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  • Noticed strange traffic patterns this weekend

  • Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.
Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.

Moderator: MBTA F40PH-2C 1050

 #1133628  by ctclark1
 
Weekend of 1/12 and 1/13 it seems that traffic patterns have been extremely odd on the Rochester Sub through NY - Saturday it seemed to be an overabundance of trains headed eastbound, one right after another for quite a while, spaced about a block apart it seems, from the timing of them... I noticed a lot of them seemed to by double stack containers... Not so out of the ordinary overall, could just be explained by a backup in Buffalo or something...

But then today its almost the same - perhaps a little bigger spacing, but also stranger consists - at least two of them have been COFC/TOFC (not well cars, so single stack which seems odd for container trains through here) and another oddball about 15 minutes ago with COFCs as well, but they were all old looking dark blue 20ft containers, some of which appeared to be half-height unlike any containers I've ever seen.
Additionally from the power being used, it almost looks like they're dredging up all the power they can find for these trains, a bunch of low hood units (SD40/45 shaped units) as opposed to the majority of "cab" units (AC44/SD70 shape) I usually see out my window - I didn't catch specifics on most of them (though I did just see CSX 1 go by as a third unit if that helps identify the train).

Am I over analyzing/over thinking things here? Its looking like there is a pretty big backlog of traffic to be moved this weekend or even a major relocation of equipment - mixed in with the traffic have been a number trains full of cars that look as though they've been sitting on a storage siding somewhere for years (all of same type, worn paint/rust, graffiti - more so than your typical freight with some graffiti here and there)
 #1133987  by sd80mac
 
ctclark1 wrote:Weekend of 1/12 and 1/13 it seems that traffic patterns have been extremely odd on the Rochester Sub through NY - Saturday it seemed to be an overabundance of trains headed eastbound, one right after another for quite a while, spaced about a block apart it seems, from the timing of them... I noticed a lot of them seemed to by double stack containers... Not so out of the ordinary overall, could just be explained by a backup in Buffalo or something...

But then today its almost the same - perhaps a little bigger spacing, but also stranger consists - at least two of them have been COFC/TOFC (not well cars, so single stack which seems odd for container trains through here) and another oddball about 15 minutes ago with COFCs as well, but they were all old looking dark blue 20ft containers, some of which appeared to be half-height unlike any containers I've ever seen.
Additionally from the power being used, it almost looks like they're dredging up all the power they can find for these trains, a bunch of low hood units (SD40/45 shaped units) as opposed to the majority of "cab" units (AC44/SD70 shape) I usually see out my window - I didn't catch specifics on most of them (though I did just see CSX 1 go by as a third unit if that helps identify the train).

Am I over analyzing/over thinking things here? Its looking like there is a pretty big backlog of traffic to be moved this weekend or even a major relocation of equipment - mixed in with the traffic have been a number trains full of cars that look as though they've been sitting on a storage siding somewhere for years (all of same type, worn paint/rust, graffiti - more so than your typical freight with some graffiti here and there)


Was DEAD west of Batavia from 3pm to 4pm on sat... I got to Frontier yard at 4 and 2 EB trains were waiting to leave. 2 EB showed up but these 4 haven't left yard when i left at about 415....
 #1134076  by ctclark1
 
There were downtimes, but there did seem to be more traffic than normal (along with the stranger consists I mentioned). The bigger thing I noticed was that it was definitely bunched up more than normal, so between the two is why I asked.
 #1134079  by sd80mac
 
ctclark1 wrote:There were downtimes, but there did seem to be more traffic than normal (along with the stranger consists I mentioned). The bigger thing I noticed was that it was definitely bunched up more than normal, so between the two is why I asked.

a lot of them run in a bunch of packs... it could be 2, 3, 4, or more.. I had 6, 7, and 8 in a pack once a while. I guess that u just happened to be in right spot to see the pack where following trains caught up with slow leading one, even the intermodel as leading.