Mixed Trains in North America

[John_Perkowski]

Amtrak had mixed trains.

The Class Is said their charter included no freight.

The Class Is were right.

Amtrak hasn't had a mixed train since 2005 or so.

People want to GET TO THEIR DESTINATION. To be blunt, a mixed train in the 21st Century is a dog that won't hunt.

[R36 Combine Coach]

Amtrak had mixed trains.

Amtrak hasn't had a mixed train since 2005 or so.

The end was when the Three Rivers lost the hauling contracts along the route (2005). Much of the traffic was NYP/PHL-CHI bulk mail and LTL. Was there much LTL/bulk mail in Pittsburgh?

Gunn stated switching express freight cars and bulk mail was detrimental to OTP, held up schedules and added costs, cited as the reason for dropping such services.

There are still less-than-carload pallets in baggage cars. Apparently there are still some "contract shippers" shipping bulk each week in baggage cars. Wonder why they haven't switched to trucking yet.

[Gilbert B Norman]

IIRC, some of the last true "mixed" trains ran in Georgia until the late 1970's-early 1980's with typically one coach on the rear of a freight train. Trains magazine did an article on them in the 1980's right around the time they were withdrawn.

Mr. Hogger, HEAD vice rear; "been there done that" in this life.

Come on, you "do this stuff for a living"; would you want one hundred cars between you and the engines? Wonder why "latter day Cabeese" had seat belts?

[amtrakhogger]

Just putting a reference to anyone who is interested in reading up on mixed trains. I thought my comment was self explanatory.

[amtrakhogger]

IIRC, some of the last true "mixed" trains ran in Georgia until the late 1970's-early 1980's with typically one coach on the rear of a freight train. Trains magazine did an article on them in the 1980's right around the time they were withdrawn.

Mr. Hogger, HEAD vice rear; "been there done that" in this life.

Come on, you "do this stuff for a living"; would you want one hundred cars between you and the engines? Wonder why "latter day Cabeese" had seat belts?

Yes sir, been there an done that. I worked 41-40 N.Y.-PHL when it
was a “mixed” towards the end.

[DutchRailnut]

did it have passengers or was it just rider coach so train was not classified as freight train.

[Gilbert B Norman]

GARR handled revenue passengers until "the end" (some provision within the charter; the two guys I knew the knew the details are now deceased). When I rode circa '74, with about three other guys (yes I DID actively railfan once upon a time), the Conductor carefully, completely, and legibly, prepared our cash receipts - no shortcuts such as a party ticket.

[ConstanceR46]

Forgot to reply, R36 - TRT currently is semi-isolated - physically, yes, but the 3 networks (it, wabush and QNSL) are served by CN rail ferry to the mainland.

[BandA]

Doesn't the Alaska railroad run mixed trains? Anyway, I can't think of anybody that wants to ride a slow train (outside of a tourist train or museum), but I can think of lots of packages that want to be delivered faster. Using automation or robots to load/unload the freight at the passenger terminals without disturbing the humans.

[bdawe]

Doesn't the Alaska railroad run mixed trains? Anyway, I can't think of anybody that wants to ride a slow train (outside of a tourist train or museum), but I can think of lots of packages that want to be delivered faster. Using automation or robots to load/unload the freight at the passenger terminals without disturbing the humans.

why would anywhere so quiet that it only could justify a mixed train justify a special robotic train unloading machine? It's the same reason that you see only one or two intermodal loading facilities in a given major metropolitan area, rather than one in every town.

[R36 Combine Coach]

Using automation or robots to load/unload the freight at the passenger terminals without disturbing the humans.

The closest I can think of with minimal loading impact is Amtrak Express (palletized LCL) in baggage cars.

[Pensyfan19]

Not counting the well known railroads such as the Southern, Rock Island and Rio Grande who continued passenger service after the formation of Antrak, I have also found that a shortline named the Moscow, Camden, and St. Augustine Railroad ran mixed trains until 1973. Does anyone know of other, smaller American railroads like this who operated regularly scheduled passenger and mixed trains after the formation of Amtrak?

[NHV 669]

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/ ... 11,3516803