CSX Coke Express

Tim Loutzenhiser Sep 28, 2006

  1. Tim Loutzenhiser

    Tim Loutzenhiser TrainBoard Supporter

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    My son didn't have any afternoon classes at GVSU yesterday, so he dropped in for a visit. We grabbed some fast food and headed to the Holland Depot to eat. Just got ready to take a bite when I heard K357-25 heading west to the depot. Set up the video camera and just barely got it turned on as it passed. My son shot this pic:
    [​IMG]
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Tim-

    What does the "K357" portion represent? 25 probably is the originating date. But the rest is? The departure yard? Terminal yard?

    :D

    Boxcab E50
     
  3. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    Actually, the "K" denotes a unit train on CSX. I saw K650 today; it is the Tropicana juice train. The number refers to the train route & commodity... you'd need a CSX handbook to see where it originates, terminates, and the commodity handled. And yes, the -25 is the originating date.

    Harold
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 29, 2006
  4. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    Tim, nice catch! :) Hey, I have the same scanner!
     
  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Harold-

    So was I correct in thinking "25" is the date it departed the original point?

    :D

    Boxcab E50
     
  6. CB&Q Fan

    CB&Q Fan TrainBoard Member

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    chessie,

    My eyes are going bad. What scanner is that and how do you like it?
     
  7. Shaun

    Shaun TrainBoard Member

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    Looks like a Radio Shack Pro-93, have one myself,and LOVE it :thumbs_up:
     
  8. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yes, they append the train symbol with the date of origination and it is usually called on over the air. For example, today I saw N166-26. A little research tells me that this is a coal train from KY. to FL. It originated on the 26th. The K650 I heard today was actually K650-27. It runs from Florida to New Jersy (loaded). (Sometimes the empties come back as a train K651, sometimes the cars are just returned as emptied).

    Harold
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 29, 2006
  9. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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  10. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    The Radio Shack scanner shown on the dashboard of the car! I like it.. can't beat it for portability and ease of use. I have the 100 AAR channels programmed into it and sometimes scan, but usually stay on the main road channels to hear the trains call the signals.

    Harold
     
  11. CB&Q Fan

    CB&Q Fan TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the info. I am going to buy 1 Friday.
     
  12. BnOEngrRick

    BnOEngrRick TrainBoard Member

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    The last two digits (in this case, 25) is the date the train is originally authorized to run. The train could have left the original terminal 1 or 2 days later, depending on power and crew availability. "K" trains can be classed as anything other than grain or coal, moving as a unit train. Examples are fertilizer, ethanol, steel coils, steel slabs.
     
  13. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Harold,
    How good is the reception on that Radio Shack scanner? What model number do you have?
     
  14. Tim Loutzenhiser

    Tim Loutzenhiser TrainBoard Supporter

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    The scanner in the picture is my Radio Shack PRO-83. On a good day, I can pick up the CSX defect detector in Zeeland, which is approx. 10 miles from my house.
     
  15. BrianS

    BrianS E-Mail Bounces

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    Ten miles is pretty bad reception. The problem is the stock antenna that comes with a scanner. They are designed to pick up everything that the scanner will but none of it very well. Your best bet is to replace it with one designed for the 2m ham radio band which is very close to the railroad band. You should be able to get 15-20 mile range regularly for a $25 investment.
     
  16. Tim Loutzenhiser

    Tim Loutzenhiser TrainBoard Supporter

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    Where's a decent source for a good replacement antenna?
     
  17. BrianS

    BrianS E-Mail Bounces

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    There's a thread down in the railfanning discussion about it.

    So, how 'bout that coke?
     

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