Traffic on the old MoPac ROW along the UP mains here is quite rapidly decreasing(KC to STL). Of the last few years Stack loads, Coal buckets and Autoracks were steady on, now they dribble through at around half the last year(2019) rate,
That's a good point Boxcab. In my region, NS has changed routings in major ways. The former SOU east/west main through the Loops east of Asheville has lost most of its through traffic, as has the once-important line between Asheville and Bulls Gap, TN. Everything now runs further north through Bristol, TN/VA and the N&W main via Roanoke. These are highly circuitous routes for some moves, but somebody has is all figured out we guess ....
Double Track main for the UP through here is their true E-W Main thru MO. Unless gave up freight to BNSF and N&S further North of here as N&S and KCS are fairing no better thru Mexico and Centralia MO.
The loss of steam coal has forever changed the industry. Steam coal for electric utilities once kept many lines in operation through thick and thin. With the permanent loss of coal tonnage, remaining carloadings have become even more closely tied to swings in the economy. Railroading is also a high fixed cost business, making cost controls even more critical when the economy sags.
