super trains are happening all over the country

 

Sorry, don't mean to offend anyone but it seems the same trains are in my area too...they were all filled with coal on the UP line when I was in Lombard, Illinois, last week. It took a half hour to clear the crossing and it was hauling at a pretty good clip into Chicago. Mostly they run the long ones at night and have caused a lot of towns that are cut in half by the once commuter lines to resort to adding emergency services where they didn't need them before. It is causing a burden on local taxpayers to fund new Police/Fire stations.

 

Hi

I am not offended in the least, on my part.

The train I had observed, appeared to be empties heading East, perhaps to Pennsylvania to a coal mine area...
This train was moving right along but did not take near as long to clear, as the one you witnessed.

There certainly is a variety of power generation methods, some involving use of coal. And other uses of coal too.

I hesitate to comment much on electric vehicles, and I am not a fan for a variety of reasons.
Just that topic could go way deep for sure !
There is truly insufficient power grid capacity to support a massive switch over to battery vehicle charging. We are a long way from possessing infrastructure to do that process...

Back to the long trains and blocking travel that you spoke of - a nearby small city Orrville, eventually built a large bridge to connect each side of the city over 2 RR main lines (now one) that assisted in PD and fire/EMS dept responses. They did have a fire station on each side before the bridge was built.

My post was not critical of the long train, I was simply surprised at the length. I took a guess of the cars and engines at over 2 miles long - 70 ft engines ? and hoppers 50 feet ?

There has been discussions of excessive length of consists and even train staff being concerned about the long trains. That derailment disaster at East Palestine is only 60 miles straight East from my home. I realize the contributing factors to any derailment varies considerably...

We all do need rail service for transportation of freight.
And so many factors on decisions of costs of operation etc.
And on safe operation too...

Yea...

 

Those 105 car drags come through my town a block up the street from me fresh from the coal mine. Usually only four locomotives though. Three at the front and a pusher at the end.