3:56 what a catch!!! CN and Illinois Central! Very rare to see that combo!

Let me take this time to explain to you folks about the symbols of railroads back in the 90's: SANTA FE: For these guys in the 90's, Santa Fe had quite an interesting system for assigning numbers to their trains. They indicate to where the train originated with the FIRST number, reference to the trains priority with the SECOND number, and refer the trains destination with the THIRD number. At the same time, a number digit before the THREE number symbol would indicate the trains section of it's schedule with 1 as the FIRST, 2 as the SECOND, and 3 as an UNSCHEDULED EXTRA that's runs on an AS NEEDED basis : 1: Chicgao Area 2: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana(VIA CONRAIL CONNECTION AT STREATOR IL) 3: Kansas City 4: Colorado, Kansas, & Oklahoma 5: East Texas 6: West Texas(VIA BURLINGTON NORTHERN CONNECTION AT AVARD OK) 7: New Mexico & Arizona 8: Southern California 9: Northern California For intermodal & manifest/General merchandise freights a #1 would indicate a LOW Priority train while a #9 indicate a HOT high priority train. Then in September 1993, Santa Fe switched to an alphabetical train symbol and while most of all their fleet of trains went to this change, the HOT PRIORITY intermodal trains kept their numerical symbols all the up to and even after the merger with Burlington Northern in September 1995. Those symbol changes come as the following: INTERMODAL Q: Guaranteed Time Sensitive Service P: Priority T: Standard S: Double Stacks or Single Customer Service B: Baretable Trains MANIFEST/GENERAL MERCHANDISE Q: Guaranteed Time Sensitive Service H: Priority Manifest M: Standard Manifest V: Vehicle/Autorack trains U: Unit trains(Potash, Coil Steel, Military Equipment) C: Coal Trains G: Grain Trains L: Local Frieghts Y: Yard Jobs Z: Light Engines(POWER MOVE) F: Foreign Trains From Other Railroads PASSENGER/BUSINESS SPECIALS O: Office Car/Passenger Extra At this same time, Origination & Destination points for trains would start with the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters depending. BURLINGTON NORTHERN: The Burlington Northern mainly kept their numerical symbols all the way to and past the 1995 merger before switching to alphabetical codes in 1997 1-99: Intermodal trains 100-200: Manifest/General Merchandise frights G.#: GRAIN TRAINS AA: Coal Trains Origination 000: Coal Trains Destination SOUTHERN PACIFIC: SP mainly kept certain type of symbols for their trains. Much like Santa Fe, the SP also utilize the the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters of their symbols to determine a trains ORIGINATION & DESTINATION. Even utilize symbols for connecting railroads like NS for NORFOLK SOUTHERN or CX: CSX. NS: Norfolk Southern M: Manifest/General Merchandise trains Q: Quality Manifest G: Grain Trains C: Coal Trains F: Fast HOT Intermodal trains FF: HOTTEST intermodal trains X: Expedited Express Intermodal Trains U: Unit Trains(Rock, Military Equipment) UNION PACIFIC: For these guys like SP, they to stick to alphabetical symbols. Much like Santa Fe, the UP also utilize the the FIRST, SECOND, or THIRD letters of their symbols to determine a trains ORIGINATION & DESTINATION. Even utilize symbols for connecting railroads like NS for NORFOLK SOUTHERN or CX for CSX: T: Standard Intermodal Z: HOTTEST Intermodal A: First Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights B: Second Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights C: Third(Unscheduled Extra) Section of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights C: Coal Trains G: Grain Trains V: Vehicle(Autorack) Trains NORFOLK SOUTHERN: Train symbols on NS can be quite puzzling but do have meaning once explained: 000-099: Excursion(Passenger/Business) Specials 100-199: Manifest/General Merchandise Freights operating over more than one division. 200-300: Intermodal & Autorack Trains. 300-400: Manifest/General Merchandise Freights operating within a single division. 500-600: Grain Trains 600-700: Unit Trains 700-800: Coal Trains 734-739: Low Sulfur POWDER RIVER BASIN Coal Trains 900-1000: Hi-Wide Specials or Test Inspection Trains In addition to these, the NS also utilizes LETTERS to indicate SECOND(EXTRA) sections of their trains by replacing the first number in the train symbol with either an M, I, W, Z, Y, X, & Q. M: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Manifest/General Merchandise Freights I: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Intermodal/Autorack Trains W: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of 300 Series Trains Z: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Unit Trains Y: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Grains Trains X: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of 400 Series Trains Q: SECOND(EXTRA) Section Of Coal Trains

Great job Danny! Fun fact, CFRC adopted all of CSX’s operating rules, and with that, CSX trains here are also mow considered foreign, so trains like N040, O741, A784, now operate on the CFRC under Z status so while they’re still N, O, and A, they run on this corridor as Z. Z040, Z741, Z784.

I just wanted say, I've personally adored trains my entire life. And this is the most informative, well presented source of train knowledge I've ever come across. Well done

3:50 That CN unit was a long way from home

Well Danny you don’t know what you don’t know and after watching this and many of your videos I learned that I know absolutely zero about trains, terminology, locomotives, signals you name it. Your narration and explanations make these very interesting to watch. I now am addicted.

As always very informative. I have been an arm chair railfan for several years, yet this is the first time I have seen an explanation of train numbering. Great info - thanks.

Excellently Produced and Narrated video Danny! Thanks for sharing!

You are such a pro Mr. Harmon. I love watching your videos as I learn so much.

Excellent video, as usual! I learn something every time I watch your videos. Thank You! Keep up the good work!

Thank you for all the information on the trains in your area. I have wondered about this for many years.

Hello. What a great pedagogy. I've been watching train videos for a long time, not to say years, and your video has given me a lot of answers. It's kind of your part, thank you.

I recently stumbled upon your work here, Danny. Really impressive, outstanding stuff, man. I've been railfanning myself ever since my father started taking me to the tracks all around Maryland when I was a tiny kid, specifically the DC to Brunswick Metropolitan Subdivision. But there is an awful lot of technical info that I just never learned or knew about, until I found your channel. Simply the best videos, knowledge, and passion I've ever come across. Hats off to you, Sir, thank you. You've gained another big fan here.

Mr. Harmon, I’ve been watching your videos since I was about 13 (about 6 years). You have such a smooth, narrative, genuine voice. There’s something about your videos that’s just plain hypnotizing to me. I was pleasantly surprised to see that you recently uploaded a video. Thanks for the quality film. You’ll always get a thumbs up from me on whatever video of yours I happen to watch.

Wow Danny! You got lucky with that Illinois Central!

One of the best videos I have watched so far from you. If there was a dedicated train channel on television, you'd be the one I'd advocate for to frontline.

Danny; As one of the people asking about train designations, I thank you from the bottom of my A.D.D. afflicted brain! Again thanks for posting! John Shaw

as usual danny a great video....,,,,,,,,thanks,,,,,,,they are a pleasure to watch and listen to. they are the best videos out there...........

Mr Harmon love the teaching videos keep them coming. I've learned a lot from them.

Why the hell on earth could you dislike this video. Flawless production, great job.

Thanks for the video! You did a great job mixing informational audio with train video clips. Your audio sounds really professional!

Danny, I am so impressed by the information given on your videos! What I find very interesting is all the little single tracks or sidings these behemoths must navigate. I’d love to visit Florida and see all this in person. Thank you for the great scenery shots and valuable information you share. Please keep it going!

P091 comes through my town about 10:00 or so every night so I can relate to it for sure. Great video Danny, I enjoyed it!

Thank you Danny for your very very professional presentation, you have a fantastic "Radio voice" and you never falter. I'm fairly new to this game but commend you on your work my friend, thanks from tones1957 in New Zealand.

Thanks Danny another awesome video, Thoroughly enjoyed it, now I'm gonna go and watch it again. Thanks

Danny, Excellent video. Very informative, as always!

I can't believe they still back into Tampa Station, I remember on the ACL West Coast champion we'd come around a wye, back into the station, there they dropped the coach I was on or a sleeper going to Ft Myers. I lived in Sarasota and went to Florida Central Academy close to Sanford where I caught the train to home, Long wait at Tampa. sometimes up to 3-4 hours.

Very educational. I did know about the Amtrak numbering system. So many people use the word or letter O instead of saying zero or 0. Thanks for sharing!

Another great video Danny I found this one to be very informative keep up the great work. And CSX will sometimes combine manifest and auto racks an example of this Q200 Blue Island Illinois (IHB) to Walbridge Ohio or Q264 Walbridge Ohio to East Brookfield Massachusetts.

I get an education, every time I get to watch something you have posted. Thanks, Danny

Another great video Danny! Can’t wait until your next one!

Thanks Danny, that does help me to understand what trains you are showing.

Great video. Love the quality narration, had to subscribe! Rich

Coal is making a come back from what I've seen just over the course of a couple months, I've been on the CSX Allegheny Sub past Hinton WV near Talcott and the Big Bend Tunnel and there's been several gigantic coal trains two locomotives with 110 bethgon coal porters and then two more locomotives in the middle followed up by an additional 110 bethgon coal porters, there's also a covered hopper train that has middle DPUs and of course the Amtrak Cardinal passed through there as well, but this video has helped me to try and identify those trains and figure out their destinations

Well done • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂

Thank you so much, I always wondered how trains got their names. Very informative.

Great! Thanks for the information. CSX runs many trains around here (MI, IN, OH) and I was curious as to what the letters/numbers meant. IMO, some of the Conrail symbols were the easiest to understand...for example train symbol STEL ran from Sterling, MI to Elkhart, IN.

Great narration, making the video a really interesting documentary!

Great job, as always Danny, but i don't know about this learning while watching my favorite channel on KZfaq. Very informative, I had always wondered where CSX and you got the numbers and letters from, thanks for the great info. Now if you could do the same with NS and my favorite FEC, you just might be on to something. Keep up the great work and i'm already looking forward to the next one.

I always enjoy your videos

Great video, Danny! I like the FCEN catch quite a lot.

Really cool video and channel. You're easy to listen to. Good job.

8:00 GREAT shot of Y225 with those wet conditions!

Informative as usual, well done.

Very informative. Thank you for posting this.

Thank you. That was a great and informative video. I'd like to see one like that for NS, BNSF, UP, KCS and any others you can.

Thank you. This was a very helpful video for me as I model csx. David

Very informative. Thank you for sharing, Danny.

Again, very interesting and educational!

I learned so much from this and I am a beginner railfanner, Thank you

Your voice is awesome! subbed and awesome content

Once again THANKS! Danny.

Very interesting and informative to a UK railwayman!

Great Danny! Sent this link to a few people who had the same questions.

Great video, learned something new about the railroad

Very educational! I live in New Jersey and most of the CSX come on the Lehigh Valley Line. Q300, Q301, Q032 and I think Q031. We also have Q409, Q410, Q434, Q438 & Q439 as well as K140, etc.

That was super informative. So cool

Excellent video!! Great Video and VO work too!

Expanding a bit more on the P-letter trains, but this time centered around Washington DC: Amtrak has P-Zero numbers, but for two lines you have a local commuter rail, MARC, that have P-800 series. This is operated on CSX track by Bombardier under contract with Maryland Transit Administrator's MARC service (Maryland Area Rail Car). They operate on the Cumberland, Metropolitan, Old Main, Capital, and Baltimore Terminal subdivisions. P840 to P860 trains are trains going between Washington DC to Camden Yards in Baltimore; P870 through P890 is DC to Brunswick, MD or Martinsburg, MD; P880 goes to Frederick, MD on MARC owned track and could technically be Z trains were they not passenger trains. And if not known, even trains go west to east; odds go east to west.

That's surprising to see Q046 has replaced Q188. You also had some nice catches in this video too. I enjoy seeing those YN2 Dash-8's.

Very informative! Thanks Danny!

Great video 😀👍👍 I’ve been watching for 6 or 7 years! I just wanted to let you know, that you should’ve explained X Trains, and how they’re used as extra trains, and as a second train name. Also L, for altered schedule. Great Work, thanks!!!!

Great video thank you for the explanations!

These days, CSX intermodals carry an "I" prefix. A while back, I caught I038, which runs from Jacksonville to Pinoca Yard, Charlotte. That was the only time I can recall seeing a live CSX intermodal, though I see a ton of NS intermodal. And up here in the Carolinas, CSX locals carry the "F" designation.

Thank you for the explanation Danny.

Great video. Thanks! Please do more!

Omg so informal. Great wealth of knowledge

Very informative and so nice to watch, as always…

Now we Know what Happened to the Shell Answer Man. Danny (DS) is Explaining Railroads.😬👍

Thanks Danny. Great job.

Great video, learned a lot

Well done, as usual!

Awesome! thanks for clarifying that!!!

Beautiful video.

8:20 that's fantastic! Never seen a Dash running the street before. So weird to see. Very cool.

Really helpful video! Thanks!

Hey, Danny! I was wondering, can you do a video (or a series of videos, whatever you prefer) on the different locomotives? I'm a newer railfan and most new railfans like me can't yet really tell the difference between some of the GE, EMD and other engines. If you could include the things that make them different from each other (maybe the layout of different parts of the locomotive, or different sounds they make (such as the GE 'whooooop!')) that would be great too! Thanks for all of your hardwork you put into these videos!

What a fascinating video Thank you

Very informative, thank you.

Thank you for a very informative video.

Excellent! Thank you! If I ever get out that way from the west coast I will for sure send you a email.

Dan,you do a GREAT job Ed.

Excellent video.

This is really cool, thanks!

Excellent video!

I AM IMPRESSED !!

Very interesting stuff, thanks!

Just realized the K421 with the CN power comes all the way from here in Iowa! It was U70491 from Tara, IA to Hawthorne, IL where it enters CSX territory.

Great video love it thanks for sharing it

Here's a comprehensive list of CSX Train Symbols, which is updated regularly. It also includes recently retired symbols, which is useful looking back through all the recent changes over the last couple years! railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/CSX_Train_Symbols

Very informative. Glad railroads are still alive. So many have died out.

Great and very informative video. I always did wonder how they ID their trains. Thanks! Will you also be doing number videos on the 4 other Class 1 RRs?

Thank you Danny for the number designation on these trains. Now I wonder no more .. LOL !

Awesome video Danny

awesome video and very cool.

Thank you for your knowledge

great catch. thanks.

Great informative video 👍👍👍

We have nearly the same thing here in Australia with the ARTC for interstate trains but we have 2 numbers and 2 letters for it, first number is what day it is, the letters are for destinations and the last number is the company (ie: 3MA8. Tuesday, Melbourne to Adelaide, Great Southern Rail

awesome video