Locomotive Paint Schemes

[kgbw49]

Good point!

[CMStPnP]

Lithonia Operator

I believe Berkshire Hathaway is a public holding company. But a single share will run you over $300K at the moment, if you can find one. (I don't know how often anyone sells.) BH, I found, does own 100% of BNSF. And a ton of other companies!

Not exactly true.  I manage a portfolio as a trustee and I have bought a lot of BH stock because it is a no brainer for the long-term growth rates.    BH has different classes of stock and currently the stock I hold sells for $201.90 a share, symbol is BRKB.   It is designed specifically for public participation in BH.......and by a stretch BNSF railway.

As for paint schemes the Eastern Railroads do not have the long distances and miles between washings as the Western Railroads do.    My vote is for NS as maintaining the cleanest paint and shiniest locomotives.   Second place would go to KCS.

[kenny dorham]

I lived in usa, ca 94585. Now i live usa, ca, 95624.

Both have lots of rail traffic. My current location in Elk Grove, the train goes right through our little downtown. We actually have warning signals and arms on Main Street.....so cars have to stop for the trains..... MOST of the rail traffic is later in the day, but big trains do come through town every day from 6AM to 6PM.

Anyway....... what i seem to see is (mostly) UP power that looks like it was painted when new and then never touched again. It SEEMS like the BNSF locos are "cleaner" but i see a lot less of them. I imagine there is no real need to worry about the paint unless it presents some type of Safety/Mechanical/Performance issue.

What is the life-span of your "average" diesel loco these days.?

Thank You

[caldreamer]

I think the life span of a locomotive is about 20 years or so, then they are rebuilt.  Examples include the SD60/60M, C44-9W and SD8043MAC'S.  If they are not worth rebuilding they are sold or scrapped.

[BaltACD]

Under PSR I don't know how much $$$$$$ 'pretty' adds to the bottom line.

[kenny dorham]

caldreamer

I think the life span of a locomotive is about 20 years or so, then they are rebuilt.  Examples include the SD60/60M, C44-9W and SD8043MAC'S.  If they are not worth rebuilding they are sold or scrapped.

 

10-4..... thank you

[BaltACD]

caldreamer

I think the life span of a locomotive is about 20 years or so, then they are rebuilt.  Examples include the SD60/60M, C44-9W and SD8043MAC'S.  If they are not worth rebuilding they are sold or scrapped.

The original high horsepower AC locomotives are now approaching 25 years in service - thus they are currently undergoing the various rebuilding projects on the various carriers.

[zugmann]

BaltACD

thus they are currently undergoing the various rebuilding projects on the various carriers.

New air freshener in the bathroom. 

[BaltACD]

zugmann

 

BaltACD

thus they are currently undergoing the various rebuilding projects on the various carriers. 

New air freshener in the bathroom. 

NS effort to lower the OR!  Isn't the air freshener good for another 100 tons on the tonnage rating?

[samfp1943]

Flintlock76

I don't think I've ever seen either a photo of a BNSF locomotive, or one of the rare run-throughs we get around here, where the unit looked like a slum on wheels.  

But of course, it's Mr. Buffett's railroad, he doesn't answer to Wall Street bottom-liners.  Hey, he could have crews Simonizing his locomotives after runs and there's no-one to tell him he can't!  

  

        Warren Buffet is the entity 'controling' Berkshire-Hathaway,essenially a  'stockholder's'  corporation. So being, the controling owner, it might be 'extrapolated' that BNSF is 'His' railroad? 

     As to the 'slums on wheels' comment... Living here on what coud be termed the middle of the BNSF Southern T-con; we are treated to, at times, appaear to be some pretty 'scruffy lookig power'

Generally, not too much 'graffiti' on the individual locomotives, but what at times, there seems to be 'a lot' of scorched paint, and some that looks to have been, way beyond the 'scorched' paint on the long hoods.

  Just as a casual observation, those G.E.'s seem to have a propensity for turbo's getting really hot, and causing fires that damage paint on the long hoods(?)  Some of them look pretty ugly, goin by. 

[wjstix]

Re cleaning...I think this was touched upon earlier, but there's a lot more involved in cleaning an engine now than in the past. Putting a diesel through a "power wash" may clean dirt off the engine, but it also can have oil, grease, etc. in the water runoff. Back when few people cared about pollution, the oily water just soaked into the ground. Now, environmental laws and regulations mean you have to collect the runoff water and treat it or dispose of it in such a way that it doesn't hurt the environment. Easier just to not wash the engines.

[zugmann]

wjstix

Putting a diesel through a "power wash" may clean dirt off the engine, but it also can have oil, grease, etc. in the water runoff. Back when few people cared about pollution, the oily water just soaked into the ground. Now, environmental laws and regulations mean you have to collect the runoff water and treat it or dispose of it in such a way that it doesn't hurt the environment. Easier just to not wash the engines.

Many engine terminals have dedicated washing facilities.  They still get used occasionally - esp when an engine is shopped because it's covered in lube oil. 

[Flintlock76]

Back in the steam days locomotives were run through the wash racks before shopping, on the big 'roads at least, as a clean locomotive was easier to work on.  Is this still the procedure? 

[zugmann]

Flintlock76

Back in the steam days locomotives were run through the wash racks before shopping, on the big 'roads at least, as a clean locomotive was easier to work on.  Is this still the procedure? 

Not anymore it seems.  The insides are a lot cleanner with the COVID stuff, but hte outsides aren't. 

[BaltACD]

zugmann

 

 

Flintlock76

Back in the steam days locomotives were run through the wash racks before shopping, on the big 'roads at least, as a clean locomotive was easier to work on.  Is this still the procedure?  

 

Not anymore it seems.  The insides are a lot cleanner with the COVID stuff, but hte outsides aren't. 

Cleanliness may be next to Godliness, but it doesn't increase the bottom line in PSR.

[theodorefisk]

millions of dollars were wasted in the effort to merge the two railroads and the paint scheme was revolting.

[kgbw49]

Hey, if the Rat Patrol could function so effectively covered in a coating of grimy sand, I don't see why a diesel locomotive can't work as well with a little grime!

[BaltACD]

kgbw49

Hey, if the Rat Patrol could function so effectively covered in a coating of grimy sand, I don't see why a diesel locomotive can't work as well with a little grime!

That is the PSR view of cosmetics.

No matter how faded paint is - as long as rust is not poking through the paint - the paint is doing its job.