Although have only observed my little corner of the USA something seems amiss. For past couple weeks many manifest trains here are running with only one 4400 HP unit or two 3000 HP units. By no means are all running that way. Unit coal and grain trains do appear to have 3 units all working. The BNSF intermodals almost always have 4 units from BNSF running the haulage trains comparted to just 3 and one in tow previously. There have been a few incidents of a runniing light 2 engine south bound and a few hours later same units pulling a manifest north. Reason unknown but suspect a single unit manifest had an engine failure ?
North bound trains which apparently lack enough power seem to be getting a clear track at MAS to approach the ruling grade and are fairly slow by time at top of ruling grade ?
Also the number of AC traction motor units seems to have been reduced.
So where have all the locos gone ? Northern tier ?
All the class ones are powershort.
An "expensive model collector"
Been seeing B40-8's more frequently lately. For instance, I saw a double stack a few nights ago on the St. Lawrence subdivision with an unidentified six axle GE leading, followed by two of these GE 4 axle units.
Not sure if they were in storage, but I believe that at least a portion of the fleet has been moved to local assignments in recent years.
Otherwise, it's business as usual up here as far as I can tell (Other than the return of CN run through power after a hiatus of several years on this particular route). Seeing nothing strange. It's almost all modern CC widecabs, usually GE, leading, and they often account for the entire consist. If there's anything with a standard cab, it's not a leader unless it's on a local.
Haven't even seen a leasor in a while, although a few CN locomotives still in Illinois Central paint have spiced things up a bit.
Business as usual...
To what Blue Streak 1 said: "...Although have only observed my little corner of the USA something seems amiss..." On the grain trains around here you'l see mixes of power Older 4 axle units on the head and sometimes a six axle in DPU.. They seem to be the lead unit when returning empty.
Simiarly, the mixed trains,nd the solid tanker trains. The Stackers going East seem to run with the newer higher horsepower units. they'll have anywhere from three to five matched units leading, and no DPU. The Westbounds seem to have three or four, and generally two in DPU. BNSF when they used DPU units seem to favor at least two units, while the UPRRseems to stick pretty much to only a single unit as a DPU ( on their lines in SE Kansas, on the near-by OKT sub they do mot seem to have DPU's (?). As for foreign power on the BNSF, last spring there used to be the occasional FerroMex unit, once in a while the odd CSX and NS units. If there are two NS units on a BNSF train, they seem to run as first and second out,with the trailing unit BNSF. at least heading west.
Csx runs whatever it can get it's hands on.I like making calendars of all the different power on CSX.
stay safe
Joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
Sometimes there almost seems to be more foreign power than locomotives from the home road. Power desks grab what ever they can get.
Norm
Saw 4 unusual (for here) locomotives yesterday on 2 different trains; I'm assuming all 4 were on trains handed off to CSX by BNSF. The first train had a BNSF (very rare) and an NS (2nd one EVER). Second train had an ATSF in faded warbonnet paint (first one ever) and a BNSF. UP locos are common, and everything else is CSX. Glad I was watching.
Had a light 2- AC loco move south this afternoon. Came north pulling a single engine manifest a few hours later.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.