Question about train description

I'm posting this here simply because I though you guys would know the answer. On a web site I read the following:

"BTW, quite a monster train: 96/23/12698!/7541"

Would one of you decode that string for me?

96 loads, 23 empties, 12698 tons, 7541 feet long

A monster? Maybe on some railroads................

Yea thats an average, maybe even short for Class 1's in today's world.

Sounds like a set-out to me!

Thanks for the answer. Yes, doesn't sound that big. My just started for BNSF as a conductor, already they have put together a train that was 9000ft. plus! And coming past Winslow on a trip, my brother clocked SEVERAL trains that were 1.7 and more miles long, that 9000-10000 ft.

A rather normal A-431.

TA-43171-15

IC 1035/1031
21X129- 7,192- 9,215'
This job changes trains with a Decatur (Illinois) crew at Mattoon, and both crews work back to their home terminals. We only had 105-cars or so on the 432 (southbound) trip, very heavy though (14,000+tons) due to 15-loads of ballast on the head-end.

Haha and on CN you are lucky when you get a train OVER 1.0 hpt. Heck you are lucky on CN if you get a train over .6hpt.

They are out there but the .5 hpt's are the most common.