CSX Corp. routing all nonlocal traffic around Augusta in cost-cutting move (Atlanta: home, subdivision)

[Airforceguy]

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based railroad last week confirmed freight volume on the storied Augusta-to-Atlanta route – which it calls the “Georgia Road” – was reduced starting in February. That’s when it began routing all nonlocal east-west trains through alternate lines in North and South Georgia.
CSX spokeswoman Kristin Seay said the Georgia Road line is being used solely for servicing the company’s 40 regional customers. Freight bound for points elsewhere is being routed on the “Abbeville Subdivision” line to the north and the “Fitzgerald Subdivision” line to the
south.
The rerouting – along with a reduction in maximum speed on the Georgia Road line from 50 mph to 25 mph – will reduce wear-and-tear and enable the company to adopt a lower-cost maintenance schedule.
“That shift of some of our through trains made it more appealing to reduce the speed on that line,” Seay said.
She declined to comment on Augusta-specific rail volumes but said changes to the Augusta-Atlanta track trimmed about a half-dozen positions from the company’s Augusta-based staff of 140.
Seay said there are no plans to reduce local service or change operations at its Augusta rail yard, and she reiterated all CSX tracks “meet or exceed” Federal Railroad Administration standards.
Like other major railroads, CSX is looking for ways to trim costs amid declining coal shipments to power plants, which increasingly rely on natural gas. Coal made up roughly one third of CSX’s revenue before 2012; it now accounts for only 15 percent.

CSX Corp. routing all nonlocal traffic around Augusta in cost-cutting move | The Augusta Chronicle

[Georgiadog]

This is from obamas war on coal and if Hillary gets in it will be even worse.Vote trump in november and help save these railroad jobs.

[angedelune]

Coal is not a renewable resource. I'm glad we are cutting back on it. Sorry about the jobs, but i'd rather have a cleaner planet and new jobs opening up in solar, wind, and water energy. Go Hilary!

[PJA]

Neither Hillary nor trump will be good for this country

[Pu239]

Go Hilary! and take Obama with ya... Bubye!

[2nd trick op]

Originally Posted by angedelune

Coal is not a renewable resource. I'm glad we are cutting back on it. Sorry about the jobs, but i'd rather have a cleaner planet and new jobs opening up in solar, wind, and water energy. Go Hilary!

The problem with your wishful thinking is that those alternatives can't always generate continuous, reliable power in sufficient quantities to power the heavy industry which generates respectable paychecks.

Small-scale power production has a place -- IF you can find somebody to maintain it, or maintain it by yourself (NOT recommended for the neophyte). But the environmental movement tends to greatly oversimplify things in order to recruit a technophobic, and often gullible following.

[luke2401]

Originally Posted by Georgiadog

This is from obamas war on coal and if Hillary gets in it will be even worse.Vote trump in november and help save these railroad jobs.

Amen brother!

[2nd trick op]

CSX announced about a year ago that it was going to "concentrate" its traffic by running longer, heavier, and fewer trains wherever possible; also that it would re-route some of its traffic over lines which involved more miles, but easier grades. That decision has already led to a drastic cutback on the former Clinchfield subdivision (Ashland, KY -- Spartanburg, SC) -- long a favorite of railroad buffs and photographers.

In level territory, such as the former New York Central "Water Level Route" (Albany-Buffalo-Cleveland-Chicago) freight trains of up to two miles in length have been a practice for about twenty years. Competitor Norfolk Southern also appears to be pursuing this agenda.

Earlier today, an NS freight apparently experienced mechanical problems and blocked both of the major highway crossings in my home base of Topton, PA. In fairness, I'm sure the dispatchers worked as closely as possible with local authorities, but the increasing length of freight trains, coupled with the demise of local railroad-employee presence at now-closed freight agencies and signal towers, makes it likely that such incidents will increase in number, and there is a very real possibility that this might become a factor in some future tragedy.

[cst8670]

Originally Posted by 2nd trick op

CSX announced about a year ago that it was going to "concentrate" its traffic by running longer, heavier, and fewer trains wherever possible; also that it would re-route some of its traffic over lines which involved more miles, but easier grades. That decision has already led to a drastic cutback on the former Clinchfield subdivision (Ashland, KY -- Spartanburg, SC) -- long a favorite of railroad buffs and photographers.

In level territory, such as the former New York Central "Water Level Route" (Albany-Buffalo-Cleveland-Chicago) freight trains of up to two miles in length have been a practice for about twenty years. Competitor Norfolk Southern also appears to be pursuing this agenda.

Earlier today, an NS freight apparently experienced mechanical problems and blocked both of the major highway crossings in my home base of Topton, PA. In fairness, I'm sure the dispatchers worked as closely as possible with local authorities, but the increasing length of freight trains, coupled with the demise of local railroad-employee presence at now-closed freight agencies and signal towers, makes it likely that such incidents will increase in number, and there is a very real possibility that this might become a factor in some future tragedy.

So does this mean this isnt because of Obamas war on coal? If so thats going to make certain people unhappy.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by Georgiadog

This is from obamas war on coal and if Hillary gets in it will be even worse.Vote trump in november and help save these railroad jobs.

LOL, we didn't even make it past the second post without an "It's Obama's fault"!