Funding for Hoosier State: The Saga Continues

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Actually most hot shot trains are at least notionally run on a schedule. And of course some deviation from schedule happens for them too just like it does for scheduled passenger service. I find it hard to believe that the same train goes by more or less at the same time every day by here on FEC, if theya re not running to some schedule. So I believe it to be inaccurate to say that freights run when they're ready, free of any schedule.

I believe notwithstanding what we might wish to believe, there will be significant negotiations involved with CSX when restarting service if that ever comes to pass. At least a timetable need to be negotiated and trackage charges too since the contract under which the train operated has expired and the law under which it ran has been superseded. And that has little to do with slot or no slot. It has to do with what the owner of a property can ask for, even though easements are provided for on the property.
 
Fec is a special case because they claim to be a passenger railroad that runs only freight trains.
 
CCC1007 said:
Fec is a special case because they claim to be a passenger railroad that runs only freight trains.
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Maybe so. But in my experience even CSX and NS run their TOFCs on pretty regular schedule. maybe they are also a special case for some reason or the other? ;)

Afterall when the likes of UPS contracts with the railroads for delivery of their trailers on a specific schedule, I am sure they are quire serious about it. But then again maybe not. Who knows?
 
I read that in an issue of trains magazine several years ago, an interview with the ceo if I remember correctly.
 
Could you be more specific, like come up with a specific reference to an issue of the mag that I can look at? I am finding it difficult to believe you. I am a member of the FEC Railroad Society and no one I talked to seem to have heard such a thing.
 
MikefromCrete said:
I'm always amused by "slots" on freight railroads. It seems to me that most railroads just run freights when they're ready. I doubt that CSX between New Orleans and Jacksonville is so busy that another train couldn't be operated. Right now the "suspended" Sunset East isn't costing any money and if the need arrives to bring it back it will be easy to get back in operation rather than having to start negotiations with CSX from scratch.
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I drive I-10 quite often day and night from Pensacola to the I-10/I-75 interchange before turning south on I-75. There are a few places where you can see the CSX track from I-10 and I have never seen a train on it.
 
jis said:
Could you be more specific, like come up with a specific reference to an issue of the mag that I can look at? I am finding it difficult to believe you. I am a member of the FEC Railroad Society and no one I talked to seem to have heard such a thing.
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i believe it was October of 2007. The same issue where they told the story of Colorado railcar.
 
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Thanks.

BTW, scheduled freight trains is nothing new. They appeared in Rairoad Guides through the late 50's and 60's. Usually they were TOFC/COFCs and other dedicated unit trains. I have never seen a coal drag shown as a scheduled train though. but allegedly Hunter Harrison put even those on schedule on his railroad!
 
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No problem. I have been reading their magazine since 2002 at the very least.
 
I've been reading Trains since my parents gave me a subscription to it for Christmas when I was in the seventh grade. Which was in 1958! With so much material in my head I can't remember every detail either!!!!
 
MikefromCrete said:
CCC1007 said:
Fec is a special case because they claim to be a passenger railroad that runs only freight trains.
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But the FEC doesn't run any passenger trains at this time and hasn't since the 1960's.
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There might still be something in the charter.

Edit: I'm pretty sure this is the case now that I think about it. Part of the reason they were stuck with their last passenger train for a while at the end was that it was in the corporate charter that they were to provide both coach and "first class" service. Though they eventually dumped the train with the blessing of the relevant authority, I don't think anyone bothered fixing the charter. Some wacky related technicality was also attached to the passenger train operating rights on the line, which were never transferred to anyone (i.e. Amtrak).
 
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jimhudson said:
jis said:
Oh I've been reading trains since 1985. That of course does not mean I have been memorizing everything that I came across there. :)
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Scientists and Computer Wizards can read? LOL
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Until we have improved the brain - machine interface a bit, yeah, reading is still in vogue. ;)
 
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