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Re: A reason to keep CORP Siskiyou Line functioning!
Author: Trax
Date: 01-21-2008 - 19:36
Goatboat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WAF Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Back in the SP days, omly 50 foot XM boxcars
> and
> > bulkhead and regular flat cars were allowed
> south
> > of Medford. Today's cars are too tall for the
> > Siskiyou Line. Also the locomotives present a
> > problem too with their flares
>
>
> In a way, the Cascade slide is another nail in the
> coffin for the south end of the Siskiyou line. If
> the clearances weren't such an issue, I suspect
> that UP would probably be running a few detour
> trains each day on the Siskiyou, somewhat like the
> 1997 Modoc detours. Since the Siskiyou does not
> have the clearances for 'normal' train operations,
> it is useless as a detour route. Clearly, it
> isn't worthwhile for UP to mess around building a
> detour train of freight cars that will fit through
> the Siskiyous. Throw in the fact that the south
> end of the Siskiyou isn't economic for the
> remaining on-line traffic, and there isn't much
> reason to keep it in place.
Good points, Greg. CORP could never handle a "normal" UP train. Back in the SP era, when was the last time a train was rerouted over the Siskiyou when the Cascade was blocked -- 70's??
However, the UP did approach CORP about rerouting over the Siskiyou this time. But, after CORP explained the requirements: nothing bigger than a non-flared SD-70 (no GE's!) and Plate C cars, (plus needing a CORP engineer on board) the decision was made to reroute via Ogden. Of course if the slide issue drags on AND UP sorts out the smaller northbound empties AND lines up some smaller power...who knows. Any thing's possible, though not necessarily probable.
Larry Tuttle
-------------------------------------------------------
> WAF Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Back in the SP days, omly 50 foot XM boxcars
> and
> > bulkhead and regular flat cars were allowed
> south
> > of Medford. Today's cars are too tall for the
> > Siskiyou Line. Also the locomotives present a
> > problem too with their flares
>
>
> In a way, the Cascade slide is another nail in the
> coffin for the south end of the Siskiyou line. If
> the clearances weren't such an issue, I suspect
> that UP would probably be running a few detour
> trains each day on the Siskiyou, somewhat like the
> 1997 Modoc detours. Since the Siskiyou does not
> have the clearances for 'normal' train operations,
> it is useless as a detour route. Clearly, it
> isn't worthwhile for UP to mess around building a
> detour train of freight cars that will fit through
> the Siskiyous. Throw in the fact that the south
> end of the Siskiyou isn't economic for the
> remaining on-line traffic, and there isn't much
> reason to keep it in place.
Good points, Greg. CORP could never handle a "normal" UP train. Back in the SP era, when was the last time a train was rerouted over the Siskiyou when the Cascade was blocked -- 70's??
However, the UP did approach CORP about rerouting over the Siskiyou this time. But, after CORP explained the requirements: nothing bigger than a non-flared SD-70 (no GE's!) and Plate C cars, (plus needing a CORP engineer on board) the decision was made to reroute via Ogden. Of course if the slide issue drags on AND UP sorts out the smaller northbound empties AND lines up some smaller power...who knows. Any thing's possible, though not necessarily probable.
Larry Tuttle
