Distributed Power Coal Trains

[Michael Knight]

It seems as though every coal train I see enroute to Georgia has three units on the head-end and distributed power units on the rear.  Has NS expanded the use of using DPU on its Appalachia to Georgia coal trains, or are the Krannert trains (708, 716, 728, etc.) the only trains using this arrangement?

[Backyard]

  My old stomping grounds...Coosa Yard, on the Central of Georgia, The Right Way!

The only dedicated southbound coal trains NS pure, were those Andover to Krannert trains.

The other unit trains, were BNSF Orin Subdivision, on the Georgia Power Company owned train(anything GALX, JHMX, HWSX, etc.), to Plant Harry Shearer, Julliette, GA.  These now BNSF trains, were two units on the head end, one DPU on the rear, all the way back to the Union Pacific days.

In the 90's, the train length, of 140 cars was raised from 110.

What are the car counts, on the dpu trains, Powder River, and Rome Krannert trains today?

[TB4JY]

Those Krannert trains are usually 108 cars.  The Scherer BNSF trains are 124 cars.

[Michael Knight]

Those Krannert trains are usually 108 cars.  The Scherer BNSF trains are 124 cars.

So, has NS expanded the use of DPU on Georgia Appalachia trains?  Which trains use the Cedartown District? I can't remember, but don't they have to be pushed on the line? In all, how many times would one of these trains have to be pushed on the GA Div? I'm trying to figure out the savings.

[TM3358]

DPU coal trains are pretty regular through here now some of the ID's are 702 716 724 Q02 Q06 etc

[TB4JY]

Those Krannert trains are usually 108 cars.  The Scherer BNSF trains are 124 cars.

So, has NS expanded the use of DPU on Georgia Appalachia trains?  Which trains use the Cedartown District? I can't remember, but don't they have to be pushed on the line? In all, how many times would one of these trains have to be pushed on the GA Div? I'm trying to figure out the savings.

Well the Krannert trains never needed pushers.  I don't know why they feel the need to put a DPU on the rear of that train.  It's just makes things a pain in the butt when dumping at plant Hammond.  But the other "NS" coal trains use to get a push out of Cedartown GA.  That would be on the Alabama Division.  Since they have been running the DPU's, I believe they have cut of the Cedartown pusher.  I haven't worked out of Cedartown for awhile, so I might be wrong about them cutting off that job.

As far as the BNSF coal trains going to Scherer.....  All of them must be pushed out of Rockmart to Braswell at least.  With the pusher, we usually get down to about 12 mph going up braswell on dry rail.

[Michael Knight]

That is interesting. The only places the trains would need a push on the Central Div. would be on the Appalachia District and over New Market hill on the East End. The latter never had an assigned pusher; one of the turn crews would get on a unit for the short push.

So, if they've eliminated the Cedartown pusher,  all of the Georgia trains must be using DP.

[TB4JY]

That is interesting. The only places the trains would need a push on the Central Div. would be on the Appalachia District and over New Market hill on the East End. The latter never had an assigned pusher; one of the turn crews would get on a unit for the short push.

So, if they've eliminated the Cedartown pusher,  all of the Georgia trains must be using DP.

I have not seen a coal train not be DPU in some time.  I'm not saying it does not happen....  I'm just saying I personally have not seen it.

[Michael Knight]

I have not seen a coal train not be DPU in some time.  I'm not saying it does not happen....  I'm just saying I personally have not seen it.

Every Georgia coal train I've seen lately, whether loaded or empty, has been a DP train.

[TB4JY]

Well our Krannert trains must be unlinked at Krannert.  We move the engines from the rear to the head end.  So if you see a GA mty train with 4 motors on the head and none on the rear, it might have  come from Krannert.

[Michael Knight]

Well our Krannert trains must be unlinked at Krannert.  We move the engines from the rear to the head end.  So if you see a GA mty train with 4 motors on the head and none on the rear, it might have  come from Krannert.

What happens to the second DP unit? All of the trains I've seen have three on the head-end and two in DPU mode.

[TB4JY]

Well our Krannert trains must be unlinked at Krannert.  We move the engines from the rear to the head end.  So if you see a GA mty train with 4 motors on the head and none on the rear, it might have  come from Krannert.

What happens to the second DP unit? All of the trains I've seen have three on the head-end and two in DPU mode.

They might be running them with 3 on head end.  To tell you the truth, I haven't seen a NS coal train in about 2 to 3 months other than that ECP test train.  We just don't have them as much as we use too.  I remember seeing at least one per trip, but now.....  I don't know.  Maybe the plants at Yates and Wansley are doing something different.  I think I had one behind me last trip south.  But he was about 30 miles back.

[Backyard]

  Why do the units have to run around the train at Krannert?  I thought they built a loop track, to run through.

I know the crew used to cut-off at the unloader lead, and pull ahead in the clear, get in a limo, and go back north...on Christmas Eve. The plant switcher shoved cuts to the unloader, and the crew was called when it was mty.

These trains do originate out of Appalachia, VA. down through Cleveland, TN to Rome, then west to Krannert, GA, on the old Rome & Selma line.

The line was terminated at Krannert, closing a future back door to a formidable competition for mid west traffic off the BNSF Birmingham stretch...a few track-rites juggles in court, and we may have had a BNSF connection, Seattle to Atlanta(that would be like M-SEAATL4-24).

[TB4JY]

Why do the units have to run around the train at Krannert?  I thought they built a loop track, to run through.

They do have a loop.  But for some reason, engineers keep derailing the train when dumping.  I can't say why.....  I wasn't behind the throttle.  I myself have only dumped three trains there since running.  The first two times we would dump about 40 cars and then set the mtys over in the long yard.  Then go back and finish dumping the rest of the train.  The last time I went there, we had to yard the train and dump it in three separate moves.  But I didn't have the DPU engines then either.  So now you have to yard the train, get the DPUs from the rear back to the head end and then dump it in three separate moves.  After  dumping the last track, you double it back up, but the DPUs stay on the head end.  Keep in mind dump speed is 0.5 mph!  It take at least 3 crews to get this thing back to Cleveland.  And that's with no delays from disprs.

[Michael Knight]

Why do the units have to run around the train at Krannert?  I thought they built a loop track, to run through.

They do have a loop.  But for some reason, engineers keep derailing the train when dumping.  I can't say why.....  I wasn't behind the throttle.  I myself have only dumped three trains there since running.  The first two times we would dump about 40 cars and then set the mtys over in the long yard.  Then go back and finish dumping the rest of the train.  The last time I went there, we had to yard the train and dump it in three separate moves.  But I didn't have the DPU engines then either.  So now you have to yard the train, get the DPUs from the rear back to the head end and then dump it in three separate moves.  After  dumping the last track, you double it back up, but the DPUs stay on the head end.  Keep in mind dump speed is 0.5 mph!  It take at least 3 crews to get this thing back to Cleveland.  And that's with no delays from disprs.

It sounds like the Krannert trains shouldn't even be using the DPU configuration.

[TB4JY]

I agree.

[Michael Knight]

May God forbid that the DP unit conks out in the middle of nowhere, at 2A.M. in a thunderstorm, while climbing a mountain.

[TB4JY]

May God forbid that the DP unit conks out in the middle of nowhere, at 2A.M. in a thunderstorm, while climbing a mountain.

It happens.  More then you would think.

[Backyard]

  That's why we have people running trains...otherwise, the remote dpu would be the head-end.