It was like alphabet soup today on the scanner! CSX was calling a bunch of trains on the A line other than "Q" trains... I'll have to find my list... Harold
The first train I heard called was F774... this seems to be a daily local... The next train was T402... this was a loaded coal train. The next train was W860-12.... apparently this was the "prize" of the day! Harold
Next was Q451.... Then was S438. I have never heard of "S", but apparently this denotes the second section of a train.... Also called was U553-12 (another unit coal train)... Harold
We must get a lot more "non-Q" trains up here than you guys do. We have a myriad of unit trains to sort out that carry coal, ore, sulfur, steel, coke, and empties. That's in addition to the reroutes, second sections, extras, and locals that you seem to have just discovered. Don't even get me started on NS symbols!
Yes, it seems that the # 1 train on the A line that I have seen is definately Q trains... probably 4 times as many as unit coal trains. Harold
X100-series trains, technically extra intermodal trains, are usually baretables or a repositioning move for empty trailers and containers. Very rarely will you find a loaded train operating with an X100-series symbol, though.
You think that is bad, here's what I found on the 'net: Key to CSX Symbols Odd-numbered trains are westward or southward Even-numbered trains are eastward or northward Type of train A Local B Local C Local D Local E Unit coal trains F Local G Unit Grain trains H Local J Local K Unit trains other than coal and grain L Alternate schedule of Q-train M Local N Unit coal trains O Local P Passenger trains Q Regularly scheduled trains S Second section T Unit coal trains U Unit coal trains V Unit coal trains W Work trains/Unit coal trains X Extra and special trains Y Yard jobs Z Foreign road trains
That seems right to me! And to further complicate matters, some yard jobs work industries on the road like a local would! Some lines there are locals "scheduled" but never operated because the yard jobs handle all the switching chores.
Yeah, there one of those yard jobs out of Rocky Mount... It startled me one day as I heard it on the scanner calling a signal at the end of the yard, then I saw it race out onto the mainline and take off! Harold