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What is the difference between a through freight train and a local freight train?
What is the difference between a local freight train and a through freight train? Please let me know thank you.
Answer:
Most freight schedules run long distances, but by way definition of this term, if the train travels through one or more terminals before the schedule arrives its final terminal, it is a "through" train, having "run through" those terminals. Keep in mind, the crews, and sometimes the power, too, will be changed at intermediate terminals, but the train keeps going to destination.
Local freight (was once called way freight) is a part of the gathering-distributing network, where cars are left with various shippers. Some are loads of bulk material going into the plant for some sort of manufacturing process, and then pulling out these empties, or delivering empty cars for loading, then pulling these cars out when loaded.
In operations such as with a pulp / paper mill, all of the above traffic types go in and out. That is why there is a need for good crews on the locals, with very complex, and at times confusing, switching moves to make to safely get the job done within the allotted time.
These jobs usually go on duty at the same time each day (under normal circumstances) and usually for six days a week, most always with the same crew each day, unless one of the regular crewmembers takes off for sickness, vacation, etc. In most instances, they will go on duty and return to the same point when going off duty. However, there is a class of local freight called a "road switcher." Basically a local, but with a l2 to 16 hour layover at an away from home terminal that is usually around 130 to 150 miles away from the home terminal, then working back home on the next day.
That newspaper you read this morning? It's been on a local....
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