Train routing question

[High_Hood]

I have been watching NS 8102 the past week or so via Heritageunits.com
It has been leading a coal train running from Carlinville, IL to Wheatfield, IN. The routing has been up the former Wabash via Decatur to Ft. Wayne, then across the NKP to Bellevue, up the old PRR to Sandusky then turning west on the former CR (LSMS/NYC) to Gary then south on former NYC to Schneider and a turn east to Wheatfield.
Here comes the question. Looking at the NS system map why are they not running this train up CN's former IC line between Gibson City and Kankakee then heading east to Wheatfield? This is the same line that runs from Schneider to Wheatfield. This would keep them away from already busy places like Chicago, Fostoria, Bellevue, etc
Just curious because this seems like an awful long route that could be alot shorter.

[steveiez]

I don't know, but too show you how weird routing can get. NS loads a cola train in Greene County Pa, comes north to Conway Pa, then to Ashtabula Ohio and then too a power plant in NC!

[toledopatch]

I've wondered this, too. All I can think of is that there's some sort of restriction on the number or tonnage of trains they can run over the IC. The other possible limitation is how many qualified crews they have working the territory. But honestly, I don't know what NS runs using those rights as it is, so this is pure speculation.

The empty trains, by the way, ran via the ex-CR Marion Branch between Elkhart and Wabash, Ind., but apparently they don't run the loads that way because of the line's undulating profile, which resulted in numerous broken knuckles when they tried running a long coal load over it. That could be solved by assigning a pusher crew but apparently it's advantageous to run the long way instead.