What is the fastest (top speed) freight train in the USA? I don't count AMTRAK either.
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Do you mean total elapsed time between two major terminals, i.e. Chicago to LA on the Santa Fe? Or do you mean top speed at any given point, no mater how long it took to get through the yard, i.e. mainline speed on UP then hours to get through North Platte, NE?
On the NS 60 mph .
Well in 1968, Santa Fe's Super C on it's inaugeral run covered 2200 miles in 34 1/2 hours for an average speed of 63.7mph.
The Super C was scheduled to do Chicago to LA in 40 hours. Eventually, shippers didn't want to pay the premium ($1400 per trailer) for cutting off 15 hours of travel time, plus the loss of the mail contract via the C&NW/UP and the Super C was discontinued in 1976.
Rusty
If just "top speed" is all you're concerned with, both BNSF and UP operate their "highest priority" TOFC/stack trains at a max of 71 MPH. However, AT&SF/BNSF began experimenting with 79MPH "extra charge" higher priority freight between Chicago and LA. They modified a set of EMD GP60M units, and also wanted to use SD70M/SD75/SD70MAC, units, however EMD Engineering department indicated that the HTC-R (radial) truck would not be stable at speeds over 75MPH. Eventually AT&SF/BNSF dropped the project due to operational congestion issues, i.e. no sense in operating a 79MPH freight train when everything else on the Transcon Line is operating below 70MPH.
Santa Fe experimented with allowing the Super C to run 90 MPH in ATS territory, but felt it was unwise.
So, the train was allowed to run passenger train speed up to 79 MPH. This meant that, in addition to a higher maximum speed, the passenger train curve speed could be observed, and that's where a lot of the saving in running time occurred.
As Hot Water pointed out, there were not as many trains on the Transcon then, and I can guarantee you nobody wanted to have to explain delay to the 198 or 891 train. Having worked both the Super C and passenger service, I can tell you that the variation in the train size (and the number of brakes) from one day to the next made slowing the Super C a bit exciting at times. With a passenger train you set the air brakes at your regular marks, but you had to guess (and guess right) with the 198 and 891.
Originally Posted by rattler21:
What's the transit time of the BNSF LA-Chicago container trains?
On a related subject, what is its turn around time at Chicago?
The terminal is easily seen from I-294 near the UPS Hodgkins transfer station.
John
I can't remember exactly what the transit time is now from Chicago to Long Beach, but I think it is normally UNDER 45 hours. Not sure what you mean by "turn around time at Chicago". Do you mean the locomotives, or the UPS train sets at the Willow Springs terminal? The locomotives are generally serviced at the Corwith diesel shop (over by Midway airport), which is definitely NOT visible from I294.
