Why did CSX "ban" steam locomotives from their lines and now that CSX has a new CEO and president, is it possible to see steam again on CSX?
Why did CSX ban steam excursions? Well when you come right down to it it was a corporate decision, no more, no less. They don't have to give an explanation.
I'm not expecting any change in the "no antique rail equipment" policy under the new regime. I don't think Hunter Harrison hates steam per se, I believe it's just not part of his railroad world-view.
As far as CSX is concerned they're in the shipping business and not the entertainment business. Hey, it's their railroad, I can live with that.
Wayne, EHH is on record as saying he hates steam locomotives on his railroads.
RME Wayne, EHH is on record as saying he hates steam locomotives on his railroads.
Well that's different! HUNTER SUCKS!
I can understand indifference to steam locomotives, but a man who hates 'em has no soul!
I hope the ghosts of Graham and Bob Claytor show up at his house one night and sew his mouth shut!
Here I was, going to take the "high road" and hold myself aloof from all this EHH controversy but this just tears it!
By the way, I'm cool with everyone else at CSX, so don't take my rants personally folks.
Lady Firestorm asks, "Watsa matter, did a big bad steam engine scare him when he was a widdle boy?"
And he wants to be remembered as the Greatest Railroader? Good luck with that!
Firelock76And he wants to be remembered as the Greatest Railroader? Good luck with that!
I kinda think he really wants to be remembered as the Greatest Moneymaker, so he hates anything that might interfere with that.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Paul of Covington Firelock76 And he wants to be remembered as the Greatest Railroader? Good luck with that! I kinda think he really wants to be remembered as the Greatest Moneymaker, so he hates anything that might interfere with that.
Firelock76 And he wants to be remembered as the Greatest Railroader? Good luck with that!
One more thing...
I hope the ghost of David P. Morgan shows up at Hunter's house after the Claytors are through with him and breaks an empty VO bottle over his head.
Notice I said empty VO bottle. DPM knew it was a mortal sin to waste good liquor.
LNER4472As often as I've heard such an allegation, I've never heard anyone cite precisely when and where he supposedly said this.
In addition to other places I've seen it discussed, he said it to me at a meeting of the Economic Club of Memphis where he had been the invited speaker.
He did qualify it somewhat when I described some of the potential features that were to be built into T1 5550, but it did not change his opinion that he hated the idea of steam on a working railroad for which he had the responsibility. Anything, by extension, that gratuitously reduces the ability to do precision railroading.
I did not ask him directly about the 'marketing and promotional' value of big steam, but I suspect he is well aware of what has been said for it ... and his system of values as the person responsible for a railroad's Job One doesn't rate the rewards as commensurate with the risks, especially on a congested railroad with precisely-scheduled throughput.
He doesn't "hate" the whole idea of preserved steam -- just the diversion of railroad money to it, or the interruption it poses on an operating railroad. I do not expect him to change this opinion to 'compete with' NS.
And of course, in the world of EHH, there would not be enough staff to handle the operation of a steam special. Office folks are running trains since half the running trades are furloughed or fired, and the trainmasters are driving crew taxis!
cx500 And of course, in the world of EHH, there would not be enough staff to handle the operation of a steam special. Office folks are running trains since half the running trades are furloughed or fired,
And of course, in the world of EHH, there would not be enough staff to handle the operation of a steam special. Office folks are running trains since half the running trades are furloughed or fired,
An "expensive model collector"
"he hated the idea of steam on a working railroad for which he had the responsibility. . . . He doesn't "hate" the whole idea of preserved steam -- just the diversion of railroad money to it, or the interruption it poses on an operating railroad."Which is an entirely different proposition from "HE HATEZ STEAM!!!!", which is the way "fanboys" of steam try to "villanize" Harrison or anyone else in charge at CSX.
It should be remembered that this systemwide CSX "animosity" towards steam--operating or even in tow--predates Harrison by a good decade or more.The way to up the ante and challenge this ban would be for someone to attempt some steam movement on an incredibly remote section of the CSX system, where no claim of "interference to operation" can be taken seriously. But seeing as I've dealt firsthand with CSX personnel who even refused to couple a passenger car onto the rear of their freight train for a local move from one yard to another even though I had all paperwork (until actually, literally ordered to by superiors in person), I do believe there exists a systemwide paranoia of Draconian repercussions, from bottom to top, should anything whatsoever go out of the ordinary or cause problems.
So RME, my original supposition of "he doesn't hate steam per se" was pretty close to the mark, he doesn't hate preserved steam, he just hates it playing on his railroad.
OK, I can understand that, Hunter doesn't suck as much as I thought he did, he's in the "moving stuff business" not the entertainment business.
Not mad at ya' bro, but you might have saved my blood pressure rising and some colorful rants on my part if you went into a bit more detail.
As I said earlier, CSX isn't in the business of keeping railfans happy, Hunter's just carrying on the policy. I can live with that.
Anyway, it takes serious effort to come up with an interesting and entertaining rant, I'm not getting any younger ya know!
This thing about CSX and its Corporate policies regarding the running of steam powered excursions, is starting to grate.
From time to time around here, we have had one of the preeminate individuals who was, and most probably still is actively, an enthusiast; Ross Rowland (co614). His experiences with running excusrions and steam powered fan trips date back to the 1980 and 1990s. And he has experience with conditions in the Eastern states and their railroads, and operating excursions that date to both pre-CSX and post-CSX; in the area of commercial steam locomotives; The BiCenteinal Freedom Train, ACE3000, GBX, and involvement with Ohio Central's steam program, not to mention ownership of some pretty impressive locomotives.
I would supsect his comentary and stories would be of real interest here.
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