ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has increased the length of its grain shuttle trains to 105 cars from 85, a move that allows the railroad to handle 23% more grain in each train.
“We’re unlocking capacity to handle more business for both our current and prospective customers,” Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins said in a statement. “With the increase in train size, our customers will now have to plan and coordinate their operations around fewer trains. This creates new opportunities to explore ways we can leverage the capacity this frees up for both the customer and Norfolk Southern.”
The addition of 20 cars to the grain unit trains was designed to match the increased pulling power of AC traction locomotives. NS has been converting its DC Dash-9 fleet to AC through a locomotive modernization program that has been turning out more than 100 locomotives per year [see “Wabtec to modernize 330 locomotives for Norfolk Southern,” Trains News Wire, March 23, 2022].
Not all grain origins and destinations are equipped to handle 105-car trains, but NS says customers will be making investments to support the longer trains.
This extreme phobia of running empty unit trains in the PSR guidebook is mind-boggling. This is supposed to give your mode of transportation a competitive advantage over trucks and barges. Instead, yards are clogged with additional cars needing switching that could have otherwise went straight to their destination – isn’t that what PSR, at its core, wants?
Congrats to NS for kneecapping another business sector as this 25 million dollar operations man walks in the door.
Perhaps it’s all about increased revenue per train start.
Lengthening unit trains makes flow more lumpy. PSR is supposed to smooth things out. One principle in unit trains not daily should be abolished and have traffic move in Merchandise network.
The problem with unit grain trains is customers don’t unload fast enough (days) and power wonders away and empty train doesn’t leave until power is scrounged
This is an old and tired story at NS. There are just so many new guys at the top, they don’t know…
See grain trains, think pancakes 🥞 and biscuits!
Not sure what 105 loads represent. AFAIK these 20 loads isn’t the difference between what a DC handles vs AC. Somehow 105 loads is what many grain customers can originate at once and which 2 AC motors can pull. As was mentioned, 120 to 130 car grain trains have been running for decades thru the Midwest.
This is old news. Conrail ran grain trains and coal that were 100 cars 30 years ago.
PSR = 6, Customers, Workers and Public = 0
PSR has won every game! Undefeated! What a team!
At least all longer grain trains with no Haz Mat when one derails.
“With the increase in train size, our customers will now have to plan and coordinate their operations around fewer trains.”… “Not all grain origins and destinations are equipped to handle 105-car trains, but NS says customers will be making investments to support the longer trains.”
Customers will be making investments? And what if they can’t, then what? They are no longer a customer? Will NS allow other railroads to serve them because they won’t? That is what Mr Elkins suggestions sounds like: an ultimatum. And we all know what Mr. Oberman feels about railroads laying down ultimatums! I wonder if Elkins is a schill for Ancora Holdings… Slap them down Martin O while you have the opportunity.