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WATCO motive power

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  • Member since
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  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
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WATCO motive power
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, December 9, 2016 6:57 AM

I've noticed that, unlike other shortline conglomerates, WATCO's various shortline railroads lease their power from the parent company and while the motive power may be lettered for the shortline, it always carries the WAMX reporting marks of the parent.  Is there any particular reason for this arrangement?

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, December 9, 2016 5:44 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH
I've noticed that, unlike other shortline conglomerates, WATCO's various shortline railroads lease their power from the parent company and while the motive power may be lettered for the shortline, it always carries the WAMX reporting marks of the parent.  Is there any particular reason for this arrangement?

Who says it is leased?  WATCO owns the shortline and can use their power as they see fit.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by NorthWest on Friday, December 9, 2016 6:07 PM

Probably simply for reasons of flexibility. While G&W does paint and put reporting marks on their fleet for individual railroads they are known for shuffling power around quite a bit.

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Posted by kgbw49 on Sunday, December 25, 2016 10:48 AM

Possible Watco transfer to the Wisconsin & Southern...(notice tongue firmly in cheek)...

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Posted by Ruppert Baird on Saturday, January 7, 2017 9:28 AM

When i worked for WATCO they would grnerally keep power at specific sites, some painted in the customer's corporate colors. But, WATCO was all about getting bang for the buck, so I imagine that by having one set of reporting marks it might be easier to manage the fleet. Just speculating.

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