Oxfordblues
Member
- Joined
- 22 Dec 2013
- Messages
- 665
Today's 4B92 06:47 Southampton Western Docks - Masborough FD conveyed just one container and was otherwise a complete train of empty flats. Heading in the opposite direction I often see intermodals destined Southampton including rakes of empties. There seems to be a lot of wasteful cross-haulage of empties.
When I worked at BRBHQ's Central Wagon Authority in the late-1970s our remit was to maximise wagon utilisation, optimise fleet productivity and avoid wasteful cross-haulage of empties.
I understand the limitations of detaching intermediate empty wagons before departure, requiring a pilot loco and shunting staff to achieve this. But if they are at the rear of the train uncoupling should be straightforward.
And I know that some contracts require a certain number of "platforms" to be made available each day for potential loading even if not all are required on the day. For this reason trains are kept in complete rakes in the knowledge that some wagons might run empty in both directions.
But as a retired wagon distributor it grieves me to witness such waste. I wonder if any readers have thoughts or explanations on this.
When I worked at BRBHQ's Central Wagon Authority in the late-1970s our remit was to maximise wagon utilisation, optimise fleet productivity and avoid wasteful cross-haulage of empties.
I understand the limitations of detaching intermediate empty wagons before departure, requiring a pilot loco and shunting staff to achieve this. But if they are at the rear of the train uncoupling should be straightforward.
And I know that some contracts require a certain number of "platforms" to be made available each day for potential loading even if not all are required on the day. For this reason trains are kept in complete rakes in the knowledge that some wagons might run empty in both directions.
But as a retired wagon distributor it grieves me to witness such waste. I wonder if any readers have thoughts or explanations on this.
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