BNSF Stacks Are Back

[NSSpike]

As reported on other forums NS is back in the business of taking Memphis interchanged BNSF intermodual trains from the west coast into Atlanta, specifically NS Whitaker Yard in Austell Georgia. BNSF train QLACAUG operates on the NS as 264 with the return west bound as 265 to BNSF QAUGLAC. The first week saw these trains run from Memphis / Chattanooga south into Austell. However this week on Wednesday and Thursday the east bound 264 ran on the Alabama Division East End District into Austell with a yard job dragging the cut of cars back north into Whitaker Yard. As is the practice with NS 226 & 22G. About 95% plus of the containers on 264 are J.B.Hunt.

It is not known at this time if the Birmingham routing east was due to congestion or crew availability on the Atlanta North District? Or perhaps a test to compare the results of the two different routes. Memphis / Chattanooga / Austell   Memphis / Birmingham / Austell

NS 264 (MEMPHIS, TN (BNSF QLACAUG) - ATLANTA, GA) east bound on the Alabama East End at MP 656.7


A Flashback To 2002
Seen here operating then as 24E is a BNSF stack from back in 2002 at MP 659.6 on the Alabama East End District. These stacks were interchanged to the KCS in Dallas and the NS in Meridian back years ago. NS lost this traffic in the mid 2000's as BNSF elected to interchange these west coast stacks to the CSX in Birmingham after completion of the CSX  IM Yard in Fairburn Georgia.


It would be a good thing if these BNSF stacks NS 264 & NS 265 would end up running on the "FPF" !!!

[RailfanTerry]

CSX has a curfew from Stevenson to Chattanooga causing the reroute

[NSSpike]

Thanks for the reminder about the CSX curfew.
Members of this boards forum see post: http://www.jreb.org/ns/index.php?topic=17893.0 for additional information on the subject of "Curfews"
Ran across this BNSF stack off the BNSF east into Atlanta as 24E from back in April of 2003 on the Alabama East End District.


NSSpike

[NSSpike]

Was surprised this morning, a Saturday, to see a BNSF Memphis interchanged Q stack to the NS running on the Alabama Division East End District as I64 ( eye64 ) After clearing the south Austell interlocking G88 took a cut of cars off the rear back north to Whitaker Yard. The remaining Charlotte cars were taken to Inman Yard. All of these trains that I or my son have seen have 3 units on the head end all facing forward.