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  • NS Service On The NEC

  • Discussion relating to the NS operations. Official web site can be found here: NSCORP.COM.
Discussion relating to the NS operations. Official web site can be found here: NSCORP.COM.
 #802252  by CSXT 4617
 
In my travels around the country, I have viewed Norfolk Southern freight trains on the Northeast Corridor. I was wondering, do Norfolk Southern freights work the Northeast Corridor, the way the former Pennsylvania Railroad did, by running lots of freights and lots of switching duties. I know that Amtrak runs a lot of Northeast Regionals, Acela Expresses, and many other passenger trains and I believe one too many, in my opinion. It seems as though more freights dominate the line. But, there once was a great time when both freights and passengers shared the Northeast Corridor in abundance. The Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1, MP-54s in passenger service and P-5 and E-44s in freight service along with steam and diesel locomotives. But, I don't get why freight service began moving to night time and not day time as well. If freights and passenger trains ran alongside each other it'd be like the good old Pennsylvania Railroad, Penn Central and Conrail years. Would someone be so kind as in to explain why freight service has dropped greatly since the Conrail years.
 #803086  by TREnecNYP
 
The line doesn't have many customers, and there are other routes the freight trains can take to get to the ports and any local customers. I'll ask my girlfriend's dad about it since he's been working the railroad since 1969.

- A
 #803132  by TREnecNYP
 
I'm on a nj transit train right now and I think another reason is wire height through some areas, I don't think double stacks would fit, if it did, I think you might see more freight, and the freight seen might have electric locos to save fuel, though that bit is my own personal speculation.

- A
 #803406  by SemperFidelis
 
Amtrak isn't really all that freight freindly when it comes to the corridor. I think a lot of that attitude was generated when that horrible accident happened at Chase, Maryland.

When I checked into it last a few discussions ago the rates per car/per mile are astronomical, there is a train length limitation of 1500 feet, there are speed restrictions and the aforementioned catenary height issue in places. It is a shame because the corridor is an excellent peice of railroad that probably isn't near capacity in the wee small hours and the revenue from freight movements could probably help significantly bolster the bottom line at Amtrak.

I recall NS running some test runs for UPS up and down the corridor but I'm not sure what ever became of that project. They were pulling well cars, single-stacked only.

I'm not a railroad professional by any means (G-d forbid you claim to know something about railroading around here) but to me it would seem a no brainer. CSX has the old B&O Royal Blue Line that is capacity strained and NS doesn't have as direct a route and probably also has some capacity issues that they wouldn't mind relieving by taking off a few trains a day. I would imagine that weekends would be an even better opportunity to turn some wheels. I'm unsure if the proper trackage is in place but with some work, money and will one could make the ports of Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Staten Island and Newark all be within reasonably short transit time of one another.
 #805298  by Big Bri
 
The bulk of NS freight is between Wilmington, DAVIS, Perryville and Bay View Yard in Baltimore.
On any given night you have 12G/13G, 23W/24M, 36A/37A, 33A/34A and Lots of Coal trains to Baltimore or the Eastern Shore.
Plus Mty hopper trains, slab trains, Grain trains.
Perryville Sta. is definitely a HOT SPOT for catching NS freight coming and going from the NEC.
And now that the 10pm-6am "window" has been abolished you're beginning to see more and more Daylight freight trains Under Pennsy Wires.
Up my way at Ridley Park(between PHIL and HOOK) there is only the nocturnal H-86 between Abrams and Stoney Creek. The 501 mty hopper train runs as needed after the loads are emptied at PECO in Eddystone. And you have the 67T/67V Stone train from Birdsboro, Pa. to Dagsboro, De. as needed.

See my posts on the "NS on the NEC" thread for the stuff I catch.

Cheers,
Bri