Intermodal to Saint John

I saw the shadow of the NBSR 121 (I think) on the McAdam webcam last night. They haven't got the cam aimed properly yet, but It passed about 21:30 AST and it took over 10 minutes to go by.

120 was into Greenville Jct. at 07:54 with CP 8173/CP 8126/CP 2280, 13 mixed freight (12 loaded autoracks), 18 wells/30 containers, 72 empty wells.

Outbound 121 crew coming OD 1630, should get on and go pretty quickly.

120 due in later this evening.

NBSR 907 ran today, not sure if or when a 908 will go.

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 18:35 with CP 8126/CP 2240, 5 MoW hoppers, 67 wells/120 containers, CP 8173 (DPU), 68 wells/131 containers, 7 empty autoracks.

Mr. Norman will appreciate the hopper on the headpin:

Duly noted, Mr. NHV

The second 120 mentioned earlier by Mr. Hastings was into Greenville Jct. at 03:42 with a CP/KCS lead combo, 47 mixed freight, 34 wells/65 containers, 79 empty wells.
The H/W is apparently being dropped at Dysarts siding in Hermon.

CSX geo train will be scanning to Saint John the end of this week.

Mr. CPF, do you think that Chessie will pour her Fancy Feast into fixing up Mr. Irving's road?

Why would they? It's not their line to worry about.... The Geo train heading up that way sounds odd to begin with.

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 12:15 with CP 7001/CP 3015, 13 mixed freight, 29 wells/50 containers, KCSM 4064 (DPU), 57 wells/110 containers.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2024 12:17 pm Why would they? It's not their line to worry about.... The Geo train heading up that way sounds odd to begin with.

121 was into Greenville Jct. at 12:15 with CP 7001/CP 3015, 13 mixed freight, 29 wells/50 containers, KCSM 4064 (DPU), 57 wells/110 containers.

CN has gone across that stretch a couple of times in the last couple of years. I am guessing Irving pays for that service. I don't think they have their own equipment to do it. Maybe CSX was the low bidder this time. I don't know how much this comes into play, but CSX might like to know the condition of that track if they are going to rely on it in future.

That possibility makes sense, also given the likelihood that Irving does not own such equipment. The idea of CSXT paying to fix NBR track does not.

120 was into Greenville Jct. at 04:53 with a CP/KCS/CP power combo, 64 mixed freight (6 loaded autoracks), 6 loaded side dumps, 38 wells/69 containers, 45 empty wells.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2024 7:03 pm That possibility makes sense, also given the likelihood that Irving does not own such equipment. The idea of CSXT paying to fix NBR track does not.

It sounds like a couple of cranes are going to be added at the port this fall. They are likely coming from New Jersey (not Prince Rupert, as was expected) and will be the largest in the port to date. If anybody sees big blue and white cranes in New Jersey with DP World logos, that might be what we're expecting.

By the sound of things, Maersk and Hapag are going to add significant volumes, and possibly even before next February. Irving might need some help on this.

I am speculating here, but Irving may ask CSX to run through to Saint John until they can get sized up to handle this - if CSX is actually ready to take any of this business.

A lot of speculation based on a Geo train making a borrowed run over a neighboring shortline. For those interested, both the CN and CP geo trains have run over not just Irving lines, but other regional shortlines (SLR, CMQ/MMA, ect) for the better part of the last 20 years.

While there is no doubt a new and important relationship between Irving and CSX that will unfold over the next few years, the use of the CSX geo over Irving lines may be simply the result of availability and a phone call. CSX still has a lot of work ahead on its New England lines, and surely someday we'll see port traffic flow that way but for now I wouldn't go too overboard on the speculation.

Hearing likewise on the PSJ front, they were hoping to have the two new cranes after AIM was figured out (hearing that they'll be leaving next year) since I think they need a bit of space to manuver, but with more traffic coming they'll definitely need them to efficiently work ships and keep things moving.

What I haven't seen much of, and hoping it is coming, is more surface based equipment such as overhead gantry cranes and straddle carriers. Building 10000 foot trains on a daily basis (and conversely deconstructing the inbound) needs to be a priority as to not simply push the bottleneck elsewhere, and shifting 120/121 to Bay Shore as a strict run through Ponderosa should be implemented as well.

If NBSR comes up short on locos, I'm sure CPKC will come through in a pinch as they did a few years back, but labor also is going to need to be beefed up. All in all, I don't think there are any surprises here, PSJ has capacity to sell and they are doing so according to plan. Let's see now if all the cogs of the machine can keep up.

CN9634 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 14, 2024 8:30 am A lot of speculation based on a Geo train making a borrowed run over a neighboring shortline. For those interested, both the CN and CP geo trains have run over not just Irving lines, but other regional shortlines (SLR, CMQ/MMA, ect) for the better part of the last 20 years.

While there is no doubt a new and important relationship between Irving and CSX that will unfold over the next few years, the use of the CSX geo over Irving lines may be simply the result of availability and a phone call. CSX still has a lot of work ahead on its New England lines, and surely someday we'll see port traffic flow that way but for now I wouldn't go too overboard on the speculation.

Hearing likewise on the PSJ front, they were hoping to have the two new cranes after AIM was figured out (hearing that they'll be leaving next year) since I think they need a bit of space to manuver, but with more traffic coming they'll definitely need them to efficiently work ships and keep things moving.

What I haven't seen much of, and hoping it is coming, is more surface based equipment such as overhead gantry cranes and straddle carriers. Building 10000 foot trains on a daily basis (and conversely deconstructing the inbound) needs to be a priority as to not simply push the bottleneck elsewhere, and shifting 120/121 to Bay Shore as a strict run through Ponderosa should be implemented as well.

If NBSR comes up short on locos, I'm sure CPKC will come through in a pinch as they did a few years back, but labor also is going to need to be beefed up. All in all, I don't think there are any surprises here, PSJ has capacity to sell and they are doing so according to plan. Let's see now if all the cogs of the machine can keep up.

My comment "based on a Geo train making a borrowed run over a neighboring shortline" was something to the effect of CSX having the low bid.

My speculative comment was not "based on a Geo train making a borrowed run over a neighboring shortline"