Willow Springs Intermodal Facility

Hello railroad.net,

I have a few questions about operations at the Willow Springs Intermodal facility. I am very curious to know what time westbound trains are scheduled to depart, like for example, the san bernadino trains, and North Bay train/trains. I stay along the Transcon a lot in illinois and the WB's normally come through at about the same time, and I want to know where these trains are headed. secondly, how often (what days) do second and third schedules run for a single destination (like san berdoo) and what time do they depart.

I try to identify trains by what type of trailers their hauling. I am pretty sure that the San Bernadino trains are the only WB Z-trains that don't normally haul UPS traffic. Is that correct?

Can anybody help me out here? I have tried other forums and didn't get any real answer.

Thanks very much in advance,
Tyler

normally UPS trains leave early in the morning....at least thats how it works on CSX. they are the first thing out on the railroad cause they have the highest priority.

lakeshoredave wrote:normally UPS trains leave early in the morning....at least thats how it works on CSX. they are the first thing out on the railroad cause they have the highest priority.

Interesting theory, but I wonder if the first train out on the transcon isn't also the last train out from the day before; the place is busy!

Ill look it up for you. I work the Chicago Div and am in the pool going that way.
The only Z train I care about is the Denver( the only one us lowly Galesburg boys get) cause its a nice quick ride across once you get out of Corwith past Nerska into Willow lol you get the point?

Busy is an understatement! I have dropped off the Eastbound Denver and had the last set of trailers stripped off before we got the crossing split! then by the time I had fred back on the containers the last trailer had been off and picked up by a UPS tractor.Place is a madhouse.

Most of the time ( i say this cause derailments, service failures etc can screw it up) every train out of Willow is on a schedule. Like the Denver, they know it will be in sometime between 9 am and noon and out from 1400 to 1600 usually. This is subject to change though check local listings.

Thanks a lot route rock. Theres usually a 1 or 2 WB pigs through Toluca between 3-5pm. And theres always a whole slew of incoming EB's in the morning. Does the Denver train usually handle containers as well as trailers? or is it solid trailers. This would help me identify it. Would you say it carries a lot of UPS, usually?

If you could find out info for the other trains that would be great and you will make trainwatching much more meaningful for me. Thanks!

Few more things. The Denver train takes the Cameron connection, correct? Wheres Nerska? Is it a real clog point or something?

I know Willow Springs is shipping UPS all day, because some of the evening trains are packed with thier trailers. The 7pm train through Toluca is always loaded, and I think this is the L.A. train. About 90% sure. Maybe route rock knows...!

Tyler

In answer to the Den mostly its trailers.I have had a lot of UPS on some others its a toss up.
Still looking up the other info ( go figure) Ihave a few friends that run out of Ft Mad. that are going to clue me in.
Yes the Z Denver goes by way of the Cameron connection, we either stop on the connection or 1850. This is where a Ottumwa sub crew hops on and rides across to Creston. This is on of their favorite trains coming east ( a pretty quick ride through the night)
Nerska is the armpit of the world.You sit and wait,and wait,and wait,and........well you get the picture. Supposedly we have control of the tower there but you could have fooled me. CN likes to run their trains making doubles over it ( always while I am waiting to get across).
I think your on the money on the 7 pm. But it could be going elsewhere.Most seem destined to the west coast. Have a few for Tex as well.

route rock,

I am leaving at the end of this week for a little railfan adventure. Do you find out anything else about willow springs? If not, you have already been a real help. Thanks

I hear traffic is really down on the BNSF. Are train counts significantly lower than usual through galesburg, or is this on other parts of the system?

Tyler

Havent found out much more. Slow is an understatement. DOnt understand why we are slow and Shortlines near by are hammering trains out and begging for help ( could be they know how to railroad )

Enjoy your trip!

After more than a year of trying to piece together these schedules I think I finally have most of them down. These times are through Toluca IL and are rough estimates.

1. 2am WSPRIC - pretty short as of late. mostly ups trailers and dom. stacks.

2. 5am WSPSTO9 - usually solid trailers with no ups.

3. 7am WSPKCK - short train with i/e and dom. cont. usually and the trailers are mostly ups. Only run on weekdays.

4. 11am NYCLAC - usually solid trailers Fri, sat, and sun. Smaller earlier in week with i/e and dom. cont. A few to no ups on this train, contrary to my prior belief.

5. 1pm WSPNBY - Mon, tue, and wed is solid ups trailers, roughly 50 or so. Thur - Sun is solid trailers with moderate amounts of ups.

6. 3pm WSPSBD1 - most days is mostly dom. containers. A few ups on some days, but not normally.

7. 4-5pm WSPALT1 - dom. stacks up front followed by ups, ltl, ftl trailers. Only run Mon - Fri. Not sure about this one. Either this or the CHIDEN.

8. 7pm WSPLAC - usually solid trailers packed with ups.

9. 8-9pm WSPALT2 very similar to first section, but run daily. Solid pigs sometimes later in the week.

10. 9-10pm CHIDEN - typical Z with dom. stacks up front, usually. Sometimes i/e containers too.

11. 10-11pm CHIPHX - lots dom. stacks, ups.

12. 11-12pm WSPSBD2 - no ups, much like the first section, but not normally as much stacks. I am thinking that this train runs as WSPSBD9 earlier in the week. I caught it running with 140+ trailers once on a Wednesday. I don't normally see them that big that early in the week.

These are only the trains I know of. Some extras may run occasionally, but these ones you can count on pretty regularly.

If anybody here knows these are wrong please let me know. Those late night trains may be a little out of order. I am confused with the DEN train. It doesn't only run Mon - Fri does it? I know the ALT1 does. Thats what is confusing me here.

t.winks wrote:I know Willow Springs is shipping UPS all day, because some of the evening trains are packed with thier trailers. The 7pm train through Toluca is always loaded, and I think this is the L.A. train. About 90% sure. Maybe route rock knows...!

Tyler

Ok. Thanks for the info. just wondering, why is it always loaded?