Trains.com

CSX 4617

14597 views
68 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: The Beautiful North Georgia Mountians
  • 2,362 posts
Posted by Railfan1 on Sunday, October 12, 2008 7:27 PM

 CSSHEGEWISCH wrote:
It has definitely been repainted.  Looks sharp, too:  http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=254300&nseq=0

Dang, looks like I caught it just in time.

 

"It's a great day to be alive" "Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, It might have been......"
  • Member since
    September 2005
  • 965 posts
Posted by Lyon_Wonder on Saturday, October 11, 2008 12:07 AM
Are Conrail’s engines really that junky?  The former Class 1 I heard that had the junkiest locos was the Rock Island, just before it’s liquidation in 1980.  Something about deferred maintenance and half-maintained GPs, though many locos ended up on MoPac and C&NW.
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: The 17th hole at TPC
  • 2,283 posts
Posted by n012944 on Friday, October 10, 2008 7:17 PM

 EJE818 wrote:
Dang you CSX! How could they repaint such a historic engine! Now the only fallen flag engine left on CSX is 2667, the Seaboard engine! I thought 4617 would be retired before it got repainted.

 

There are still a couple of Conrail's junk engines roaming around in CR paint.

An "expensive model collector"

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 1,092 posts
Posted by oskar on Friday, October 10, 2008 2:58 PM

It is a shame because that was the last C&O painted endgine on an active roster. It would have been better to see the C&O still living in 2008. Yes, it is making its dues but, its a shame to see another Fallen Flag gone completely off of a Class I. Its CSX it was going to get painted anyway.

 

Kevin

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 668 posts
Posted by Tjsingle on Friday, October 10, 2008 2:34 PM

 trainfan1221 wrote:
I do agree it looks sharp, just jealous I didn't get to see it before repainting.  And my chances of seeing it even after are rather slim too.

I agree completely, wish I could see it just once

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, October 10, 2008 8:02 AM
 oskar wrote:

So sad to see 4617 with a paint job that does not say C&O. It is a real shame to see that in YN3 and to mee it really looks bad on the SD40. What a shame.......

 

Kevin

Why is the repainting such a shame?  Consider that it's still in service making a positive contribution to the bottom line.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Thursday, October 9, 2008 7:05 PM
I do agree it looks sharp, just jealous I didn't get to see it before repainting.  And my chances of seeing it even after are rather slim too.
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 1,092 posts
Posted by oskar on Thursday, October 9, 2008 6:44 PM

So sad to see 4617 with a paint job that does not say C&O. It is a real shame to see that in YN3 and to mee it really looks bad on the SD40. What a shame.......

 

Kevin

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Joliet, IL
  • 1,646 posts
Posted by EJE818 on Thursday, October 9, 2008 4:11 PM
Dang you CSX! How could they repaint such a historic engine! Now the only fallen flag engine left on CSX is 2667, the Seaboard engine! I thought 4617 would be retired before it got repainted.
Robby Gragg - EJ&E fan Railpictures photos: http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=5292 Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24084206@N08/ Youtube videos: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=EJE665 R-V videos: http://www.rail-videos.net/showvideos.php?userid=5292
  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,358 posts
Posted by csxengineer98 on Thursday, October 9, 2008 2:33 PM
 Awesome wrote:
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 Awesome wrote:
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 oskar wrote:

That will hopefully never happen. That SD40 is probably better than any Confails on CSX roster. Glad Conrail is gone.

 

 

Kevin

amen to that.. all the Gonrail stuff that came to csx as far as power has all been beat to hell and back and was falling apart junk.. i thought csx did a poor job of maintaing its equipment.. my oppionion changed when i got into the cab of my first gonrail units left in my charge.. they where beat and worn out worse then anything csx had... always had issues with them too.. never knew of you where going to get over the road or break down with Gonrail power...

csx engineer 

Conrail locomotives you rode where the old GP35, SD40, U-Boats..Thumbs Down [tdn]

exactly how do you know what i ran and didnt run.. yes some where sd40s..some where gp 40s.. as well as models from the rest of the fleet.. all the way up to the 80macs..and they where all beat up junk...

csx engineer 

In the past forum you have told us the locomotives you rode.

yes i did..that part is true..but your previouse posting...you stated that the only junk units where and i quote "Conrail locomotives you rode where the old GP35, SD40, U-Boats.."that i ran... as i stated befor ..i ran everything from yard pots up to 90macs...and a heck of alot of other power in between... this includes a very large sample of conrail power.. and even if they wherent my leader..i have had a boat load in trail over the years and part of being an engineer is going through the consist to do the daily inspections of the locomotives in my charge and apon entering a conrail units cab.. i was glade it wasnt my leader..i would take a FURX or a HLMX rent-a-wreck over anything in conrail blue as a leader... 99% of anything conrail was junk..even the newer power... im sure when it was brand new it was nice..but it iddnt take long for it to beat to the point of junk.. so now awsome....being that i worked with the junk..can you let it go already.. unless you where an engineer and had to deal with it in your train..and all the issues that came along with conrail power... you would never know..our understand where i am comeing from..

some of the statements you have made to me regarding this issue show that you have no intrest in learning anything new or taking pro- railroaders insight regarding the state of conrails equipment..  it just shows the narrow mindedness of some railfans and why some rails have a bad additued about rail fans as a whole... some of us come here to share our personal experinces in the day to day opporations and to help awnser questions that some people have about the industry on any wide range of topics.. yet you personaly want to challange anything that anyone has to say about some topics even thow many others beside myself have tried to show you other side of the coin.. its one thing to hold on to a part of your past..and have "brand loyalty" but its another when you try to spout off facts that have been proven wrong by other people that are more in the know then you are...

from this point on.. unless you are willing to actuly learn and take part in conversations with a bit more of an open mind and not bash people in the know such as myself and question my credibilty and my quilfications to add input to conversations.. i wil no longer be responding to you... i bid you good day...

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, October 9, 2008 12:13 PM
It has definitely been repainted.  Looks sharp, too:  http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=254300&nseq=0
The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Posted by Awesome! on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 10:35 PM
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 Awesome wrote:
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 oskar wrote:

That will hopefully never happen. That SD40 is probably better than any Confails on CSX roster. Glad Conrail is gone.

 

 

Kevin

amen to that.. all the Gonrail stuff that came to csx as far as power has all been beat to hell and back and was falling apart junk.. i thought csx did a poor job of maintaing its equipment.. my oppionion changed when i got into the cab of my first gonrail units left in my charge.. they where beat and worn out worse then anything csx had... always had issues with them too.. never knew of you where going to get over the road or break down with Gonrail power...

csx engineer 

Conrail locomotives you rode where the old GP35, SD40, U-Boats..Thumbs Down [tdn]

exactly how do you know what i ran and didnt run.. yes some where sd40s..some where gp 40s.. as well as models from the rest of the fleet.. all the way up to the 80macs..and they where all beat up junk...

csx engineer 

In the past forum you have told us the locomotives you rode.

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:45 PM
I guess it was inevitable.  Woulda liked to have seen it in person myself.
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 1,092 posts
Posted by oskar on Sunday, October 5, 2008 7:44 PM

Been hearing some bad news. I have overheard that CSX 4617 has been painted into YN3 paint. Anyone else heard the same news?

........it was just a matter of time.

 

 

Kevin

  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,358 posts
Posted by csxengineer98 on Thursday, October 2, 2008 12:11 AM
 Awesome wrote:
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 oskar wrote:

That will hopefully never happen. That SD40 is probably better than any Confails on CSX roster. Glad Conrail is gone.

 

 

Kevin

amen to that.. all the Gonrail stuff that came to csx as far as power has all been beat to hell and back and was falling apart junk.. i thought csx did a poor job of maintaing its equipment.. my oppionion changed when i got into the cab of my first gonrail units left in my charge.. they where beat and worn out worse then anything csx had... always had issues with them too.. never knew of you where going to get over the road or break down with Gonrail power...

csx engineer 

Conrail locomotives you rode where the old GP35, SD40, U-Boats..Thumbs Down [tdn]

exactly how do you know what i ran and didnt run.. yes some where sd40s..some where gp 40s.. as well as models from the rest of the fleet.. all the way up to the 80macs..and they where all beat up junk...

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Posted by Awesome! on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 10:42 PM
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 oskar wrote:

That will hopefully never happen. That SD40 is probably better than any Confails on CSX roster. Glad Conrail is gone.

 

 

Kevin

amen to that.. all the Gonrail stuff that came to csx as far as power has all been beat to hell and back and was falling apart junk.. i thought csx did a poor job of maintaing its equipment.. my oppionion changed when i got into the cab of my first gonrail units left in my charge.. they where beat and worn out worse then anything csx had... always had issues with them too.. never knew of you where going to get over the road or break down with Gonrail power...

csx engineer 

Conrail locomotives you rode where the old GP35, SD40, U-Boats..Thumbs Down [tdn]

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,358 posts
Posted by csxengineer98 on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 6:11 PM
 oltmannd wrote:
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 Awesome wrote:

 Tjsingle wrote:
jeez are all of you guys conrail haters?! seriously wth?

They get bend of out shape when we talk about CONRAIL.. Can you explain to me why the hate us?

no one said anything about hateing you per say... just that your fanatic defence of a railroad that you dont know much about other then reading books and watching the trains go by is a bit over the top... being a train buff you dont get to see what we that do work for the carriers see is the behind the seans and talk that goes on between crews of differnt roads... you see a nice engin or a track that looks like its in nice shape...we crews see the junk and beat up condition of the cabs and the bandaids that are put on things just to get it out of the door... its nice to be loyal to something..but some of you gonrail nuts dont know what it was like for us crews to get our hands on them bright blue engins you all hold so near and dear... the uncomfortable toad stool seats for 211 miles... blue cemical crappers that smelled and if you tried to use them turned anything that came in conact with the seat blue even if you used a "butt gasket"...the realy pain in the but radios that had the up and down rocker switches to change the radio channels insted of the keypads for push button use.. HTDs that the distance counters didnt work..even the newer power was in bad shape.. the seat arm rests where defomaed to the point that the metal suport would poke you and to prevent getting hurt on a metal bur or courner..the shop just wraped the whole arm rest in ductap... from a crew standpoint them nice blue engins are nothing but nice blue piles of junk.. that is why we "hate" conrail as you put it.. or at least why i dont care for there engins and call them junk at any chance i get.. becouse from my point of view..they are all gonrail junk and need to be gone from the csx rosters too...

csx engineer 

The cab seats, radios and head end EOT units in locomotives rarely stay in the unit they are delivered in for much time at all.  It takes about 10 minutes to change out a radio or cab seat.  So, chances are the radio and EOT you are complaining about was a CSX purchase...  Conrail never had toad stool seats in anything.  In fact, Conrail was stuck with an old NYC crew agreement that, until their last several years, prevented them from buying the same cab seats as the other roads (Conrail needed seat cushions that were 1" wider - go figure...)

In fairness to your point, however, Conrail was behind in loco overhauls for most of their last decade - an those chemical toilets were never any fun - or fun to maintain - particularly the ones in the short hood of Dash 2s.

i dont know where your getting your info from..but yes gonrail did have toadstoll type seats and that radios that i am complaining about  had conrail logos and serical numbers engraved into the face plates..so yes they where conrail bought units..

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Atlanta
  • 11,971 posts
Posted by oltmannd on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 6:01 AM
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 Awesome wrote:

 Tjsingle wrote:
jeez are all of you guys conrail haters?! seriously wth?

They get bend of out shape when we talk about CONRAIL.. Can you explain to me why the hate us?

no one said anything about hateing you per say... just that your fanatic defence of a railroad that you dont know much about other then reading books and watching the trains go by is a bit over the top... being a train buff you dont get to see what we that do work for the carriers see is the behind the seans and talk that goes on between crews of differnt roads... you see a nice engin or a track that looks like its in nice shape...we crews see the junk and beat up condition of the cabs and the bandaids that are put on things just to get it out of the door... its nice to be loyal to something..but some of you gonrail nuts dont know what it was like for us crews to get our hands on them bright blue engins you all hold so near and dear... the uncomfortable toad stool seats for 211 miles... blue cemical crappers that smelled and if you tried to use them turned anything that came in conact with the seat blue even if you used a "butt gasket"...the realy pain in the but radios that had the up and down rocker switches to change the radio channels insted of the keypads for push button use.. HTDs that the distance counters didnt work..even the newer power was in bad shape.. the seat arm rests where defomaed to the point that the metal suport would poke you and to prevent getting hurt on a metal bur or courner..the shop just wraped the whole arm rest in ductap... from a crew standpoint them nice blue engins are nothing but nice blue piles of junk.. that is why we "hate" conrail as you put it.. or at least why i dont care for there engins and call them junk at any chance i get.. becouse from my point of view..they are all gonrail junk and need to be gone from the csx rosters too...

csx engineer 

The cab seats, radios and head end EOT units in locomotives rarely stay in the unit they are delivered in for much time at all.  It takes about 10 minutes to change out a radio or cab seat.  So, chances are the radio and EOT you are complaining about was a CSX purchase...  Conrail never had toad stool seats in anything.  In fact, Conrail was stuck with an old NYC crew agreement that, until their last several years, prevented them from buying the same cab seats as the other roads (Conrail needed seat cushions that were 1" wider - go figure...)

In fairness to your point, however, Conrail was behind in loco overhauls for most of their last decade - an those chemical toilets were never any fun - or fun to maintain - particularly the ones in the short hood of Dash 2s.

-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    May 2006
  • From: Richmond, VA
  • 200 posts
Posted by penncentral2002 on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 2:52 PM
 CSSHEGEWISCH wrote:
 badeffect10 wrote:

Conrail didn't "sale" their railroad.  NS and CSX basically lobbied the federal goverment to take over operations of the RR. 

Conrail had already been privatized so it was indeed a sale.  The Feds were involved for the usual antitrust reasons.

 The feds only held onto Conrail long enough for it to get in the black - as soon as CR started turning a profit in the early 1980s, they sold it through an IPO (Conrail was a public company at the time of the sale listed on the New York Stock Exchange).  The feds were involved in the merger also because the control of a railroad has to be approved by the Surface Transportation Board as well as the DOJ premerger notification bureau/antitrust bureau.  The STB has  jurisdiction over rail control/ownership and enforcing common carrier obligations and thus control over mergers.  The STB is very big on competition between rail/preventing rail bottlenecks where previously competitive routes get served with one railroad - they imposed numerous conditions on the CR purchase including the creation of CR shared assets areas.

BTW, I've heard (from STB practicioners) that Conrail was outstanding in at least one area - they had the best lawyers at ICC and later STB practice of any of the railroads.  In the business/law area Conrail was highly regarded as having some of the best minds in the rail industry.    

Zack http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: The 17th hole at TPC
  • 2,283 posts
Posted by n012944 on Thursday, September 25, 2008 7:30 PM

 Awesome wrote:
Conrail did what it need to be done in order to sale their railroad.

 

If Conrail was as great as you seem to think, Conrail would not have to do anything to "sale" the railroad.

An "expensive model collector"

  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,358 posts
Posted by csxengineer98 on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 10:19 PM

 trainfan1221 wrote:
There are so few major railroads now that each one is big enough that when it gets taken over how could there not be problems?  I just hope that the mergers are done for awhile, I like variety and there is less of it all the time.  I know it's a sign of modern times, but a little competition never hurt either.
railroads have all the competition they want in the way of trucking companys..

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 6:29 PM
There are so few major railroads now that each one is big enough that when it gets taken over how could there not be problems?  I just hope that the mergers are done for awhile, I like variety and there is less of it all the time.  I know it's a sign of modern times, but a little competition never hurt either.
  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,358 posts
Posted by csxengineer98 on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:21 PM
 Tjsingle wrote:
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 Awesome wrote:

 trainfan1221 wrote:
The simple point is, Conrail had a huge task, which not only was important to the rail scene but the economy of the Northeast in general.  Every major railroad had failed, with PC proudly leading the way.  If anything it illustrated the importance of railroads as it was important that something be done immediately.  They did what they had to, built a substantial intermodal business, and became profitable and privatized.  At the end, they seemed willing to sell off whatever they could, essentially wanted two sets of mainlines between Boston-St.Louis and New York-Chicago, essentially a giant X.  I can't account for the condition of their equipment, csxengineer certainly would know better about that, but as I said we admired Conrail for what it was and what it accomplished.  I guess a lot of us felt it was our railroad and that is why it is missed.  They put on a good show.

That's true!!!!!! If Conrail would stay it would have fix the problems of CSX and NS.

please tell me what these problems that csx and ns have...this is the second time on this sight you have made mention of csx and ns haveing problems? i am dieing to hear them from you..do tell.......

csx engineer 

Since being a conrail fan, this may sound odd, what problems does NS and CSX have? I dont really know of many, there doing a pretty good job.

Tjsingle

i was hopeing that awsome would have addressed this already..he is the one that seems to think that if conrail was still around then NS and CSX would be problem free..i would like to know what problems the 2 carriers are having now.... being that i work for csx..and i see the upswings in freight..buying new power.. putting in the money to repair and add new track..and yet still turn massive profits... what are the problems awsome? sounds to me like they are doing fine at the moment...

taking over conrail made both companys stronger...at the beging of the takover yes there where major problems.. but if you look at the history of railroad take overs not every one of them has gone well.. take the UP/SP in the 90s.. was a total meltdown for UP...csx and ns had there share of issues at the day of split and for some time after..but in the end things are moving agin..and traffic is up and so are proffits.. sounds like problem solved to me...

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Thursday, September 11, 2008 6:28 PM
CSX and NS had a little trouble, as we all know, after the initial Conrail takeover.  But they got over those it would seem. 
  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 668 posts
Posted by Tjsingle on Thursday, September 11, 2008 1:57 PM
 csxengineer98 wrote:
 Awesome wrote:

 trainfan1221 wrote:
The simple point is, Conrail had a huge task, which not only was important to the rail scene but the economy of the Northeast in general.  Every major railroad had failed, with PC proudly leading the way.  If anything it illustrated the importance of railroads as it was important that something be done immediately.  They did what they had to, built a substantial intermodal business, and became profitable and privatized.  At the end, they seemed willing to sell off whatever they could, essentially wanted two sets of mainlines between Boston-St.Louis and New York-Chicago, essentially a giant X.  I can't account for the condition of their equipment, csxengineer certainly would know better about that, but as I said we admired Conrail for what it was and what it accomplished.  I guess a lot of us felt it was our railroad and that is why it is missed.  They put on a good show.

That's true!!!!!! If Conrail would stay it would have fix the problems of CSX and NS.

please tell me what these problems that csx and ns have...this is the second time on this sight you have made mention of csx and ns haveing problems? i am dieing to hear them from you..do tell.......

csx engineer 

Since being a conrail fan, this may sound odd, what problems does NS and CSX have? I dont really know of many, there doing a pretty good job.

Tjsingle

  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,358 posts
Posted by csxengineer98 on Thursday, September 11, 2008 11:00 AM
 Awesome wrote:

 trainfan1221 wrote:
The simple point is, Conrail had a huge task, which not only was important to the rail scene but the economy of the Northeast in general.  Every major railroad had failed, with PC proudly leading the way.  If anything it illustrated the importance of railroads as it was important that something be done immediately.  They did what they had to, built a substantial intermodal business, and became profitable and privatized.  At the end, they seemed willing to sell off whatever they could, essentially wanted two sets of mainlines between Boston-St.Louis and New York-Chicago, essentially a giant X.  I can't account for the condition of their equipment, csxengineer certainly would know better about that, but as I said we admired Conrail for what it was and what it accomplished.  I guess a lot of us felt it was our railroad and that is why it is missed.  They put on a good show.

That's true!!!!!! If Conrail would stay it would have fix the problems of CSX and NS.

please tell me what these problems that csx and ns have...this is the second time on this sight you have made mention of csx and ns haveing problems? i am dieing to hear them from you..do tell.......

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 851 posts
Posted by Awesome! on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 10:03 PM

 trainfan1221 wrote:
The simple point is, Conrail had a huge task, which not only was important to the rail scene but the economy of the Northeast in general.  Every major railroad had failed, with PC proudly leading the way.  If anything it illustrated the importance of railroads as it was important that something be done immediately.  They did what they had to, built a substantial intermodal business, and became profitable and privatized.  At the end, they seemed willing to sell off whatever they could, essentially wanted two sets of mainlines between Boston-St.Louis and New York-Chicago, essentially a giant X.  I can't account for the condition of their equipment, csxengineer certainly would know better about that, but as I said we admired Conrail for what it was and what it accomplished.  I guess a lot of us felt it was our railroad and that is why it is missed.  They put on a good show.

That's true!!!!!! If Conrail would stay it would have fix the problems of CSX and NS.

http://www.youtube.com/user/chefjavier
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
  • 2,385 posts
Posted by trainfan1221 on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 6:43 PM
The simple point is, Conrail had a huge task, which not only was important to the rail scene but the economy of the Northeast in general.  Every major railroad had failed, with PC proudly leading the way.  If anything it illustrated the importance of railroads as it was important that something be done immediately.  They did what they had to, built a substantial intermodal business, and became profitable and privatized.  At the end, they seemed willing to sell off whatever they could, essentially wanted two sets of mainlines between Boston-St.Louis and New York-Chicago, essentially a giant X.  I can't account for the condition of their equipment, csxengineer certainly would know better about that, but as I said we admired Conrail for what it was and what it accomplished.  I guess a lot of us felt it was our railroad and that is why it is missed.  They put on a good show.
  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 2,358 posts
Posted by csxengineer98 on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 4:22 PM

 Awesome wrote:
Wake up and smell the coffee. If you are going to sale your car or house. Are you going to put money unto the place? NO! Right! Banged Head [banghead] Conrail did what it need to be done in order to sale their railroad.
you are going to put little money into something your going to sell if it needs it..your not going to let the roof leak on your house if your tring to sell.. your going to fix it so you can get the most out of it from a buyer that comes to look at it and possably make an offer..now putting in new light fixters would be an unessisary waste of money to put into a house that your trying to sell.. your not going to have your car broke down if someone is comeing along to buy it.. putting new tires on it or replaceing a blown out speaker is something you wouldnt do to try and sell it..but if it needs something to keep it running your going to fix it so that it is more appealing to a buyer that is looking for a car that is able to be drivin.. but trying to compair the general overall state of conrail equipment the short time leading up to the split isnt even close to the 2 examples you tried to use to rashonilize the extream neglect of the conrail power... i can see not putting a new coat of paint on a locomotive becouse it would be a wasted expence.. but haveing the doors and seats held together with ductape? and this was befor the conrail split.. i have been on conrail power years befor there was even talk of the breakup and it was all run down.. and what was new didnt stay new and in nice shape for long.. i hired out on csx in 98... 1 year befor the split..the SD80macs came into service from 1995 to 1996..only 2-3 years befor i hired on the railroad.. and they where beat to hell and back in just 3 short years.. and that was some of the newest power to come onto the conrail porporty... as for the rest of the fleet.. there was a yard near by where i lived.. i got to go into the cab of a few engins over the years ..and they werent in the best shape then.. only got worse as time went on.. the decreped state of the units is partly the shops problem..and partly the crews lack of care for them..

conrail was a bare bones no frills railroad that didnt take care of anything even befor the split was a twinkel in john snows and who ever was at the helm of NS at the time.... they spent money keeping the ROW nice..but when it came to giveing the crews a somewhat clean office to work in..they dropped the ball.. when it came to giveing the crews at least a comfortable seat to sit in..nope.. even old csx units have a more confortable seat then anything conrail had or was willing to put in the cabs..  but at least they had that nice bright blue paint that looked good along the ROW...

csx engineer 

"I AM the higher source" Keep the wheels on steel

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy