What's going on in Willard??

[videobruce]

For the last week or more there have been outlawed trains on either side of Willard waiting to get in the yard. As many as 7 east of Willard!
On June 28th I beleive, one of the passenger trains waited FOUR hours to get through Willard!
I also understand Astabula has been hopping because of the overflow from Willard!

Can't these southern boys run trains?? Penn Central didn't have these problems and they had traffic!

[chessie8212]

It's not just in Willard. CSX is having meltdowns all over their system in Ohio. Walbridge yard in Toledo is, and has for several months, been experiencing the same problems. CSX has trains sitting all over up in NW Ohio. And from what I am gathering from other sources as well, even Queensgate in Cincinnati is getting the same way.

CSX seems to have closed one too many yards just a little too fast. Now they are opening some back up and trying their best to get back above the water... You are seeing the signs that it isn't working too well.

[ToledoTerminalRy]

OH YEAH - I was gonna post on this subject but have not had much time - seeing this i had to say something. I work in Fostoria and travel to there EVERY DAY - and live in Oregon. I drive down SR23 and at least 3 days every 2 weeks I will see trains parked back to back blocking one of the mainlines ALL THE WAY to Fostoria from Walbridge. This is sad - open Stanley back up. CSX your gonna go bust if you dont think logically and not just on paper!

Ryan

[matt]

Stanley has re-opened, Ryan. I think hump service may be returning as well.

[ToledoTerminalRy]

I meant permanent opening of Stanley not temporarily. Sorry for the confusion.


P.S. Comming back from work today I noticed that CSX'x mainline to Fostoria from Toledo is getting new rails for the East line (#1 i believe trains travel north on it usually)

Ryan

[ToledoTerminalRy]

Oh yeah, 2 weeks ago I took my son on a engine parked, waiting for the vickers diamond to clear. The crew was doubled up and I talked to the 2 that were not running the front engine. They said they got on at Manhattan and came to just before Oakdale in 3and a half hrs!!!!! WOW they were quite bored to say the least. (i think that is just under 3 miles)

Ryan

[emtboo]

When CSX closed Stanley yard it wasn't ready for the increase in traffic in Wallbridge. Apparently some bean counter said they could save a few dollars by closing it and consolidating in Wallbridge. Well, their chart didn't take into account the unexpected rise in traffic, mostly due to the new hours of rest law for the truckers, and it bit them. The back up was actually felt as far away as Russel, KY. The biggest problem is there is no working hump in Wallbridge, even though at one time it had two, and everything has to be flat switched which is very time consuming compared to humping. So now Stanley is opened again, for how long, don't know, it is not on a perminent basis but in railroad time that could mean two years. I think their best bet would be to build that connection form the C&O to the south end of Stanley like they originally planned and use Wallbridege like they have been for the past several years, auto loading/unloading and storage. Otherwise they bite the bullet and rebuild Wallbridge which I think is not a realistic option. Now here is the real head scratcher, most of the Class 1's have now raised their shipping rates to push business away because they can't handle all the traffic. See what ripping-up main lines over the years has gotten them now!?