Louisville KY to Newark NJ route

[CPSK]

Hi;
I need some clarification on a train that struck and killed a man in Dumont NJ on Mon 10/14 at about 7:30AM.
The report I read in The Record (northjersey.com) stated that the train had originated in Louisville KY. That gave me the first impression that the train was traveling NOBO at the time of the incident. But later I read another article at the same website which stated that the train was carrying new automobiles to Newark NJ. So that changes the direction to SOBO. I am curious to know why a train traveling between KY and NJ would take the circuitous route via Selkirk NY when a more direct route via NS is the Lehigh line through Allentown PA.
Not knowing the train symbol, I don't know maybe this train makes a stop at Selkirk to drop off cars before continuing to Newark. Or maybe because CSX owns tracks from Louisville KY to Selkirk NY and not directly into NJ they prefer to use the longer route.
In any case, I did see an autorack train coming south into Teaneck very slowly at around 11:15AM or so, then it stopped clear of the CC boards for Ft. Lee rd ped xing in Bogota.
I figured something was up when I saw three more trains within a half hour period (two were only five minutes apart), and Monday is normally very slow on the River sub. I figured emergency track work, but now I know what the cause was.
They must have had trains parked in Nyack and Haverstraw until the track was re-opened at about 11AM.

I'm sure someone has the correct info on this incident, such as train symbol.

BTW: Latest report at northjersey.com states that Dumont cops have ruled the death a suicide. I figured that much. These incidents really get me going. I just wish those who decide that they want to take their own lives would do by in a victimless method, instead of messing up someone else's life. I feel for the train crews who have to bear witness to these crimes.

CP

[ExCon90]

If the shipper specified CSX routing it would have to move via CSX.

[mmi16]

CSX move CSX trains on CSX tracks - except in rare cases where trackage rights agreements exist with other foreign carriers.

This applies to all carriers. The operate their own trains on their own tracks.

[CPSK]

OK. So I learned something here. I am thinking of the "thru" trains like the UPS unit trains which operate from North Bergen NJ to LA and v/v, and other unit trains like the trash trains, and of course the ethanol trains, which mostly have non-csx power.

CP

[mmi16]

OK. So I learned something here. I am thinking of the "thru" trains like the UPS unit trains which operate from North Bergen NJ to LA and v/v, and other unit trains like the trash trains, and of course the ethanol trains, which mostly have non-csx power.

CP

Trains that operate on multiple carriers, such as the 'coast to coast' runs you mentioned are operated under 'RunThrough Agreements' between the carriers that participate in the move. Those agreements will specify how power is to be utilized and many other details that pertain to the movement, such as 1000 mile FRA required brake inspections etc. etc. etc.

Run Through power is likely to be from any carrier that meets the requirements of the run. (ATS Train Control, Cab Signals etc.) It is not unheard of to see any Class 1 carriers power on any other Class 1. NS power does show up on CSX and vice versa. BNSF power can show up on UP and vice versa. This can occur in multiple ways; most likely the 'neighbors' power show up in a run through from a 3rd carrier - ie a UP run through to CSX gets consisted at North Platte with NS power. When the train gets to CSX the NS power, for accounting purposes, will show up in the UP power account. Today's computer systems keep track of all the foreign power 'horsepower hours' and at the end of the accounting period checks do get cut on the net differences.

[CPSK]

OK. So I learned something here. I am thinking of the "thru" trains like the UPS unit trains which operate from North Bergen NJ to LA and v/v, and other unit trains like the trash trains, and of course the ethanol trains, which mostly have non-csx power.

CP

Trains that operate on multiple carriers, such as the 'coast to coast' runs you mentioned are operated under 'RunThrough Agreements' between the carriers that participate in the move. Those agreements will specify how power is to be utilized and many other details that pertain to the movement, such as 1000 mile FRA required brake inspections etc. etc. etc.

Run Through power is likely to be from any carrier that meets the requirements of the run. (ATS Train Control, Cab Signals etc.) It is not unheard of to see any Class 1 carriers power on any other Class 1. NS power does show up on CSX and vice versa. BNSF power can show up on UP and vice versa. This can occur in multiple ways; most likely the 'neighbors' power show up in a run through from a 3rd carrier - ie a UP run through to CSX gets consisted at North Platte with NS power. When the train gets to CSX the NS power, for accounting purposes, will show up in the UP power account. Today's computer systems keep track of all the foreign power 'horsepower hours' and at the end of the accounting period checks do get cut on the net differences.

I was also confused with geography, thinking that Louisville KY was farther east.

CP

[roberttosh]

On the surface, a CSX routing from the midwest/southwest to North Jersey via Selkirk seems roundabout vs the NS route straight across PA, but what you don't see on the map are the grades and to a lesser extent the curves. The CSX line isn't known as water level route for nothing and they can run trains with fewer locomotives at higher speeds, which allows them to be more than competitive vs the NS. The one advantage the NS route does have is more on-line business than CSX has, as most everything moving across NY on CSX is going beyond Selkirk to the Port of Albany, New England, NYC and North Jersey.

[CPSK]

On the surface, a CSX routing from the midwest/southwest to North Jersey via Selkirk seems roundabout vs the NS route straight across PA, but what you don't see on the map are the grades and to a lesser extent the curves. The CSX line isn't known as water level route for nothing and they can run trains with fewer locomotives at higher speeds, which allows them to be more than competitive vs the NS. The one advantage the NS route does have is more on-line business than CSX has, as most everything moving across NY on CSX is going beyond Selkirk to the Port of Albany, New England, NYC and North Jersey.

Just curious; when both the CSX and NS trackage was owned by Conrail, what route would a train from Louisville KY to Newark NJ take?

[roberttosh]

Louisville would have been a CSX or NS origin and the routing to Conrail would likely have been over Cincy. The former Pennsy main traditionally did not have multi-level clearances so almost certainly a Selkirk routing. Conrail ran Intermodal trains from points like Chicago and St Louis to North Jersey over both routes as transit times were similar.