CSX Operations?

I live in Illinois not to far from a CSX Line. I do occassionally hear Trains on the rails call into the dispatcher with ID's like UP 786, and BNSF 686, Does CSX have an agreement for these trains to operate on their line or do they just keep the ID's of the trains if they were purchased from other lines? The specific line I am speaking of runs the length of IL East to West near US Rt 50. I know UP does have a line in Salem,IL where it intersects or crosses somehow the CSX line and I believe near ODIN the BNSF lines crosses. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

That could be CSX's own line. If it's what I'm thinking, it may be the "St. Louis Line"--former Conrail line they (CSX) inherited after the merger. Ends in East St. Louis, Illinois and goes east to Indianapolis, IN and points further east.

Hope that helps.

but they call their engines with ID's like UP and BNSF? Or are these UP and BNSF engines using the lines to go east?

This is the East St. Louis to Vincennes,IN line which passes, Meyer, Aviston, Breeze, Odin, Iuka, Flora, Olney, Bridgeport, Beeman Blocks

sometimes, trains just call their engine and unit #

i have heard on the Boston and Albany:

"CSX engine 671, westbound lite w/ 7 engines dead in tow"

That was my question, I wasn't sure if it was an old UP engine so they kept the ID or if UP was using the line

cifn2 wrote:That was my question, I wasn't sure if it was an old UP engine so they kept the ID or if UP was using the line

It's neither. CSX is simply using UP and BNSF power in run-through agreements.

or rather UP and BNSF operating on trackage owned by CSX lol

UP and BNSF on CSX?? Thats fishy. However, I have to say I have seen 2 3 BNSFs, 1 Ex- SF, and 2 EX-UP running on CSX trackage. Even tough they are far from their home road, do rented Locos have a mile boundry?? Such as 10 miles.... 100 miles...

James,

Its called LEASING.

Good Day.

charlie6017 wrote:That could be CSX's own line. If it's what I'm thinking, it may be the "St. Louis Line"--former Conrail line they (CSX) inherited after the merger. Ends in East St. Louis, Illinois and goes east to Indianapolis, IN and points further east.

Hope that helps.

The line you're speaking of is the former PRR line. There's an interlocker at Effingham, IL. for this line, CSX and the IC. The line he's referring to is further south. Forgot to add that this may be the old L&N?

It has become somewhat of a common practice to keep the same units on long-distance run-through trains. So, these "foreign" locomotive units, such as BNSF, UP, etc. proceed on CSX rails as the lead unit of the train, usually all of the way to its destination.
Of course, the engineer / conductor reports the train and locomotive # when approaching key signals, interlockings, junctions, etc.

In an effort not to be confusing about locomotive numbers, the radio report "Train U26-26; engine UP 5214, northbound, Folkston Turnouts" is given. This is done to avoid confusion, since CSX also has a 5214 locomotive unit.

Sometimes, a CSX terminal may be short-handed on CSX locomotive units, and if a "foreign" locomotive unit is available, it will be assigned to a CSX short or medium distance run.

These locomotives are not leased, they are "borrowed" on a short term basis, with a record of the horsepower usage by the hour being recorded while on CSX, with CSX locomotive units being used on UP, with similar time-use records being kept.

Nothing "fishy" about it. Just good common sense judgement. It's not indicative of some "take-over" plan or operation at all. If that were so, then at least 10 different railroads are going to take over CSX or vice versa! Because I've seen lots of FerroMex, KCS, CP, CN, BNSF, UP, IC, QNSL and other railroads' units roaming on CSX as far southeast as Florida!

CSX also leases locomotive units from commercial leasors such as Helm Financial (HLCX, HATX, etc.), CIT Group (CEFX), and other companies.

ACLfan

drove through the Salem,IL UP yard today, found a UP engine pulling 2 CSX engines with some cars, also saw a UP engine, and also a NS or 2

So far ACLfan is the only other person here to have a grasp on reality...

General Code of Operating Rules
Rule 5.11 Engine Identifying Number

Trains will be identified by initials and engine number, adding the direction when required. When an engine consists of more than one unit or when two or more engines are coupled, the number of one unit only will be illuminated as the identifying number. When practical, use the leading unit.
===

I don't have a copy of an NS or CSX rulebook, since we don't really have a need for those here. However, they will almost certainly have similar practices en force.

As for why the units are there, any number of reasons. Power-by-the-hour, power-payback, run through agreements, leases, so-called "pool power", etc....

Welcome to the 21st century. Been here long?

jg greenwood wrote:The line you're speaking of is the former PRR line. There's an interlocker at Effingham, IL. for this line, CSX and the IC. The line he's referring to is further south. Forgot to add that this may be the old L&N?

You're right. It was originally PRR, then became Penn Central, then Conrail, and finally CSX. I remember my dad worked up in Vandalia back in about 1994-1995 (when it was still Conrail) at a business that had the main run just behind it. On occasion he would bring me up there on a Saturday, and when a train would come I would run out back to the tracks and watch a train with full CR power run by. Oh those were the days!

Too bad I didn't have a camera with me back then.... My ten-year-old heart would just race seeing those Conrail trains.