Sources close to Bershire Hathaway say Warren Buffet wants BNSF CEO Matt Rose to Create a Heritage Fleet Simalar to what UP has done. Rumors are that at least 6 Steam engines are to be restored to Full running conditon along with 4 older diesels rumors on the old Diesels are 1 FP45 in the Red and Silver Warbonnet and one E-9 back to CB&Q Sliver and one unit each into the GN and NP schemes. Steam engines Rumors are there would be one each for ATSF Fricso NP GN SP&S and the CB&Q. Reports are Buffet is looking to make the UP look like the Second rate RR it is and answer why he bought BNSF instead of UP both of he had stock in at the time he was looking for a RR to buy.
I heard it was 12 steamers and a partridge in a pear tree!
And a Happy April Fools Day to you, too!
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Yeah I heard Buffett has hired Joe Fugate to rewire and scenic the entire BNSF.
Dave Nelson
April Fool's Joke!
Boy! OH BOY!
This will get the railfan community stirred UP!
Like dropping the birthday cake in an ant hill at the family picnic!
They won't need to repaint any diesels into the BN Cascade Green paint colors. Our local yard has several that they keep on hand just to keep the Mookies of the world happy.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Ya know - you had me there until you mentioned six steamers.
Given that we know that Buffett is something of a railfan, the Diesels are within the realm of possibility.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Murphy - we still have a very few, but they retired our two old SW's in green. Send any leftovers!
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
send them my way im tired of seeing SF and BNSF paint i never see any green
Accually, I heard about this long before Buffet bought the BNSF. There were plans to create a Super steam program. Half the locomotives were already available. SP&S 700, Frisco 1522, and the Santa Fe Northern (I forgot the number). They were sending out "feelers" to museums and other organizations that owned Great Northen, Northern Pacific, and Burlington steam locomotives to see which ones could be easily returned to service. So don't laugh this might be TRUE!
..Further sources state that close Obama associate Buffett intends to purchase NS,CSX, and UP merging all railroads into a new company called "New World Order Transportation" and selling it to the Federal government as a first step to socializing the railfan hobby. A contract for several thousand "Shackle" type boxcars is expected shortly...
Billionaire Media Mogul Rupert Murdoch intends to counter offer for the merged company and if successful will reportedly name former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as CEO, with plans to purchase the former BC rail from CN and build a connection North through the Yukon to connect with the Alaska RR. A major intermodal terminal will be built by the "Fair and Balanced Railway"on property in Mrs. Palin's backyard to take advantage of the close proximity to Russia...
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
Mookie Murphy - we still have a very few, but they retired our two old SW's in green. Send any leftovers!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
So, you're saying I'm a couple axles short of an SD? Is that like being a couple bricks short of a full load?
Give me credit at least I made the effort. Maybe Next year I will get you worse than when I annocned that UP was going to Scrap the 844 anyone remember that one.
Not only is BNSF going to make heritage units, but they are going to buy enough E9s to make a E9 out of each predecessor paint scheme, then run them in freight service!
Oh PLEASE stop, I simply can't take this any more...a pure E9 lashup in regular freight service....drool, drool!
eolafan Oh PLEASE stop, I simply can't take this any more...a pure E9 lashup in regular freight service....drool, drool!
Buffett has stated that he is going to start running locomotive consists based on entertainment value to railfans rather than on what is economical for railroad operations. the catch is every time you see one (either "live" or in a picture) you have to send him a dollar...
As a Berkshire Hathaway (ex-BNI) shareholder, I have the "inside scoop". We will be re-painting our "Heritage" locomotives (only ones with the nose doors on the correct (right, facing) side: Dash 9-44CWs, ES44C4s, ES44ACs and ES44DCs) into a variety of schemes. None of the "Jimmy Junk" will be so decorated, as they are going to the scrapper, or UP ("Uncle Pete" will buy anything!), whomever makes the highest bid. I will vote, at the shareholder's meeting in Omaha, on 11 May, to have one done in the NP "North Coast Limited" green & lime scheme. That was cool! The SP&S scheme is being debated, as is the CB&Q one. We are looking for a steamer. Really! We need one to commemorate the 3'-0" gauge "Great Falls & Canada". Yes, it will be painted black! It will be for static display only, as we can't afford to dual-gauge the line from Great Falls to Sweetgrass, MT at this time. Other 'thingies' are in the works! Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Hays
Actchu'lly, Warren has indicated that a fleet of E-8s and E-9s will be acquired and painted into corporate schemes. Some will be green, with the famous GEICO "Geckko" on the nose. Others will be orange and look like a "Tide" detergent bottle. None will be done in the "Charmin" scheme. Many will be red, with "Coca Cola" logo. A few will be blue, with "Net Jets" markings. None, at this time, will have insurance company markings, until the furor over AIG dies down. Keep your camera ready and have fun!
Murphy Siding So, you're saying I'm a couple axles short of an SD? Is that like being a couple bricks short of a full load?
No Norris, it’s like being a couple French Fries short of a Happy Meal, or a few beers short of a beer truck.
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
BNSF can adopt the IRM as a home shop to rebuild the Nebraska Zephyr & the E5 that pulls it. BH can use it as a new business train.
It appears the new Amtrak Rockford train may go via the UP track that runs nearby. BH can fund a new station platform for railfans to use. Makes getting from Chicago to IRM easier.
bubbajustin Murphy Siding So, you're saying I'm a couple axles short of an SD? Is that like being a couple bricks short of a full load? No Norris, it’s like being a couple French Fries short of a Happy Meal, or a few beers short of a beer truck.
Do Not forget that CORT FURNITURE and NEBRASKA FURNITURE are part of the furniture side of Berkshire Hathaway. I had heard all the new Locomotive delivery's were going to have their cabs furnished in various living room settings. Engineer seats will be LazyBoys
I for one, would love to see the BNSF repaint a lot of the locomotives in their fleet to represent the four roads that originally comprised what became known as Burlington Northern. And I would love to see a few of the more modern engines done up in the old red and grey paint scheme of the CB&Q.
But my biggest interest is steam power, and while I would doubt that the BNSF would ever take any steps to restore a steam locomotive to running condition and use it for promotional use, much in the way as what the Union Pacific does, there are three CB&Q O5A Northern 4-8-4's, all within a few hundred miles of where I live. #5631 is in Sheridan, Wyoming, and is facing north, adjacent to the BNSF mainline. #5633 is sitting in what amounts to sort of an outdoor railroad museum down in Douglas, Wyoming, and #5629 is on the grounds of the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado. I have long dreamed that 5629 would someday be restored to operating condition, but I doubt that will ever happen.
There is another CB&Q steamer of the same class and wheel arrangement out there somewhere, but I can't remember where she is or what her number is. And then there was #5632. In the early 1970's I think, or was it the late 1960's? She was used for a lot of special excursions before she found herself involved in a dispute over the costs of storing her and she ended up going to the scrapper's torch and was cut up for scrap. That was a CRIME, and it should NEVER have happened!
We have a beautiful ex-GN 4-8-4 ("S"-class?) on static display at the Havre, MT depot. It seems to be in good shape, externally, and is only 20' off the main line. Please send me US$1,000,000 and I will talk to Mr. Buffett on 11 May about it.
Maybe "Barca-Loungers" for the conductors. I would keep them from marring the desk/console with their feet. An electronic 'gizmo' could be hooked up to a time clock. When the chair is in the reclined position, they go off-duty and off the payroll.
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