Here is a coal train I caught in Charleston: It was symbol 74N Is this "foreign" coal being brought into the port? Where does it come from? Harold
At one time, I knew some of the train symbols, for movements out of the PRB area. UP, C&NW. But they were using mostly letters. Dunno what "74N" might reference. It's new for me. Boxcab E50
NS 700-series trains are coal trains. "74N" is no different than "743" or just "700" might be. NS uses the old Southern three-digit numbering system and they simply ran out of numbers to use. In place of some numbers they've started using letters. So, unlike CSX, the letters in an NS train are mostly meaningless. P.S. What's "foreign coal and foreign" power supposed to mean?
Not quite correct... NS uses a amalagation of Southern and NS train symboling... and it's not three digits, it's seven (we only hear or see the first three, the other four are line desgnators and day designators) I.e, you can have a 185-V402 and a 185-V403 running on the same line at the same time... Only the last letter in a NS train symbol could be construed as meaningless... i.e, 236, 23G. The first letter represents a divisional local or helper, or an extra... 400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 series can all technically be used for coal trains, but the specific series used has a general meaning, usually dependent on division(s) the train runs on...
I was told that some of the coal trains at the port were actually loaded with coal that was imported. The reference to foreign power was for the UP SD70ACe. Harold
