Paul,
The schedules were arranged that way so that the trains
COULD be combined.
Freight trains, unlike passenger trains, only run when there is
traffic to move. I will acknowledge that at one time, say the
50's that the pattern, as it was set up, was usually followed.
By the late 60's most roads had realized that adhering to a
strict schedules and handling excess traffic on extras was
neither cost effective nor did it fulfill customer expectations.
Using the examples below:
#163 & #165 were almost always combined.
#63 & #65 most days would run separate.
On days when the TOFC and Forwarder traffic was light,
(usually Monday and Tuesday), they may have run only
one or two trains on these four schedules. On Friday and
Saturday it would be more normal to run three.
This was the start of the "micro managed" railroad that we
have today. Now there are dozens of "schedules" between
Cicero and Galesburg or Northtown and the schedules are
used on the basis of traffic patterns. A particular train may
only run once a month or some other schedule might be used
three times in one day.
If you are looking at realistically modeling traffic patterns then
the day of the week, what month it is, and how robust the
economy is all have to be factored in.
I talk too much for this list. Contact me off list if you have more
questions.
Russ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul/Celine Kossart" <kozys@t...>
To: <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, 26 September, 2002 16:56
Subject: [BRHSlist] CB&Q Freight Train Info Needed
> Hello all,
>
> In attempting to research the traffic movements of the 'Q in late 1969, it
> seems I am generating more questions than answers at times. The following
> questions regards freight train makeup in that time period. PLEASE NOTE -
> The train numbers referred to are those assigned during the system wide
> re-numbering of October, 1968, and my information comes from the Society's
> book of "Operating Data Sheets" which came out a couple years back.
>
> In general, I have learned that some individual east bound trains (I'm
> referencing freight trains here) became combined into a single train at
> some point on their journey towards Chicago. Conversely, I have also
> discovered that some single, but combined trains heading westbound (I'm
> thinking passenger here, now) get split up at say, Galesburg, into their
> individual and separate trains - I suppose one example would be the
> combined Nebraska/KC Zephyrs.
>
> Keeping that in mind, my question at this time specifically refers to
> FREIGHT trains heading west. Please feel free to correct me here as
> accuracy is what I am after.
>
> The data sheets show Train #163 (aka the "Advance CD") leaving Chicago at
6
> am and arriving Galesburg at 9:05 am. AND Train #165 (aka the "Advance
> CGI") leaving Chicago at 6 am and arriving Galesburg at 9:05 am. The
point
> being, the departure and arrival times for each train are exactly the
same!
>
> Similarly, the data sheets show Train #63 (aka the "CD") leaving Chicago
at
> 10:30 am and arriving Galesburg at 1:35 pm. AND Train #65 (aka the
> "CGI") leaving Chicago and arriving Galesburg, again at the same times!
>
> So here is my question (actually two 8^D) :
>
> Were Train #163 (aka the "Advance CD") and Train #165 (aka the "Advance
> CGI") COMBINED into ONE TRAIN leaving Chicago, and then split into the two
> individual trains at Galesburg or somewhere west of there?
>
> AND
>
> Were Train #63 (aka the "CD") and Train #65 (aka the "CGI") COMBINED into
> ONE TRAIN leaving
> Chicago, and then split into the two individual trains at Galesburg or
> somewhere west of there?
>
> Thanks AGAIN for any and all replies.
>
> Paul Kossart - Peru, Illinois, USA
> Modeling the CB&Q & fictional Illiniwek River Valley area in the 1960's.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> "Serving Agriculture and Industry in the Illiniwek River Valley since
1904."
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
|