Trains.com

UP vs BNSF

1113 views
18 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
UP vs BNSF
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 22, 2005 2:11 PM
Yea i know this is an old question. But i am new i would like everyones opinion. Who has the best railroad and why?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 22, 2005 2:42 PM
I've never forgiven Union Pacific for taking away MY road, the C&NW. That said... I admire them. I admire them for their ceaseless efforts at preservation, not the least of such efforts being their steam program, going so far as to keep 844 on the roster. I admire them for being the ONLY railroad in all of America to survive the 20th century with its name, logo, corporate identity completely unfazed. Union Pacific started life as our nation's first transcontinental, a very prominent achievement, and has served our country for nigh on a century and a half, and is still continuing to grow and change.

That isn't to say that BNSF isn't a fine railroad - to deny the merits of AT&SF, CB&Q, NP, and sundry others would be a disservice to railroad history. But BNSF is a new kid on the block. It's not AT&SF and it's not BN. Only Union Pacific holds the distinction of keeping its name intact. And in this day and age when daily mergers and corporate conglomerates make the business world ever more unfamiliar and impersonal, that's really saying something.
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: St.Catharines, Ontario
  • 3,770 posts
Posted by Junctionfan on Monday, August 22, 2005 2:55 PM
For the railfan, UP is starting to get really interesting despite the excessive railfan pricing policies. I refer to the interesting paint schemes they have now for the SD70ACE including the fallen flags that they never bothered to paint over.

Now if BNSF could follow suit...........
Andrew
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Duluth,Minnesota,USA
  • 4,015 posts
Posted by coborn35 on Monday, August 22, 2005 3:34 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by samsooter@yahoo.com

Yea i know this is an old question. But i am new i would like everyones opinion.

Hey buddy, do us all a favor and DO A SEARCH!

Mechanical Department  "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."

The Missabe Road: Safety First

 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: West Coast
  • 4,122 posts
Posted by espeefoamer on Monday, August 22, 2005 3:34 PM
BNSF[:D]. I hate the UP because they took over my road the Friendly SP.
Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 22, 2005 3:39 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by coborn35

QUOTE: Originally posted by samsooter@yahoo.com

Yea i know this is an old question. But i am new i would like everyones opinion.

Hey buddy, do us all a favor and DO A SEARCH!

Not more flaming.[V]

I'd have to say...It's a draw. I'm in the East and don't see much of either.

uspscsx
  • Member since
    July 2005
  • From: Omaha-ish, Nebraska
  • 703 posts
Posted by DrummingTrainfan on Monday, August 22, 2005 4:26 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by uspscsx

QUOTE: Originally posted by coborn35

QUOTE: Originally posted by samsooter@yahoo.com

Yea i know this is an old question. But i am new i would like everyones opinion.

Hey buddy, do us all a favor and DO A SEARCH!

Not more flaming.[V]


uspscsx


I have to say that I've seen many people get mad when people ressurect threads...so is it possible for the newer members to win? Not to mention that the searches bring up WAY more than desired and it's impossible to read through everything to find exactly the right thread, especially on a topic that would have as many threads as this one. Coborn doesn't speak for everyone when he says to do a search. I don't care if there is a new thread on the same subject every once in a while.

My [2c]. I'm sure I'm gonna get my ear chewed out.
    GIFs from http://www.trainweb.org/mccann/offer.htm -Erik, the displaced CNW, Bears, White Sox, Northern Illnois Huskies, Amtrak and Metra fan.
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 1,092 posts
Posted by oskar on Monday, August 22, 2005 7:03 PM
I agree but new people should do a search BEFORE posting then some people get really irratated about people reposting then we see everything that other people said before.





kevin
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 22, 2005 7:27 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

BNSF[:D]. I hate the UP because they took over my road the Friendly SP.


The friendly SP??!!

Most SP passenger trains right before Amtrak (in the Biaginni era) were extremely unfriendly.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 22, 2005 7:53 PM
Ya tell me about it. look how the UPRR treats Amtrak. It's not very pretty.
Allan.
  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, August 22, 2005 8:01 PM
How is this different than the BNSF vs.UP thread?

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 22, 2005 9:03 PM
On the other thread UP is the home team.

m













  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SoCal
  • 6 posts
Posted by singtom951 on Monday, August 22, 2005 11:35 PM
The UP in my neck of the woods has, for the most part, been associated with expletives. The UP appears to be having trouble getting it's proverbial ten lbs of potatoes into a five lb sack. The SP merger has brought revenue, but not a lot of capacity. The UP also suffers for capacity through the Cajon Pass sharing space on the BNSF tracks from Riverside through Barstow.
The former ATSF had the forethought to double-track the main everywhere it could economically from LA to Chicago. Therefore, the new BNSF inherited a racetrack that it continues to spend money improving.
However, the staffing at both railroads leaves a lot to desire and has caused untold problems.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 2:36 AM
okay okay i will do a search next time sorry for making you all so poopy.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:00 AM
I love both UP and BNSF but I prefer the BNSF slightly over the UP cause when I go out of town with my family they would drop me off so I can do some railfanning on the BNSF (formerly BN) line from the Pasco-Portland line, I had alot of great memories watching the trains go by on the BNSF line when I spent a week at my uncle's house and you could see the railroad tracks from his house, one thing what I do admire about the UP is that they've been around for many years and they haven't changed much and I'm glad that they are the biggest railroad company in the US, I have alot of respect for both railroad companies, I still wi***hat the BN and the ATSF are 2 different railroad companies, BN is my all time favorite railroad company and watching the BNSF trains go by reminds me of the BN trains cause you still see plenty of the BN freight cars around.

QUOTE: Originally posted by samsooter@yahoo.com

Yea i know this is an old question. But i am new i would like everyones opinion. Who has the best railroad and why?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 12:29 AM
I dislike the UP because there killed off so many railroads! I love the 1950s era UP. Not bad with there vintage diesel locos. but the UP of today leaves a lot to be desired.
I prefer BNSF!
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 7:22 AM
The UP is now to become a scheduled railroad, like NS and CN, seeing today's news reports.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 11:38 PM
Wi***he UP had a pair of ALCO PAs in there great paint scheme!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 11:42 PM
Would'nt the PAs look great next to the 3980 and the other preserved locos?

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