Let me take this time to explain to you folks about the symbols of railroads back in the 90's: SANTA FE: For these guys in the 90's, Santa Fe had quite an interesting system for assigning numbers to their trains. They indicate to where the train originated with the FIRST number, reference to the trains priority with the SECOND number, and refer the trains destination with the THIRD number. At the same time, a number digit before the THREE number symbol would indicate the trains section of it's schedule with 1 as the FIRST, 2 as the SECOND, and 3 as an UNSCHEDULED EXTRA that's runs on an AS NEEDED basis : 1: Chicgao Area 2: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana(VIA CONRAIL CONNECTION AT STREATOR IL) 3: Kansas City 4: Colorado, Kansas, & Oklahoma 5: East Texas 6: West Texas(VIA BURLINGTON NORTHERN CONNECTION AT AVARD OK) 7: New Mexico & Arizona 8: Southern California 9: Northern California For intermodal & manifest/General merchandise freights a #1 would indicate a LOW Priority train while a #9 indicate a HOT high priority train. Then in September 1993, Santa Fe switched to an alphabetical train symbol and while most of all their fleet of trains went to this change, the HOT PRIORITY intermodal trains kept their numerical symbols all the up to and even after the merger with Burlington Northern in September 1995. Those symbol changes come as the following: INTERMODAL Q: Guaranteed Time Sensitive Service P: Priority T: Standard S: Double Stacks or Single Customer Service B: Baretable Trains MANIFEST/GENERAL MERCHANDISE Q: Guaranteed Time Sensitive Service H: Priority Manifest M: Standard Manifest V: Vehicle/Autorack trains U: Unit trains(Potash, Coil Steel, Military Equipment) C: Coal Trains G: Grain Trains L: Local Frieghts Y: Yard Jobs Z: Light Engines(POWER MOVE) F: Foreign Trains From Other Railroads PASSENGER/BUSINESS SPECIALS O: Office Car/Passenger Extra At this same time, Origination & Destination points for trains would start with the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters depending. BURLINGTON NORTHERN: The Burlington Northern mainly kept their numerical symbols all the way to and past the 1995 merger before switching to alphabetical codes in 1997 1-99: Intermodal trains 100-200: Manifest/General Merchandise frights G.#: GRAIN TRAINS AA: Coal Trains Origination 000: Coal Trains Destination SOUTHERN PACIFIC: SP mainly kept certain type of symbols for their trains. Much like Santa Fe, the SP also utilize the the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters of their symbols to determine a trains ORIGINATION & DESTINATION. Even utilize symbols for connecting railroads like NS for NORFOLK SOUTHERN or CX for CSX: M: Manifest/General Merchandise trains Q: Quality Manifest G: Grain Trains C: Coal Trains F: Fast HOT Intermodal trains FF: HOTTEST intermodal trains X: Expedited Express Intermodal Trains U: Unit Trains(Rock, Military Equipment) UNION PACIFIC: For these guys like SP, they to stick to alphabetical symbols. Much like Santa Fe, the UP also utilize the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters of their symbols to determine a trains ORIGINATION & DESTINATION. Even utilize symbols for connecting railroads like NS for NORFOLK SOUTHERN or CX for CSX: T: Standard Intermodal Z: HOTTEST Intermodal A: First Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights B: Second Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights C: Third(Unscheduled Extra) Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights C: Coal Trains G: Grain Trains V: Vehicle(Autorack) Trains NORFOLK SOUTHERN: Train symbols on NS can be quite puzzling but do have meaning once explained: 000-099: Excursion(Passenger/Business) Specials 100-199: Manifest/General Merchandise Freights operating over more than one division. 200-300: Intermodal & Autorack Trains. 300-400: Manifest/General Merchandise Freights operating within a single division. 500-600: Grain Trains 600-700: Unit Trains 700-800: Coal Trains 734-739: Low Sulfur POWDER RIVER BASIN Coal Trains 900-1000: Hi-Wide Specials or Test Inspection Trains In addition to these, the NS also utilizes LETTERS to indicate SECOND(EXTRA) sections of their trains by replacing the first number in the train symbol with either an M, I, W, Z, Y, X, & Q. M: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights I: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Intermodal/Autorack Trains W: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of 300 Series Trains Z: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Unit Trains Y: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Grains Trains X: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of 400 Series Trains Q: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Coal Trains
I just wanted say, I've personally adored trains my entire life. And this is the most informative, well presented source of train knowledge I've ever come across. Well done
Great job Danny! Fun fact, CFRC adopted all of CSX’s operating rules, and with that, CSX trains here are also mow considered foreign, so trains like N040, O741, A784, now operate on the CFRC under Z status so while they’re still N, O, and A, they run on this corridor as Z. Z040, Z741, Z784.
Well Danny you don’t know what you don’t know and after watching this and many of your videos I learned that I know absolutely zero about trains, terminology, locomotives, signals you name it. Your narration and explanations make these very interesting to watch. I now am addicted.
I recently stumbled upon your work here, Danny. Really impressive, outstanding stuff, man. I've been railfanning myself ever since my father started taking me to the tracks all around Maryland when I was a tiny kid, specifically the DC to Brunswick Metropolitan Subdivision. But there is an awful lot of technical info that I just never learned or knew about, until I found your channel. Simply the best videos, knowledge, and passion I've ever come across. Hats off to you, Sir, thank you. You've gained another big fan here.
Thanks so much, Peter! I'm so glad you've found the channel. Sounds like you began railfanning the same way I did; with my dad. Please don't hesitate to send any subject ideas you may have. Thanks again. DH
Hello. What a great pedagogy. I've been watching train videos for a long time, not to say years, and your video has given me a lot of answers. It's kind of your part, thank you.
Mr. Harmon, I’ve been watching your videos since I was about 13 (about 6 years). You have such a smooth, narrative, genuine voice. There’s something about your videos that’s just plain hypnotizing to me. I was pleasantly surprised to see that you recently uploaded a video. Thanks for the quality film. You’ll always get a thumbs up from me on whatever video of yours I happen to watch.
One of the best videos I have watched so far from you. If there was a dedicated train channel on television, you'd be the one I'd advocate for to frontline.
As always very informative. I have been an arm chair railfan for several years, yet this is the first time I have seen an explanation of train numbering. Great info - thanks.
Danny; As one of the people asking about train designations, I thank you from the bottom of my A.D.D. afflicted brain! Again thanks for posting! John Shaw
Most likely because most of the ethanol traffic runs through Canada on both CN and CP. Many times the lead units stay on the train after crossing the border, sometimes the 'accepting' railroad, like CSX or NS, depending on their union rules regarding head end power, or lead power, add their own locomotives to the consist in the lead position.
I can't believe they still back into Tampa Station, I remember on the ACL West Coast champion we'd come around a wye, back into the station, there they dropped the coach I was on or a sleeper going to Ft Myers. I lived in Sarasota and went to Florida Central Academy close to Sanford where I caught the train to home, Long wait at Tampa. sometimes up to 3-4 hours.
One of my better consists that I have caught was a Death Star leading a pair of CN cowl units (one was a 60f which has been retired) and a standard cab dash 8
Danny, I am so impressed by the information given on your videos! What I find very interesting is all the little single tracks or sidings these behemoths must navigate. I’d love to visit Florida and see all this in person. Thank you for the great scenery shots and valuable information you share. Please keep it going!
Another great video Danny I found this one to be very informative keep up the great work. And CSX will sometimes combine manifest and auto racks an example of this Q200 Blue Island Illinois (IHB) to Walbridge Ohio or Q264 Walbridge Ohio to East Brookfield Massachusetts.
Thank you Danny for your very very professional presentation, you have a fantastic "Radio voice" and you never falter. I'm fairly new to this game but commend you on your work my friend, thanks from tones1957 in New Zealand.
Coal is making a come back from what I've seen just over the course of a couple months, I've been on the CSX Allegheny Sub past Hinton WV near Talcott and the Big Bend Tunnel and there's been several gigantic coal trains two locomotives with 110 bethgon coal porters and then two more locomotives in the middle followed up by an additional 110 bethgon coal porters, there's also a covered hopper train that has middle DPUs and of course the Amtrak Cardinal passed through there as well, but this video has helped me to try and identify those trains and figure out their destinations
Very educational. I did know about the Amtrak numbering system. So many people use the word or letter O instead of saying zero or 0. Thanks for sharing!
Great! Thanks for the information. CSX runs many trains around here (MI, IN, OH) and I was curious as to what the letters/numbers meant. IMO, some of the Conrail symbols were the easiest to understand...for example train symbol STEL ran from Sterling, MI to Elkhart, IN.
Very educational! I live in New Jersey and most of the CSX come on the Lehigh Valley Line. Q300, Q301, Q032 and I think Q031. We also have Q409, Q410, Q434, Q438 & Q439 as well as K140, etc.
These days, CSX intermodals carry an "I" prefix. A while back, I caught I038, which runs from Jacksonville to Pinoca Yard, Charlotte. That was the only time I can recall seeing a live CSX intermodal, though I see a ton of NS intermodal. And up here in the Carolinas, CSX locals carry the "F" designation.
Just realized the K421 with the CN power comes all the way from here in Iowa! It was U70491 from Tara, IA to Hawthorne, IL where it enters CSX territory.
We have nearly the same thing here in Australia with the ARTC for interstate trains but we have 2 numbers and 2 letters for it, first number is what day it is, the letters are for destinations and the last number is the company (ie: 3MA8. Tuesday, Melbourne to Adelaide, Great Southern Rail
Thank you for the number designation video, on CSX. I live in the Midwest, where UP, BNSF, NS, CP, KCS and others are. Wonder how they number? We also have AMTRAK.
This is what I found on the web: On CN, the assignment of train numbers is as follows: 100 = Intermodal 200 = High priority general freight, usually has auto racks 300 = General priority freight traffic 400 = Lower priority freight traffic 500 = Switch jobs etc. 600 = "Potash off CP". 700 = Coal, Sulphur 800 = Grain, sometimes other junk with it 900 = Work trains. On CPR, the assignment of train numbers is as follows: 100-199 Priority intermodal and automotive traffic 200-299 Intermodal and merchandise traffic 300-399 Unit grain trains 400-499 Regional freight trains 500-599 Local freight trains 600-699 Bulk unit trains (other than grain and coal) 700-799 Overflow traffic and detours 800-899 Unit coal trains 900-999 Foreign railroad haulage and non-revenue trains
There is more: To expand on CN's number system: CN uses an TAAABCDD system, where the T is the train type prefix (see list below,) AAA is the train number, B is the region it originated in (see second list below,) C indidcates the section (0 = advance section, 1 = regular, 2 = second) and DD is the date the train originated. Train type prefixes: A = 400-series short haul freight B = 700- and 300-series potash C = 700-series coal E = 200-series priority freight/automotive F = foreign detours and running rights G = 800-series grain H = CPR origin, shared running K = 500-series transfers L = 500-series locals M = 300-series long haul freight P = VIA passenger trains (001 - 099, 600-series) Q = 100-series priority intermodal R = 900-series roadswitchers (IC lines only) S = 700-series sulphur U = 700-series miscellaneous W = work trains X = extras Regions: 1 = Atlantic 2 = St. Lawrence 3 = Great Lakes 4 = Prairie 5 = Pacific 6 = Michigan Division 7 = Central Division 8 = Wisconsin Division 9 = Central Division Example: Train Q1489112 is priority intermodal train 148 (Chicago-Halifax,) originated in the Central Division, regular section, on the 12th of the month.
I’ve heard of trains being called things like “LACBAR” and “BARLAC” by BNSF. Also, I’ve heard them just using numbers of what I think is the leading unit. Finally, sometimes they just call the train by a simple phrase. In LA, we have a daily train that carries rocks. The dispatcher calls it the “rock train”
Expanding a bit more on the P-letter trains, but this time centered around Washington DC: Amtrak has P-Zero numbers, but for two lines you have a local commuter rail, MARC, that have P-800 series. This is operated on CSX track by Bombardier under contract with Maryland Transit Administrator's MARC service (Maryland Area Rail Car). They operate on the Cumberland, Metropolitan, Old Main, Capital, and Baltimore Terminal subdivisions. P840 to P860 trains are trains going between Washington DC to Camden Yards in Baltimore; P870 through P890 is DC to Brunswick, MD or Martinsburg, MD; P880 goes to Frederick, MD on MARC owned track and could technically be Z trains were they not passenger trains. And if not known, even trains go west to east; odds go east to west.
Great job, as always Danny, but i don't know about this learning while watching my favorite channel on UA-cam. Very informative, I had always wondered where CSX and you got the numbers and letters from, thanks for the great info. Now if you could do the same with NS and my favorite FEC, you just might be on to something. Keep up the great work and i'm already looking forward to the next one.
The early days of Conrail and Jersey Central used TV symbols or Trail Van. In the Philadelphia are WP was for local switching, such WPFJ-10 the Bustleton Branch line. WPFJ-10 service industries along US-1 Roosevelt Boulevard in the Far Northeast Philadelphia.
Great vid Danny! It’s really interesting to see how Csx number their trains and their priority. Out west in Montana coal and grain trains run by bnsf and goes through Montana rail link trackage rights are extremely low priority. Z trains or intermodals are high priority hotshot trains. Also it’s interesting because bnsf does not use the train number on their trains, rather the lead loco. So for instances a coal train is bnsf 7504, regardless of load .
If you are also able to obtain a copy of Trains Magazine issue from February 2015, one of the main articles is how railroads number their trains. I have found this article very helpful when attempting to figure out what the heck I am listening to.
Great video 😀👍👍 I’ve been watching for 6 or 7 years! I just wanted to let you know, that you should’ve explained X Trains, and how they’re used as extra trains, and as a second train name. Also L, for altered schedule. Great Work, thanks!!!!
I do have a question, reguarding locomotive numbers. How do rail companies number them? Are they picked at random? Or do they have a specific purpose for being numbered?
The locomotives are typically numbered in groups by model or horsepower. As equipment is retired and new models are acquired, number groups run out of numbers which might require equipment to be re-numbered to accommodate the new purchases. If you look at the photo website rrpicturearchives.net and search for locomotives by railroad, you'll see such patterns in the lists of equipment, both locomotives and freight cars.
Danny, Nicely done sir. I’ve managed to pull together what I think is a list of the major traffic here on the Mississippi Coast and it matches your characterizations. You did miss the designations for wind turbine trains however - which we see about once every six weeks running west (Railroad south) from Jacksonville toward New Orleans and then points beyond.
Here's a comprehensive list of CSX Train Symbols, which is updated regularly. It also includes recently retired symbols, which is useful looking back through all the recent changes over the last couple years! railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/CSX_Train_Symbols
I will be in the Lakeland / Mulberry area doing some urban exploration of an old Phosphate plant in Nichol, Florida. It seems like the general area is a prime location for train spotting. Are there any favorite intersections or places you prefer to get really good train photos?
Hey, Danny! I was wondering, can you do a video (or a series of videos, whatever you prefer) on the different locomotives? I'm a newer railfan and most new railfans like me can't yet really tell the difference between some of the GE, EMD and other engines. If you could include the things that make them different from each other (maybe the layout of different parts of the locomotive, or different sounds they make (such as the GE 'whooooop!')) that would be great too! Thanks for all of your hardwork you put into these videos!
Hi Danny, a couple of extra bits of information for you. Though it is common to refer to road trains heading north as north bounds and trains heading south as south bounds CSX doesn't run in either direction. All of their trains are considered either east or west bound based on the longitude of their starting point and that of their end point. Odd trains are west bounds and even numbered are east bounds. This does not apply to local or yard trains. Yard trains usually have a lower number for daylight crews and higher numbers for middle and late night tricks. Also if you hear and extra two digits after the letter and 3 numbers that indicates the day the train was made up. For instance Q156-21 would have originated on the 21st day of the current month.
UPS will always have priority. I know for CN in the Chicago area we (Cn) Prioitize UPS over Amtrak. UPS pays high dollar amounts to have their unints loaded over others.
Haven't seen the "V" symbol used on Unit Coal Trains for sometime. At least on the Baltimore Division. Most seen used on empty Unit Grain Trains. V089 for example.
'S trains and 'X trains are incredibly rare now. Not part of precision schedule railroading plans. W does not stand for "Work". It's just a misc. Designation for trains that don't fit any other classification and are a temporary train. Their numbers start at 000 on the first day of the year and progress higher throughout the year. They can be anything from DoD military trains to high wide and MoW. Anything that is a non scheduled train.
Very well done segment. BTW, can you explain why we see certain sections of track that have a set of rails in a long diamond shape inside the main rails? It would seem they might be at certain stress points to prevent track shift... thanks!
For the state railroad, do they maintain and dispatch their own line, subcontracted, or leased elsewhere? Once again, brilliant and informative. Thank you.
Expected a video on how the locomotives were numbered. Got a pleasant surprise instead. Didn't know that a central dispatch numbered their trains like planes, though it does make perfect sense. Looks like I have a lot to learn...
question, in a day of train traffic, do trains run like airline> what i mean for example, say every Monday morning at 9:00am American has flight 123 from DFW to New York. DO trains do the same thing i.e. Q453, is it a train that runs on a regular schedule?
I remember hearing the detail that all of the "Florida Business Unit" locals were given the letter O for their symbols where everything else in the South was given the A symbol for local jobs. When I was first introduced to it, I thought A was for the A-line and the train corresponded with the milepost it originated from, but that was far from reality... Meanwhile I Wanted to ask about the detail regarding the government requiring Ethanol to be in the gas before it gets to the pumps. In many states you can easily purchase "Ethanol-Free" gasoline and you can even drive your car with it if you choose. There's nothing that says you can't do it. But at $3.48/gal, I think I will stick to my 10% Ethanol, thank you very much! Also here's a fun fact for you Danny, (and others) did you know they have to add gasoline to those tank cars of Ethanol before they transport them? If they do not add gasoline to it, they have to haul Ethanol as "Food-Grade" which requires a whole list of extra checks and inspections. Silly isn't it?
Amazing videos, mate. I do have 1 question. What is the difference between black tanker cars and white tanker cars? Is it just the paint or is it what’s being held in it?
You should do an update to this video to reflect their new numbering system. Up here, they changed which direction evens and odds move. They're also using L for regional trains such as grand rapids to Detroit. Maybe P stands for problematic because passenger trains on any freight railroad are a headache lol
I remember when CSX CEO Hunter Harrison declared that fossil fuel, like coal, is going the way of the dinosaur. I read the other day, it's the number 1 commodity shipped on North American railroads. Hunter didn't like shipping coal, it's a unit train, and, he hated unit trains. More manifests on his railroads than anything else. Very nice video Danny, Thank you. From Canada.
I don't agree coal is dead. I worked in heavy industry and there are no replacements for coal. Solar, wind and natural gas turbines do not have enough output to replace one coal unit. I think at the least, coal will be king for another 10-20 years. Natural gas might be the replacement but now it is very cheap but I have seen natural gas prices fluctuate to the point that it can be very costly too. On the BTU, natural gas is cheaper right now but it can fluctuate a lot but hasn't in the last few years. Coal prices are fairly stable all the time. I would hate to see my power bill without any coal units. Keep in mind all electric generated in the US is generated by coal and we have over a 200 year supply in the ground. With the new precipitators and LowNOX burners with lime injection to the stacks, coal is very clean today. Don't rule out coal yet!!!
I wasn't. It was Harrison's viewpoint on coal... any fossil fuel, actually. Oil was another target of his. Run all crude trains as low priority extras.
I am a little suspicious and curious but if a plant is run on fossil fuel, and I have worked in these mammoth plants in supervision, fuel is essential to the plant and cannot generate revenue or profit if it cannot be run so to have trains being low priority does not make sense. Another point is that CSX or what ever railroad company is a supplier of the plant, or in other words the railroad is the customer of the plant. The railroad does not exist for the plant, the railroad exists because of the plant. This business model is reversed and makes no sense. CSX and other railroads service manufacturing plants and these plants employ railroads. A manufacturer can cut off a railroad when it does not become beneficial to the producer or plant. I used to live on the Ohio River and watched both CSX and Norfolk Southern compete to run coal along the river from mines to coal plants. CSX would run the Kentucky side of the river and NS on the Ohio side. The competition was fierce along with both railroads competing with barge companies too with transporting coal. I can't imagine the CEO of CSX putting trains running coal as low priority.
I have over 40 years in supervision in steel, power generation and non ferrous metal production. Coal might not be #1 but it is in the top 5 in volume commodities. There is lots of misinformation on this topic and at one time I purchased coal from the Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio coal mines for our generating plant. Coal might decrease but never be replaced anytime soon because some manufacturing processes depend on coal and there is no substitute. To make steel from iron ore, coal is needed for smelting and the chemical reaction needed to extract iron from ore is necessary from coal with no alternative exists. Carbon from coal isrequired for the smelting of copper also. Aluminum is dependent on coal for primary production. I have seen many miles of wind turbines in Texas and these gigantic fields do not generate as much electricity as a coal plant. The same with solar. Solar and wind do not have the capacity to make enough electricity for the US needs. Not many people know that sometimes Texas needs to import from Mexico, electricity to be able to meet peak electric demand. My friend, coal is going to be here for awhile and there is no debate on this unless some magic material shows up that can replace coal. I will guess and say coal will be a major commodity for at leas t20-50 years from now, no matter what environmental groups or politicians say. They have been wrong on many predictions on climate and still wrong. I am retired now and don't depend on coal except for my power bill and from my experience from my past careers, I am right on all of my facts.
Hey Danny, how far do you live from Ft. White Fla.? I have a good friend who lives there in Ft. White and the wife and I plan a week trip down there from Kenly, NC in the first half of November and plan on doing some serious rail fanning !
Great and very informative video. I always did wonder how they ID their trains. Thanks! Will you also be doing number videos on the 4 other Class 1 RRs?
Let me take this time to explain to you folks about the symbols of railroads back in the 90's:
SANTA FE: For these guys in the 90's, Santa Fe had quite an interesting system for assigning numbers to their trains. They indicate to where the train originated with the FIRST number, reference to the trains priority with the SECOND number, and refer the trains destination with the THIRD number. At the same time, a number digit before the THREE number symbol would indicate the trains section of it's schedule with 1 as the FIRST, 2 as the SECOND, and 3 as an UNSCHEDULED EXTRA that's runs on an AS NEEDED basis :
1: Chicgao Area
2: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana(VIA CONRAIL CONNECTION AT STREATOR IL)
3: Kansas City
4: Colorado, Kansas, & Oklahoma
5: East Texas
6: West Texas(VIA BURLINGTON NORTHERN CONNECTION AT AVARD OK)
7: New Mexico & Arizona
8: Southern California
9: Northern California
For intermodal & manifest/General merchandise freights a #1 would indicate a LOW Priority train while a #9 indicate a HOT high priority train. Then in September 1993, Santa Fe switched to an alphabetical train symbol and while most of all their fleet of trains went to this change, the HOT PRIORITY intermodal trains kept their numerical symbols all the up to and even after the merger with Burlington Northern in September 1995. Those symbol changes come as the following:
INTERMODAL
Q: Guaranteed Time Sensitive Service
P: Priority
T: Standard
S: Double Stacks or Single Customer Service
B: Baretable Trains
MANIFEST/GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Q: Guaranteed Time Sensitive Service
H: Priority Manifest
M: Standard Manifest
V: Vehicle/Autorack trains
U: Unit trains(Potash, Coil Steel, Military Equipment)
C: Coal Trains
G: Grain Trains
L: Local Frieghts
Y: Yard Jobs
Z: Light Engines(POWER MOVE)
F: Foreign Trains From Other Railroads
PASSENGER/BUSINESS SPECIALS
O: Office Car/Passenger Extra
At this same time, Origination & Destination points for trains would start with the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters depending.
BURLINGTON NORTHERN: The Burlington Northern mainly kept their numerical symbols all the way to and past the 1995 merger before switching to alphabetical codes in 1997
1-99: Intermodal trains
100-200: Manifest/General Merchandise frights
G.#: GRAIN TRAINS
AA: Coal Trains Origination
000: Coal Trains Destination
SOUTHERN PACIFIC: SP mainly kept certain type of symbols for their trains. Much like Santa Fe, the SP also utilize the the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters of their symbols to determine a trains ORIGINATION & DESTINATION. Even utilize symbols for connecting railroads like NS for NORFOLK SOUTHERN or CX for CSX:
M: Manifest/General Merchandise trains
Q: Quality Manifest
G: Grain Trains
C: Coal Trains
F: Fast HOT Intermodal trains
FF: HOTTEST intermodal trains
X: Expedited Express Intermodal Trains
U: Unit Trains(Rock, Military Equipment)
UNION PACIFIC: For these guys like SP, they to stick to alphabetical symbols. Much like Santa Fe, the UP also utilize the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters of their symbols to determine a trains ORIGINATION & DESTINATION. Even utilize symbols for connecting railroads like NS for NORFOLK SOUTHERN or CX for CSX:
T: Standard Intermodal
Z: HOTTEST Intermodal
A: First Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights
B: Second Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights
C: Third(Unscheduled Extra) Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights
C: Coal Trains
G: Grain Trains
V: Vehicle(Autorack) Trains
NORFOLK SOUTHERN: Train symbols on NS can be quite puzzling but do have meaning once explained:
000-099: Excursion(Passenger/Business) Specials
100-199: Manifest/General Merchandise Freights operating over more than one division.
200-300: Intermodal & Autorack Trains.
300-400: Manifest/General Merchandise Freights operating within a single division.
500-600: Grain Trains
600-700: Unit Trains
700-800: Coal Trains
734-739: Low Sulfur POWDER RIVER BASIN Coal Trains
900-1000: Hi-Wide Specials or Test Inspection Trains
In addition to these, the NS also utilizes LETTERS to indicate SECOND(EXTRA) sections of their trains by replacing the first number in the train symbol with either an M, I, W, Z, Y, X, & Q.
M: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights
I: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Intermodal/Autorack Trains
W: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of 300 Series Trains
Z: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Unit Trains
Y: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Grains Trains
X: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of 400 Series Trains
Q: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Coal Trains
Good God Almighty. My head spins. Either from all the designations or you typing out all this. I'll say both. Thank you!
@@roadtoad7704 You're very welcome. Train designations back then were basically alphabet soup.
Wow. Thanks a lot, i appreciate that to explain to my little sons.
@@hathazarathoustra You're very welcome.
So... NS only uses seven letters but they decided to pick I. Which genius thought that up?
3:56 what a catch!!! CN and Illinois Central! Very rare to see that combo!
I just wanted say, I've personally adored trains my entire life. And this is the most informative, well presented source of train knowledge I've ever come across. Well done
Great job Danny!
Fun fact, CFRC adopted all of CSX’s operating rules, and with that, CSX trains here are also mow considered foreign, so trains like N040, O741, A784, now operate on the CFRC under Z status so while they’re still N, O, and A, they run on this corridor as Z. Z040, Z741, Z784.
Well Danny you don’t know what you don’t know and after watching this and many of your videos I learned that I know absolutely zero about trains, terminology, locomotives, signals you name it. Your narration and explanations make these very interesting to watch. I now am addicted.
I recently stumbled upon your work here, Danny. Really impressive, outstanding stuff, man. I've been railfanning myself ever since my father started taking me to the tracks all around Maryland when I was a tiny kid, specifically the DC to Brunswick Metropolitan Subdivision. But there is an awful lot of technical info that I just never learned or knew about, until I found your channel. Simply the best videos, knowledge, and passion I've ever come across. Hats off to you, Sir, thank you. You've gained another big fan here.
Thanks so much, Peter! I'm so glad you've found the channel. Sounds like you began railfanning the same way I did; with my dad. Please don't hesitate to send any subject ideas you may have. Thanks again. DH
Hello. What a great pedagogy. I've been watching train videos for a long time, not to say years, and your video has given me a lot of answers. It's kind of your part, thank you.
Mr. Harmon, I’ve been watching your videos since I was about 13 (about 6 years). You have such a smooth, narrative, genuine voice. There’s something about your videos that’s just plain hypnotizing to me. I was pleasantly surprised to see that you recently uploaded a video. Thanks for the quality film. You’ll always get a thumbs up from me on whatever video of yours I happen to watch.
One of the best videos I have watched so far from you. If there was a dedicated train channel on television, you'd be the one I'd advocate for to frontline.
As always very informative. I have been an arm chair railfan for several years, yet this is the first time I have seen an explanation of train numbering. Great info - thanks.
Why the hell on earth could you dislike this video. Flawless production, great job.
You are such a pro Mr. Harmon. I love watching your videos as I learn so much.
Danny; As one of the people asking about train designations, I thank you from the bottom of my A.D.D. afflicted brain!
Again thanks for posting!
John Shaw
Thank you for all the information on the trains in your area. I have wondered about this for many years.
3:50 That CN unit was a long way from home
And the IC in trail
I think I seen that train and it was a sight
Yeah. But the IC is harder to catch, especially far east where this takes place (Florida).
A CSX train without a single CSX unit in the consist. Indeed
Most likely because most of the ethanol traffic runs through Canada on both CN and CP. Many times the lead units stay on the train after crossing the border, sometimes the 'accepting' railroad, like CSX or NS, depending on their union rules regarding head end power, or lead power, add their own locomotives to the consist in the lead position.
P091 comes through my town about 10:00 or so every night so I can relate to it for sure. Great video Danny, I enjoyed it!
I can't believe they still back into Tampa Station, I remember on the ACL West Coast champion we'd come around a wye, back into the station, there they dropped the coach I was on or a sleeper going to Ft Myers. I lived in Sarasota and went to Florida Central Academy close to Sanford where I caught the train to home, Long wait at Tampa. sometimes up to 3-4 hours.
Wow Danny! You got lucky with that Illinois Central!
I agree!
Yep - very few if any Death Star locos left unpainted
I was up in Ashtabula, Ohio the other day and caught an CN train with 3 of them leading. Wonderful stuff that is.
Wow! Cool!
One of my better consists that I have caught was a Death Star leading a pair of CN cowl units (one was a 60f which has been retired) and a standard cab dash 8
I get an education, every time I get to watch something you have posted.
Thanks, Danny
Danny, I am so impressed by the information given on your videos! What I find very interesting is all the little single tracks or sidings these behemoths must navigate. I’d love to visit Florida and see all this in person. Thank you for the great scenery shots and valuable information you share. Please keep it going!
as usual danny a great video....,,,,,,,,thanks,,,,,,,they are a pleasure to watch and listen to. they are the best videos out there...........
Another great video Danny I found this one to be very informative keep up the great work. And CSX will sometimes combine manifest and auto racks an example of this Q200 Blue Island Illinois (IHB) to Walbridge Ohio or Q264 Walbridge Ohio to East Brookfield Massachusetts.
the toast master is zesty . Nice picture of Howard Goodman. Used to go to their church.
Thank you Danny for your very very professional presentation, you have a fantastic "Radio voice" and you never falter. I'm fairly new to this game but commend you on your work my friend, thanks from tones1957 in New Zealand.
Coal is making a come back from what I've seen just over the course of a couple months, I've been on the CSX Allegheny Sub past Hinton WV near Talcott and the Big Bend Tunnel and there's been several gigantic coal trains two locomotives with 110 bethgon coal porters and then two more locomotives in the middle followed up by an additional 110 bethgon coal porters, there's also a covered hopper train that has middle DPUs and of course the Amtrak Cardinal passed through there as well, but this video has helped me to try and identify those trains and figure out their destinations
Very educational. I did know about the Amtrak numbering system. So many people use the word or letter O instead of saying zero or 0. Thanks for sharing!
Great! Thanks for the information. CSX runs many trains around here (MI, IN, OH) and I was curious as to what the letters/numbers meant. IMO, some of the Conrail symbols were the easiest to understand...for example train symbol STEL ran from Sterling, MI to Elkhart, IN.
Very educational! I live in New Jersey and most of the CSX come on the Lehigh Valley Line. Q300, Q301, Q032 and I think Q031. We also have Q409, Q410, Q434, Q438 & Q439 as well as K140, etc.
These days, CSX intermodals carry an "I" prefix. A while back, I caught I038, which runs from Jacksonville to Pinoca Yard, Charlotte. That was the only time I can recall seeing a live CSX intermodal, though I see a ton of NS intermodal.
And up here in the Carolinas, CSX locals carry the "F" designation.
Just realized the K421 with the CN power comes all the way from here in Iowa! It was U70491 from Tara, IA to Hawthorne, IL where it enters CSX territory.
We have nearly the same thing here in Australia with the ARTC for interstate trains but we have 2 numbers and 2 letters for it, first number is what day it is, the letters are for destinations and the last number is the company (ie: 3MA8. Tuesday, Melbourne to Adelaide, Great Southern Rail
Excellently Produced and Narrated video Danny! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the number designation video, on CSX. I live in the Midwest, where UP, BNSF, NS, CP, KCS and others are. Wonder how they number? We also have AMTRAK.
BNSF ad UP dont use numbers on their trains just all letters.Im not sure bout the CP or KCS.CN and NS use numbers to.
KCS is letters as well - designating departure and arrival yards mostly.
This is what I found on the web:
On CN, the assignment of train numbers is as follows:
100 = Intermodal
200 = High priority general freight, usually has auto racks
300 = General priority freight traffic
400 = Lower priority freight traffic
500 = Switch jobs etc.
600 = "Potash off CP".
700 = Coal, Sulphur
800 = Grain, sometimes other junk with it
900 = Work trains.
On CPR, the assignment of train numbers is as follows:
100-199 Priority intermodal and automotive traffic
200-299 Intermodal and merchandise traffic
300-399 Unit grain trains
400-499 Regional freight trains
500-599 Local freight trains
600-699 Bulk unit trains (other than grain and coal)
700-799 Overflow traffic and detours
800-899 Unit coal trains
900-999 Foreign railroad haulage and non-revenue trains
There is more:
To expand on CN's number system:
CN uses an TAAABCDD system, where the T is the train type prefix (see list below,) AAA is the train number, B is the region it originated in (see second list below,) C indidcates the section (0 = advance section, 1 = regular, 2 = second) and DD is the date the train originated.
Train type prefixes:
A = 400-series short haul freight
B = 700- and 300-series potash
C = 700-series coal
E = 200-series priority freight/automotive
F = foreign detours and running rights
G = 800-series grain
H = CPR origin, shared running
K = 500-series transfers
L = 500-series locals
M = 300-series long haul freight
P = VIA passenger trains (001 - 099, 600-series)
Q = 100-series priority intermodal
R = 900-series roadswitchers (IC lines only)
S = 700-series sulphur
U = 700-series miscellaneous
W = work trains
X = extras
Regions:
1 = Atlantic
2 = St. Lawrence
3 = Great Lakes
4 = Prairie
5 = Pacific
6 = Michigan Division
7 = Central Division
8 = Wisconsin Division
9 = Central Division
Example: Train Q1489112 is priority intermodal train 148 (Chicago-Halifax,) originated in the Central Division, regular section, on the 12th of the month.
I’ve heard of trains being called things like “LACBAR” and “BARLAC” by BNSF. Also, I’ve heard them just using numbers of what I think is the leading unit. Finally, sometimes they just call the train by a simple phrase. In LA, we have a daily train that carries rocks. The dispatcher calls it the “rock train”
Excellent video, as usual! I learn something every time I watch your videos. Thank You! Keep up the good work!
Expanding a bit more on the P-letter trains, but this time centered around Washington DC:
Amtrak has P-Zero numbers, but for two lines you have a local commuter rail, MARC, that have P-800 series. This is operated on CSX track by Bombardier under contract with Maryland Transit Administrator's MARC service (Maryland Area Rail Car). They operate on the Cumberland, Metropolitan, Old Main, Capital, and Baltimore Terminal subdivisions. P840 to P860 trains are trains going between Washington DC to Camden Yards in Baltimore; P870 through P890 is DC to Brunswick, MD or Martinsburg, MD; P880 goes to Frederick, MD on MARC owned track and could technically be Z trains were they not passenger trains.
And if not known, even trains go west to east; odds go east to west.
That's surprising to see Q046 has replaced Q188. You also had some nice catches in this video too. I enjoy seeing those YN2 Dash-8's.
Great job, as always Danny, but i don't know about this learning while watching my favorite channel on UA-cam. Very informative, I had always wondered where CSX and you got the numbers and letters from, thanks for the great info. Now if you could do the same with NS and my favorite FEC, you just might be on to something. Keep up the great work and i'm already looking forward to the next one.
Thanks Scott! I am definitely going to do FEC, hopefully this year.
You should do an updated video with the recent prefix changes.
Mr Harmon love the teaching videos keep them coming. I've learned a lot from them.
Thanks for the video! You did a great job mixing informational audio with train video clips. Your audio sounds really professional!
Thanks Danny, that does help me to understand what trains you are showing.
Thank you. That was a great and informative video. I'd like to see one like that for NS, BNSF, UP, KCS and any others you can.
The early days of Conrail and Jersey Central used TV symbols or Trail Van. In the Philadelphia are WP was for local switching, such WPFJ-10 the Bustleton Branch line. WPFJ-10 service industries along US-1 Roosevelt Boulevard in the Far Northeast Philadelphia.
Very interesting and informative to a UK railwayman!
Great vid Danny! It’s really interesting to see how Csx number their trains and their priority. Out west in Montana coal and grain trains run by bnsf and goes through Montana rail link trackage rights are extremely low priority. Z trains or intermodals are high priority hotshot trains. Also it’s interesting because bnsf does not use the train number on their trains, rather the lead loco. So for instances a coal train is bnsf 7504, regardless of load .
Would you do a video on how to determine a locomotive type??? Sd70 , GP38 etc...
If you are also able to obtain a copy of Trains Magazine issue from February 2015, one of the main articles is how railroads number their trains. I have found this article very helpful when attempting to figure out what the heck I am listening to.
Danny, Excellent video. Very informative, as always!
Another great video Danny! Can’t wait until your next one!
i found you lol
Great Danny! Sent this link to a few people who had the same questions.
Yeah, I see grain trains lots because I’m near Gainesville, GA. There are over 4 feed mills there that are accessible by rail.
8:00 GREAT shot of Y225 with those wet conditions!
Great video 😀👍👍
I’ve been watching for 6 or 7 years! I just wanted to let you know, that you should’ve explained X Trains, and how they’re used as extra trains, and as a second train name. Also L, for altered schedule. Great Work, thanks!!!!
Well done • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂
8:20 that's fantastic! Never seen a Dash running the street before. So weird to see. Very cool.
I do have a question, reguarding locomotive numbers. How do rail companies number them? Are they picked at random? Or do they have a specific purpose for being numbered?
The locomotives are typically numbered in groups by model or horsepower. As equipment is retired and new models are acquired, number groups run out of numbers which might require equipment to be re-numbered to accommodate the new purchases. If you look at the photo website rrpicturearchives.net and search for locomotives by railroad, you'll see such patterns in the lists of equipment, both locomotives and freight cars.
Danny,
Nicely done sir. I’ve managed to pull together what I think is a list of the major traffic here on the Mississippi Coast and it matches your characterizations. You did miss the designations for wind turbine trains however - which we see about once every six weeks running west (Railroad south) from Jacksonville toward New Orleans and then points beyond.
Here's a comprehensive list of CSX Train Symbols, which is updated regularly. It also includes recently retired symbols, which is useful looking back through all the recent changes over the last couple years!
railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/CSX_Train_Symbols
Great narration, making the video a really interesting documentary!
Great video, Danny! I like the FCEN catch quite a lot.
We pull a W288 loaded gypsum unit train from Georgia Power Plant Carterville Ga to USG Bridgeport Al and W289 empty back.
A short line in Bridgeport takes it to Jasper, TN to be loaded. I pulled a few and delivered some to Bridgeport from Chattanooga.
Very informative. Glad railroads are still alive. So many have died out.
Thanks Danny another awesome video,
Thoroughly enjoyed it, now I'm gonna go and watch it again.
Thanks
I will be in the Lakeland / Mulberry area doing some urban exploration of an old Phosphate plant in Nichol, Florida. It seems like the general area is a prime location for train spotting. Are there any favorite intersections or places you prefer to get really good train photos?
Great video. Love the quality narration, had to subscribe!
Rich
Thank you Danny for the number designation on these trains. Now I wonder no more .. LOL !
Hey, Danny! I was wondering, can you do a video (or a series of videos, whatever you prefer) on the different locomotives? I'm a newer railfan and most new railfans like me can't yet really tell the difference between some of the GE, EMD and other engines. If you could include the things that make them different from each other (maybe the layout of different parts of the locomotive, or different sounds they make (such as the GE 'whooooop!')) that would be great too! Thanks for all of your hardwork you put into these videos!
Dan,you do a GREAT job Ed.
Really cool video and channel. You're easy to listen to. Good job.
I learned so much from this and I am a beginner railfanner, Thank you
Excellent video!! Great Video and VO work too!
Thanks Paul.
Thank you so much, I always wondered how trains got their names. Very informative.
Hi Danny, a couple of extra bits of information for you. Though it is common to refer to road trains heading north as north bounds and trains heading south as south bounds CSX doesn't run in either direction. All of their trains are considered either east or west bound based on the longitude of their starting point and that of their end point. Odd trains are west bounds and even numbered are east bounds. This does not apply to local or yard trains. Yard trains usually have a lower number for daylight crews and higher numbers for middle and late night tricks. Also if you hear and extra two digits after the letter and 3 numbers that indicates the day the train was made up. For instance Q156-21 would have originated on the 21st day of the current month.
UPS will always have priority. I know for CN in the Chicago area we (Cn) Prioitize UPS over Amtrak. UPS pays high dollar amounts to have their unints loaded over others.
Grains and coal can be V as well. Also you forget L for alternate route, S for second section and W for work.
Didn't forget em, but this video was already getting long. I'm going to do all those secondary symbols in a second video.
Haven't seen the "V" symbol used on Unit Coal Trains for sometime. At least on the Baltimore Division.
Most seen used on empty Unit Grain Trains. V089 for example.
CRengineer17 v over here in North Carolina
@@distantsignal CSX trains that carry the X are extra trains
'S trains and 'X trains are incredibly rare now. Not part of precision schedule railroading plans. W does not stand for "Work". It's just a misc. Designation for trains that don't fit any other classification and are a temporary train. Their numbers start at 000 on the first day of the year and progress higher throughout the year. They can be anything from DoD military trains to high wide and MoW. Anything that is a non scheduled train.
Very well done segment. BTW, can you explain why we see certain sections of track that have a set of rails in a long diamond shape inside the main rails? It would seem they might be at certain stress points to prevent track shift... thanks!
Your voice is awesome! subbed and awesome content
Very informative. Thank you for sharing, Danny.
For the state railroad, do they maintain and dispatch their own line, subcontracted, or leased elsewhere? Once again, brilliant and informative. Thank you.
The State Of Florida maintains and dispatches their own lines, but I believe they use subcontractors for most of that work.
Expected a video on how the locomotives were numbered. Got a pleasant surprise instead. Didn't know that a central dispatch numbered their trains like planes, though it does make perfect sense. Looks like I have a lot to learn...
Go to rrpicturearchives.net and search for locomotives by railroad. You'll see how the roster is organized.
@@whiteknightcat Thank you, I will definitely look at that whenever I have the time!
question, in a day of train traffic, do trains run like airline> what i mean for example, say every Monday morning at 9:00am American has flight 123 from DFW to New York. DO trains do the same thing i.e. Q453, is it a train that runs on a regular schedule?
I remember hearing the detail that all of the "Florida Business Unit" locals were given the letter O for their symbols where everything else in the South was given the A symbol for local jobs. When I was first introduced to it, I thought A was for the A-line and the train corresponded with the milepost it originated from, but that was far from reality... Meanwhile I Wanted to ask about the detail regarding the government requiring Ethanol to be in the gas before it gets to the pumps. In many states you can easily purchase "Ethanol-Free" gasoline and you can even drive your car with it if you choose. There's nothing that says you can't do it. But at $3.48/gal, I think I will stick to my 10% Ethanol, thank you very much! Also here's a fun fact for you Danny, (and others) did you know they have to add gasoline to those tank cars of Ethanol before they transport them? If they do not add gasoline to it, they have to haul Ethanol as "Food-Grade" which requires a whole list of extra checks and inspections. Silly isn't it?
Amazing videos, mate. I do have 1 question. What is the difference between black tanker cars and white tanker cars? Is it just the paint or is it what’s being held in it?
I don't know that one. Tanks are often dedicated to one product, but they don't have to be. I'll do some checking.
Great video as always! Is the small yellow sign at 5:26 meant for trains? And if so what does it mean?
At 8:05 that engine was blowing it's horn but the ditch lights weren't blinking. Wonder why?
This guy needs to work as a corporate teacher. His voice keeps you hanging on his every word. I wouldn't mind going to his education seminars.
You should do an update to this video to reflect their new numbering system. Up here, they changed which direction evens and odds move. They're also using L for regional trains such as grand rapids to Detroit. Maybe P stands for problematic because passenger trains on any freight railroad are a headache lol
Very nice Danny, can you do more of these?
Thanks! Yes, I'm working on a new more.
I remember when CSX CEO Hunter Harrison declared that fossil fuel, like coal, is going the way of the dinosaur. I read the other day, it's the number 1 commodity shipped on North American railroads. Hunter didn't like shipping coal, it's a unit train, and, he hated unit trains. More manifests on his railroads than anything else. Very nice video Danny, Thank you. From Canada.
I don't agree coal is dead. I worked in heavy industry and there are no replacements for coal. Solar, wind and natural gas turbines do not have enough output to replace one coal unit. I think at the least, coal will be king for another 10-20 years. Natural gas might be the replacement but now it is very cheap but I have seen natural gas prices fluctuate to the point that it can be very costly too. On the BTU, natural gas is cheaper right now but it can fluctuate a lot but hasn't in the last few years. Coal prices are fairly stable all the time. I would hate to see my power bill without any coal units. Keep in mind all electric generated in the US is generated by coal and we have over a 200 year supply in the ground. With the new precipitators and LowNOX burners with lime injection to the stacks, coal is very clean today. Don't rule out coal yet!!!
I wasn't. It was Harrison's viewpoint on coal... any fossil fuel, actually. Oil was another target of his. Run all crude trains as low priority extras.
I am a little suspicious and curious but if a plant is run on fossil fuel, and I have worked in these mammoth plants in supervision, fuel is essential to the plant and cannot generate revenue or profit if it cannot be run so to have trains being low priority does not make sense. Another point is that CSX or what ever railroad company is a supplier of the plant, or in other words the railroad is the customer of the plant. The railroad does not exist for the plant, the railroad exists because of the plant. This business model is reversed and makes no sense. CSX and other railroads service manufacturing plants and these plants employ railroads. A manufacturer can cut off a railroad when it does not become beneficial to the producer or plant. I used to live on the Ohio River and watched both CSX and Norfolk Southern compete to run coal along the river from mines to coal plants. CSX would run the Kentucky side of the river and NS on the Ohio side. The competition was fierce along with both railroads competing with barge companies too with transporting coal. I can't imagine the CEO of CSX putting trains running coal as low priority.
It's not the #1 commodity. Almost no coal shipped is for domestic use. It's export coal. Coal is done, if only people could just move on from it.
I have over 40 years in supervision in steel, power generation and non ferrous metal production. Coal might not be #1 but it is in the top 5 in volume commodities. There is lots of misinformation on this topic and at one time I purchased coal from the Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio coal mines for our generating plant. Coal might decrease but never be replaced anytime soon because some manufacturing processes depend on coal and there is no substitute. To make steel from iron ore, coal is needed for smelting and the chemical reaction needed to extract iron from ore is necessary from coal with no alternative exists. Carbon from coal isrequired for the smelting of copper also. Aluminum is dependent on coal for primary production. I have seen many miles of wind turbines in Texas and these gigantic fields do not generate as much electricity as a coal plant. The same with solar. Solar and wind do not have the capacity to make enough electricity for the US needs. Not many people know that sometimes Texas needs to import from Mexico, electricity to be able to meet peak electric demand. My friend, coal is going to be here for awhile and there is no debate on this unless some magic material shows up that can replace coal. I will guess and say coal will be a major commodity for at leas t20-50 years from now, no matter what environmental groups or politicians say. They have been wrong on many predictions on climate and still wrong. I am retired now and don't depend on coal except for my power bill and from my experience from my past careers, I am right on all of my facts.
Hey Danny, how far do you live from Ft. White Fla.? I have a good friend who lives there in Ft. White and the wife and I plan a week trip down there from Kenly, NC in the first half of November and plan on doing some serious rail fanning !
K421 did not have any CSX motive power; it used a CN (Canadian National) 2553 pulling an Illinois Central 1000.
So, in general, are the numbers even for northbound and odd for southbound? What about eastbound and westbound?
I have actually went through Tampa and saw those tracks on the street
How do you know which number it is is it the range like a q/ intermodal than a random number?
My railfaning primarily consists of q206 in Columbus in
Very informative and so nice to watch, as always…
5:03 we finally see T087-08 exiting Knights siding after dodging Q652 in the Coal train Chase video.
Great and very informative video. I always did wonder how they ID their trains. Thanks! Will you also be doing number videos on the 4 other Class 1 RRs?
Excellent! Thank you! If I ever get out that way from the west coast I will for sure send you a email.
Informative as usual, well done.
What do the triple digit numbers represent for the number like 363