I have read with considerable interest the postings on the subject of CSX Heritage Units and would like to weigh in with my thoughts.
I find the thought of CSX honoring their heritage by painting up a group of locomotives in predecessor schemes to be a great idea. Yes, it has already been done by others, but the PR upside seems to be well-worth the efforts. I am also an egalitarian, and think that more units are better than less. With that in mind, here is my list of railroads to be honored with CSX heritage units.
ACL, SAL, SBD, Family Lines System (yes, SBD and Family Lines system are close in appearance, but so what?), B & O, C & O, PM (using the Pere Marquette Streamliner passenger scheme from 1947. It was great on E7s and would look good on modern power too), Chessie System, WM (I can't decide between the classic black "fireball" scheme and the red, white & black scheme, so do both), L & N, Clinchfield, NYC, PRR, Penn Central (come on, you can't leave it out), Conrail (using the beautiful "White Face" Quality scheme from the SD-70ACs, and SD-80ACs), LV, RF & P, New Haven, NC & SL, Georgia, Atlanta & West Point, WRA, and of course CSX (with one unit painted up in each of the principal schemes used, i.e. "Stealth", blue & gray, "hockey stick", and "dark future".
To take things one step further, how about a train of freight cars, each painted in original predecessor schemes, with one car painted for each of the above named roads plus a CSX caboose. Let it tour the entire CSX system.
Tie it all together with the expanded motto "Celebrating Our Yesterdays to Enhance HOW TOMORROW MOVES". Tie it all in to B & O's 185 Anniversary if possible.
Great concept! You should be working for CSX!
To be consistent with their corporate identity the CSX management would most likely be putting the predecessor railroad's name or logo on the standard CSX paint scheme, which looks the most like the C&O/B&O era scheme.
Andrew
Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer
As of now, it would appear that CSX management has absolutely no interest in any kind of heritage program as they prefer t look forward, not back. The only sort of a nod to their heritage is on their interactive timeline. But other than a footnote, the company doesn't seem to want to commit money to any special paint jobs or restorations.
redwingTXjg wrote the following post at Tue, Nov 13 2012 11:48 AM:
"...I have read with considerable interest the postings on the subject of CSX Heritage Units and would like to weigh in with my thoughts.
I find the thought of CSX honoring their heritage by painting up a group of locomotives in predecessor schemes to be a great idea. Yes, it has already been done by others, but the PR upside seems to be well-worth the efforts. I am also an egalitarian, and think that more units are better than less. With that in mind, here is my list of railroads to be honored with CSX heritage units...."
Pardon My observation, but I think you are guilty of wishful thinking...Whistling past the graveyard, in a manner of speaking.
I think Andrew Falconer's comments on this Thread are a pretty rational, and reasonable assessment of the recent thinking at the upper levels of CSX... The place where a 'Heritage Fleet' idea would originate and then be funded. They (CSX Mgmt) seem to be strictly "businessmen', and devoid of any want for image makeover for their operation. Sort of like the direction of the conversation we had around here (on another Thread, recently) about railroad personnel, and their attitudes about working for the railroad...the only thing they seem to care about is their paycheck [ Mo' Money!, and have no feelings beyond that attitude, and no pride in anything job related.
Kind of a shame, but that seems to be the attitude fostered in many areas; at CSX.
We have a couple of individuals that post around here, from time to time that work for CSX. They seems to have a better attitude about their job and company, than most.
Nothing wrong with a strict focus on business...providing transportation services and making money. Heritage schemes are nice to look at but do they provide any kind of payback in terms of goodwill or revenue? It is also hard to get rate increases through when you're not seen to be doing everything possible to keep your costs down.
After the near-miss with the attempted takeover by a hedge fund, CSX is right to keep a strict focus on the bottom line. One also has to consider how much of a public relations impact that a heritage fleet will have beyond the railfan community.
As I stated in another CSX heritage thread, Norfolk Southern hit the ball out of the park with their heritage program and my guess is that CSX isn't interested in playing follow the leader with its rival. The concept would be nice, but CSX has other focuses right now.
Though I was disappointed in Union Pacific's selection of color schemes for the Katy and Western Pacific, they kept the program interesting enough for railfans to enjoy and the model manufacturers busy turing out new products in all scales. Norfolk Southern's reply to UP's Heritage Fleet has been overkilled to the point I am sick of seeing it spread all over the covers and contents of the magazines and even a special. I will save my money.
CSX and BNSF are too busy laying new track and replacing track that was ripped up to consider such a PR program at the moment. Replacing the S Line in Virginia and North Carolina on the CSX is a comittment towards the future and they certainly need to consider putting track back on the Atlantic Coast Line's Perry Cutoff in NW Florida to speed freight to and from an ever growing Tampa Bay area which includes the Port of Tampa.
Indeed, I would love to see purple and silver heritage units reflecting the proud history of the ACL and olive drab and yellow Seaboard units as well, but the users of rail service want on time performance and demand same in a 21st Century global economy and not some fancy diesel on the point of a container or coal train so railfans can shoot up more film!
CSX86FANIf Norfolk Southern did a heritage series for its 30th anniversary in 2012, then CSX should do one for its anniversary in 2016 or '17. However, I really don't think they should go overboard like NS did and paint a locomotive for ALL of its predecessors. Some of them may no longer have any of their trackage in operation on CSX.
That was one of the reasons that NS didn't do a New Haven heritage locomotive.
The next signifigant date in CSX history is 2027 - The Bi-Centenial of the founding of the B&O - the founding of for profit railroads in the USA.
The B&O had centenial exposition, The Fair of the Iron Horse, in 1927 to celebrate their first centenial.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Have CSXT employees spend the time and money to repaint all remaining and rusty cabooses or Shoving Platforms in their original paint schemes. That would be more economical.
All CSX has to do:
T1 in Chessie Yellow again.
That's all.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
I know 29 railroads and 2 CSX paint schemes that can be made into CSX Heritage Engines.
They are Atlanta & West Point, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=325601&nseq=3
Atlantic Coast Line, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2384443 Baltimore & Ohio, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=387701&nseq=0 Chesapeake & Ohio, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=392843&nseq=0 Chessie System, http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo7614ads.jpg Chicago and Eastern Illinois, http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/cei/cei271dsa.jpg Clinchfield, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=408171&nseq=0 Conrail Quality, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=479725 CSX Gray and Blue, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=148882&nseq=4 CSX Stealth Gray, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=184789&nseq=4 Erie Lackawanna, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=110129&nseq=3 Family Lines System, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1913844 Georgia Railroad, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=355387&nseq=11 Lehigh & New England, http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/lne/lne709v.jpg Lehigh and Hudson River, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=10619&nseq=11 Louisville and Nashville, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2255490 Monon, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=668261 Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=887103 New York Central, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1377108 New York, New Haven and Hartford, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=64500&nseq=139 Penn Central White P with Red C, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2563701 Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=110334&nseq=684 Peoria & Eastern, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1123414 Pere Marquette, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2622705 Pittsburgh and Lake Erie, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=118271&nseq=0 Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=95766&nseq=69 Seaboard Air Line, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=418253&nseq=0 Seaboard Coast Line, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=428174&nseq=38 Seaboard System, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=422493&nseq=0 Western Maryland, http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2473054 and Western Railway of Alabama.http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=305321&nseq=15
Good Day,
It would be fantastic if CSX presented a Heritage series. For me, color schemes from the past with an inventive style would be great. Here are a two of my ideas. The original drawings are by Michael Eby. The drawing were modified and painted by me.
Regards,
Swafford
Here are some more of my CSX Heritage color schemes...................
When you consider what C628's did to Monon's track in the mid-1960's, a GEVO in Monon colors almost seems perverse.
What do you guys/girls think about my post?
My imagination at work………….. CSX Heritage color schemes. The original ES44AC drawing was created by Michael Eby. The drawings were modified and painted by me.
Do you have anymore paint schemes you or your friend can post.
Good Day Brian,
What railroad color schemes are you interested in? Over the past 8 years I have created over 100 schemes.
The Swafford Series color schemes are color schemes from the past represented on 21st Century Diesel Locomotives and rolling stock. My goal is to create inventive and dynamic color schemes that would look striking on model trains. The original drawings are by Michael Eby. The ES44AC’s and SD70ACe’s are modified and painted by Frank Swafford.
I started with the old Chessie System back in 1978. I would love to see CSX do a Heritage series. CSX is rich in history and takes no back seat to any of the major railroads. And yes CSX has the right to even paint up some of the Locomotives that made up Conrail. People seem to forget that we got 42% of Conrail. But in closing I most definitely tip my hat to NS and UP for a job well done. CSX has missed a great opportunity to make some great headlines.
I don't think anybody could outdo what Norfolk did, it was awesome! It's nice to see that railways can spend time looking back and reminding people where they came from.
Nice artwork!
Didn't Fletcher send in his renditions of CSX Heritage Units?Didn't CSX Say they liked them?
They could at least use the name Chessie Seaboard on the CSX locomotives.
That would be a recognition of their heritage by using the intended name, before the legal shorthand of CSX was applied widely.
Yeah, I don't think anyone likes the name "CSX", except maybe CSX.
I understend BNSF isn't really crazy about their name, but aren't sure what to do about it.
CSX and BNSF aren't bad, nobody would use a full-length name anyway beyond some enthusiasts. Nobody I talk to calls it United Parcel Service, even though that is its formal name. In another transportation business, Federal Express actually changed its name to FedEx.
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