An RF&P unit? It WAS a classy paint scheme, no doubt about it, RF&P was very much in business when we moved to Richmond Va. in 1987, but I don't think CSX is likely to reproduce it. Let me tell you why.
For years CSX had coveted the RF&P mainline from Richmond to Washington and tried to purchase same, but since the Commonwealth of Virginia was a major shareholder in the RF&P they played hardball with CSX until they got the right price for it. At the time CSX was very slow to repaint lcomotives from their predecessor 'roads, and you could see quite a variety of schemes from the L&N, Chessie System, Family Lines, Seaboard and so on. They wasted NO time repainting the RF&P locomotives! Frustration? Spite? Revenge? Who knows?
Of course, the old management crew from those days is gone by now, so I could be wrong.
Bear in mind that the RF&P fleet was quite small. But considering how important the line is to CSX and the fact that it is entirely intact (I'm no sure about that one branch line though), it would be a curios omission for them not to honor the RF&P in spite of whatever corporate acrimony existed between CSXT and the Virginia Retirement System.
To Chess-c1223: As I said, the CSX management crew from the 80's is. I'm sure, long gone by now, so your supposition about corporate acrimony is probably correct, it probably doesn't exist anymore. Still, it was amazing how fast all traces of the RF&P logo disappeared once the deal went through. The RF&P logo on the Acca Yard shop building vanished overnight!
Don't forget, all you have to do to see a New Haven liveried locomotive is hang around a North East Corridor train station in CT. The state owns a fleet of rebuilt SD type locos so painted. Of course, NH had several paint schemes over the years, but the one CT uses is the most memorable.
Oh, yeah, you need to be east of New London to see them.
I like all the idea, but would definitely vote for Chessie-I love the sleeping kitty logo.
And I would like to see BNSF do heritage units.
Others have been doing it, so all of them should.
They can easily just put the predecessor railroad names on the sides of the locos like the
BALTIMORE & OHIO
CHESAPEAKE & OHIO
Not super exciting for railfans, but it would fit their company motif.
Andrew
Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer
Chessie wasn't a part of the Seaboard System. The Seaboard System Railroad name came about after the the Family Lines railroads were consolidated. In some regards, the Seaboard consolidation could be seen as a preview of what would become CSXT; in fact - the Seaboard System's name was changed to CSX Transportation before the C&O was merged into it (....although, from what someone told me; CSXT was technically merged into the C&O and the C&O's name was then changed to CSXT).
But with regards to heritage units; statements from CSX management has effectively driven the final nail into that coffin.
With the Port of Tampa expanding for the future on Florida's West Coast CSX can find better use of money than fancy paint schemes. Relay the famous Perry Cut Off that the Atlantic Coast Line built in the 1920s to improve transit time from the Mid-West, Far West and Pacific Northwest! It should have never been lifted to begin with. Another great management decision from the SCL days no doubt.
Anybody still have a set of Walthers Penn Central steam locomotive decals from 1968? Ho Ha!
That would be very cool to see a pair of SD80MACs back in their baby blue Conrail colors.
CSX also needs to bring back the Chessie System sleeping kitty.
I would love to see CSX do a Heritage Fleet, even with one locomotive in ACL's eye-scalding purple. Alton's beautiful passenger scheme would be appropriate, since B&O (I think) owned Alton for a while. They should use SAL's "citrus" passenger livery, not the just-before-1967 "puke-green-stripe" (my term).
To differentiate themselves from NS, CSX could always do what RF&P did with their 4-8-4's and name individual locomotives after Confederate generals. Years ago there was a picture of the "General William Mahone" in TRAINS - what a classy-looking locomotive!
(Last paragraph with tongue firmly planted in cheek!)
SALfan I would love to see CSX do a Heritage Fleet, even with one locomotive in ACL's eye-scalding purple. Alton's beautiful passenger scheme would be appropriate, since B&O (I think) owned Alton for a while. They should use SAL's "citrus" passenger livery, not the just-before-1967 "puke-green-stripe" (my term). To differentiate themselves from NS, CSX could always do what RF&P did with their 4-8-4's and name individual locomotives after Confederate generals. Years ago there was a picture of the "General William Mahone" in TRAINS - what a classy-looking locomotive! (Last paragraph with tongue firmly planted in cheek!)
CSX has already given a number of their engines 'names'. The names are of particular locations on the system such as, 'The Spirit of Cumberland', 'The Spirit of Waycross', etc.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
A bit of Civil War trivia here about General William Mahone.
"Billy" Mahone was a skinny little guy. When he was wounded in action a rider went to Mrs. Mahone to give her the news but told her not to worry because "it's only a flesh wound."
"But he hasn't GOT any flesh!" wailed Mrs. Mahone!
The Seaboard System graphics and colors were a refined version of the Family Lines System graphics and colors. It would be possible to combine the graphics.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.