DPU trains (was Re: Thunder on Blue Ridge)

[NW Mailing List]

Several years there was a major fire in Chillicothe, Ohio, and hoses were
laid across NS tracks.  The dispatcher was very anxious to get the track
opened up, he said, "because you're delaying the UPS trailer train" (those
were probably not his exact words.)  It sounded as if the UPS train was a
high-priority train.

Bob McKell


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[mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 8:47 AM
To: 'NW Mailing List'
Subject: RE: DPU trains (was Re: Thunder on Blue Ridge)

Joe and Jimmy,

Thanks for your insights.  Every time I have seen a stack train it seemed to
be moving faster than other trains. I had assumed that terminal time would
be small on this segment, since Bristol is the only terminal and stack
trains are not switched there.  With regard to meets, I assume stack trains
are generally given priority and other trains would be "put in the hole" to
keep the stack trains moving. 

     Ray

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Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2011 11:40 PM
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: Re: DPU trains (was Re: Thunder on Blue Ridge)


Ray Smoot asked:

> It is about 130 miles from Jonesborough, TN to Christiansburg, VA. It took

> 202 about 7? hours to cover this space, or less than 20 mph. 


I figure it is about 150 track miles from Christiansburg to Jonesborough,
give or take. (7.5 Cburg to Walton, about 111 from Walton to the State Line
in Bristol, and ~31.5 to Jonesborough).

I actually photographed 202 at 12:05 in Christiansburg, so make it 5 and a
half hours (and less if Pete actually saw 23G, which was 30 minutes behind
202 at Christiansburg.

That makes it 27.5 mph (or maybe as high as 30).


> A truck would have covered this in about three hours.


And likely less on a purely interstate run.


> Is this typical of stack trains?


In mountainous areas with curves and grades.
They can probably complete better in flat areas.


Joe Shaw
Christiansburg, VA
http://www.krunk.org/
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