• Nevada, IA - Spine Line trains - where are they going?

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in the American Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas. For questions specific to a railroad company, please seek the appropriate forum.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in the American Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas. For questions specific to a railroad company, please seek the appropriate forum.

Moderator: railohio

  by NoahDaBoa
 
I'm from near Nevada, IA, and I was wondering...

...how can I tell if a train headed north from Des Moines is going to continue to St. Paul, or switch onto the West-East main line?

It seems that most of the trains on the main line are either stacked intermodal or 100% tanks or 100% hoppers, while trains on the spine line are mixed freight.

Would a train that is 100% hoppers or tanks continue north to St Paul? Would a mixed freight possibly turn onto the main line...?

Thank you!