Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ukma!psuvm.bitnet!psuvax1!burdvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!qantel!lll-crg!seismo!brl-tgr!tgr!cb@mitre-bedford.ARPA
From: cb@mitre-bedford.ARPA (Christopher Byrnes)
Newsgroups: net.railroad
Subject: Re: Electrified freight railroads
Message-ID: <1558@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 13-Jan-86 15:31:08 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.1558
Posted: Mon Jan 13 15:31:08 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Jan-86 04:33:50 EST
Sender: news@brl-tgr.ARPA
Lines: 20


  There are still a few holdouts when it comes to moving freight by
electricity on this continent.  A few "captive" coal haulers use
overheads, I believe the Black Mesa & Powell is an example.  In fact, I
think they have been using new GM electrics as well as used
AmTrack/Conrail units to haul their unit trains.  I also believe that
there is a recent section of a Canadian railroad (perhaps BCR) which
converted one of their branches to overhead to haul unit trains to a
power plant.  I think that's about it in terms of recent electrifications.

  I've also read that the soon-to-be-abandoned YVT in Washington had
to go back to steeplecab electrics when their diesel TrackMobile was
damaged in a highway collision.  It's too bad that Conrail is
eliminating electric freight, but perhaps it's just as well that heavy
freight is not run on top of AmTrack's new 120 MPH Corridor.  I was
wondering, do AmTrack's new (nearly) all-mail trains count as electric
freight on the Corridor?
                                        Christopher Byrnes
                                        cb@Mitre-Bedford.ARPA
                                        ...decvax!linus!bccvax!cb.UUCP