Intermodal to Saint John

MaineRailfan, coming from someone who lives in McAdam, you may want to get a better NBSR "source" as far as what has been done and is planned for here. Many of your comments are well off the mark.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2024 9:32 pm 120 (Aug 01) was into Greenville Jct. at 17:58 with CP 8814/CP 8121, 73 mixed freight (8 loaded autoracks), 2 wells/3 containers, CP 8126 (DPU), 16 wells/25 containers, 57 empty wells.

Even if Saint Elwood and his Disciples never visited either CP or KCS, Bill Ackman did.

Now that both have departed the rail scene (one "Dearly"), might two trains be considered? The plant is there and promise of better working conditions might mean more are willing to disrupt their lives for the high pay, such could result in better customer service (the mills figure the "Gypsy Truckers" hit the road when we want them to - and they're not too worried about their logbooks) and more efficient train handling.

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 09:27 with CP 8126/CP 8121, 15 mixed freight, 64 wells/143 containers, CP 8814 (DPU), 90 wells/194 containers.

[Edited at 17:07]

120 was into Greenville Jct. at 16:16 with KCSM 4731/KCS 4174/CP 2261, 16 GREX belt train cars, 44 mixed freight (5 loaded autoracks), 51 wells/59 containers, 38 empty wells.

CPF66 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:38 am

MaineRailfan wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 7:25 am 121 was on at 07:30 today. Wednesday NBSR 121 had engine issues on the way to McAdam and didn't make the border. EMR 120 was late getting out of Brownville Junction and only made it to either Bancroft or Danforth before they needed a recrew.

Engine issues with the SD70M-2's, that's a huge surprise (not). They have a nice storage line at Saint John from photos I have seen. It looked like most of the ones from 6407-6415 are dead right now, not so much stored considering MNR is struggling for power on the jobs between Millinocket and Squapan. Some of the dead units they have there have only been on the property a few months. Pretty much they have had issues with them from day 1.

Aside from 6401-6406 which have been somewhat reliable, the other 12 have been lemons which why they ever decided to go with SD70M-2's given the history they have of being turds, confuses me. They would have been better off going with 70M's, 70MAC's, the SD60's CMQ had at Derby, or just about any other type of locomotive out there.

I happened to look through readily available videos and pictures and noted that all SD70M-2s have been in service through the aforementioned time period and up until this posting. The only unit that hasn't been seen since January is the 6402, which may just be up north. Further, no one else has mentioned any sort of 'dead line' or issues with the 70s.

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 07:38 with KCSM 4731/CP 2261, 31 wells/52 containers, 16 mixed freight, KCS 4174 (DPU), 51 mixed freight.

CN9634 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 02, 2024 8:04 pm

CPF66 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:38 am

MaineRailfan wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 7:25 am 121 was on at 07:30 today. Wednesday NBSR 121 had engine issues on the way to McAdam and didn't make the border. EMR 120 was late getting out of Brownville Junction and only made it to either Bancroft or Danforth before they needed a recrew.

Engine issues with the SD70M-2's, that's a huge surprise (not). They have a nice storage line at Saint John from photos I have seen. It looked like most of the ones from 6407-6415 are dead right now, not so much stored considering MNR is struggling for power on the jobs between Millinocket and Squapan. Some of the dead units they have there have only been on the property a few months. Pretty much they have had issues with them from day 1.

Aside from 6401-6406 which have been somewhat reliable, the other 12 have been lemons which why they ever decided to go with SD70M-2's given the history they have of being turds, confuses me. They would have been better off going with 70M's, 70MAC's, the SD60's CMQ had at Derby, or just about any other type of locomotive out there.

I happened to look through readily available videos and pictures and noted that all SD70M-2s have been in service through the aforementioned time period and up until this posting. The only unit that hasn't been seen since January is the 6402, which may just be up north. Further, no one else has mentioned any sort of 'dead line' or issues with the 70s.

My understanding is they kept one unit aside (as planned) for a quick parts source.

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 07:49 with CP 8126/CP 2240, 11 mixed freight, 70 wells/116 containers, CP 8121 (DPU), 44 wells/87 containers, 16 empty autoracks, 16 GREX ballast conveyor cars.

120 went by Greenville Webcam about 2030 last night

Another late 120 passing the Webcam at 0115... supposedly lack of crews contributing to the late trains of recent. Twice in a row the trains met at Gould siding due to this.

120 was into Greenville Jct. at 01:15 with CP 7001/KCSM 4741, 19 wells/35 containers, 22 mixed freight (2 loaded autoracks), 86 empty wells.

[Edited at 12:04]

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 10:43 with KCSM 4741/CP 7001/CP 3015 and 56 mixed freight. No intermodal.

120 was into Greenville Jct. at 09:47 with CP 8126/NS 7712/CP 2240, 77 wells/98 containers, one empty well, 25 mixed freight (19 loaded autoracks), CP 8121 (DPU), 111 empty wells.

No 121 today.

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 01:06 with 8121/NS 7712, 103 wells/183 containers, 8126 (DPU), 101 wells/215 containers.

CP is trying to recover the regular schedule and will be going back to 7 days

120 was into Greenville Jct. at 20:10 with CP 8150/CP 8704, 40 mixed freight (11 loaded autoracks), 21 wells/35 containers, 50 empty wells.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Even if Saint Elwood and his Disciples never visited either CP or KCS, Bill Ackman did.

Now that both have departed the rail scene (one "Dearly"), might two trains be considered? The plant is there and promise of better working conditions might mean more are willing to disrupt their lives for the high pay, such could result in better customer service (the mills figure the "Gypsy Truckers" hit the road when we want them to - and they're not too worried about their logbooks) and more efficient train handling.

Mr. Norman, Saint Elwood indeed visited CP 2012-17 and his disciple continues there, as did one at KCS and as do others at CN, UP, CSX and now NS.

When considering notions surrounding customer service, working conditions and efficiency more fully against what the markets served demand, the widespread nature of our labor shortages, and in considering efficiency in train size vs. train starts, also important to note that on the 5 most recent eastbound trains generously reported by Mr. NHV a very low ~24% of well capacity was in revenue use. These are continuing indications of an inefficient, financially-challenging imbalance in an intermodal market unlikely to exist, at least in its fullness and toward potential, without the extent of CPKC's participation made possible by Saint Elwood and his disciple's gospel practice among earthly imperfection.