or am I seeing more and more serious issues this winter along the PM?

TrainWatcher wrote:So, are there now going to be S335's and the like because of not just the GR traffic, but now routing the BRC traffic over the former PM? Is it just me, or am I seeing more and more serious issues this winter along the PM?

Q335 has been loaded with BRC traffic to this point anyways. Not saying extras won't happen but...

This is gonna create a decent crew imbalance without an eastbound counterpart...

Gonna go out on a limb and "predict" that before too long we'll get an eastbound counterpart, too. And maybe, just maybe 326/327 will complete the pair running to Detroit. So blocks would be exchanged in GR...

Q335 - GRP & BRC blocks, drop GRP in Wyoming, grab Q327 BRCs, for BRC
Q334 - BRC stuff for GRP & TOL, drop GRP in Wyoming and grab GRP cars for Toledo
Q326 - Barr stuff for GRP & DET, setout in GRP
Q327 - DET stuff and pickup in GRP, for Barr

MQT3001 wrote: Q335 has been loaded with BRC traffic to this point anyways. Not saying extras won't happen but...

This is gonna create a decent crew imbalance without an eastbound counterpart...

Gonna go out on a limb and "predict" that before too long we'll get an eastbound counterpart, too.

As power short as everyone is don't count on it. Another EB means another set of power Chicago is going to need. Plus, depending on the contract with the BRC, might mean more payments to them to build another train.

Always deadhead home upon arrival or rest in Chicago. Or with the EB dying daily you have a built in recrew.

S335-07 via Garrett sub today from Toledo to Deshler.

JoJames wrote:S335-07 via Garrett sub today from Toledo to Deshler.

Huh. Based on my observations, the problems facing Q335 out of GR is power and acceptance by Chicago. They keep sending 335 out of Toledo with just two road units...how are you supposed to make a decent 327 AND 335 with that? Then half the time they get around Indiana and they hole up and cab home since Chicago won't take them (granted sometimes it is NS' fault).

There are also some crew issues, but that seems to stem from the mess of everything around Chicago, and the fact there is no eastbound counterpart to 335 to bring a crew home everyday.

Those are my educated observations, anyway...

MQT3001 wrote: There are also some crew issues, but that seems to stem from the mess of everything around Chicago, and the fact there is no eastbound counterpart to 335 to bring a crew home everyday.

Those are my educated observations, anyway...

For the second time on this thread, you do know they do run cabs to take crews places, even away from away from home terminal to home terminal? 1 extra train a day doesn't create a 'crew imbalance'. You just stated in your own post two ways that crew 'stuck' in Chicago could be used before being sent home. Recrew the WB coming into Chicago and deadhead home, or recrew one of the EB's if they fall on their face.

We run a far heavier imbalance of EB freight, vs WB freight out of Indy, but unless someone stops getting the crews back home, it doesn't create an 'imbalance'. Some of that is being offset by the empty oil and other trains coming back west being diverted to St Louis, until the traffic shifts down here permanently. Otherwise they deadhead a crew or two home a day.

And your comment about the power is again why the PM sucks as an overhead route. Two motors up there are good for a very small amount of tonnage. Without having the exact numbers in front of me, I think a SD40-2 on the Toledo-Willard-Garrett subs are good for 8000 (might be slightly more) tons each. AC's are good for upwards of 10,000 or 11,000 tons each on the former B&O. That is why the traffic goes that way, more bang for your buck power wise. As long as the power desk is powering up the train to move the cars, it is only going to get two motors. Most of the return traffic to Chicago is empty anyway, so there is a pretty big tonnage imbalance going east out of the city, vs west into the city.

Practice Safe CSX

MQT3001 wrote:They keep sending 335 out of Toledo with just two road units...how are you supposed to make a decent 327 AND 335 with that?

Q335 power runs through, power off previous day's Q326 goes on Q327. Simple.

Mr. Tops wrote:

MQT3001 wrote:They keep sending 335 out of Toledo with just two road units...how are you supposed to make a decent 327 AND 335 with that?

Q335 power runs through, power off previous day's Q326 goes on Q327. Simple.

Q326's power goes east on Q334
Q335's power goes west on Q327 and/or Q335

There are two inbound trains and thee outbound...hence the power shortage, even in the case you mentioned. It would be okay if 335 came out of Toledo with more than two units...but they usually only send two which usually means they can only run either 327 or 335.

It doesn't help that Barr only seems to be able to originate a Q326 every other day or 3. Moving the train back to the Ashland side seems to have helped a bit lately.

Well then, unless there is an extra set of power they can use or put together from an inbound coming in with three units, then common sense would say that inbound power goes on the next train to run, or the train that's been sitting in the yard the longest. Every outbound train may not have an inbound counterpart coming in with appropriate power. Maybe one day, one of the outbounds gets annulled. Another day, two of the trains are small enough where you can split an inbound set and run both outbounds with one unit. Locomotives are not a boundless commodity on the railroad. Everyone needs them, but there are only so many to use, so they have to be appropriated as needed. Junk trains are going to be one of the last to run if power is not available. Each day is a different circumstance and has to be dealt with accordingly. Even if there were a "protocol" with power, it would still not go according to plan. Locomotives break down, extra trains run, etc. There's really no way to answer your question, you just have to understand how the railroad operates.

S335-17 told to tie train down at Haskins Ohio siding on the Toledo sub.