Likely that most of those coal cars are owned by the utility company. Same for the boxes in wells on the long container trains. The railroads are owning fewer of the cars or boxes that makeup their trains.
Shock Control ... I think the railroads need to be a little more adventurous and imaginitive in their consists. What do you think? Happy Holidays!
...
I think the railroads need to be a little more adventurous and imaginitive in their consists.
What do you think?
Happy Holidays!
It would be nice, along with everyone being multimillionaires, all homes with a large SUV for everyone in a garage large enough to house them, all homes with 100" OLED televisions, all people getting guaranteed income from a most beneficent government of, say, USD$100K. Wouldn't that be nice?
Merry Christmas!
Semper Vaporo... It'll sure be nice to see neatly tailored trains (with a little red caboose on the end!)....
A kindred spirit! I started a separate thread on the potential of our rail-friendly president to reinstate the caboose!
http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/285618.aspx
Semper VaporoThank you for volunteering to foot the bill the RRs will have making up trains to fit your esthetic notions. I am sure there are others that will be happy to enjoy what you are paying for. Thanks, again. It'll sure be nice to see neatly tailored trains (with a little red caboose on the end!). And all because of your generosity.
Thanks, again. It'll sure be nice to see neatly tailored trains (with a little red caboose on the end!). And all because of your generosity.
One thing many railfans overlook in their fandom - railroads exist for the economic equation of making money from what shipper/consignees pay for having goods transported between them. They are not paid for 'artistic' appearance of the freight trains they operate.
Personally, when the railroads were operating their own passenger trains, I viewed trains that weren't consistent in their livery as being 'sub-standard' aesthetically, how dare they interrupt the beauty of the trains paint schemes with cars that actually paid the bills for the trains to operate, express cars, baggage cars RPO's and worst of all heavyweight cars. The thoughts of a child.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Thank you for volunteering to foot the bill the RRs will have making up trains to fit your esthetic notions. I am sure there are others that will be happy to enjoy what you are paying for.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
There's something fascinating about 100+ identical cars rolling past, too. A full train of auto racks is something to behold, as well. A moving wall.
As Flintlock said, the days of billboard boxcars are long gone.
Still, there can be substantial variations in manifest freights, and sometimes the "bonus art" can be entertaining.
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...
I think, as the saying goes, "Them days is gone!" Although I'd love to see a long train of classic billboard boxcars the only place I'm ever going to see that now is on the O gauge layout.
I'm willing to settle for clean well-kept locomotives and let it go at that.
Why don't railroads add more variety to their train consists, for aesthetic appeal?
For example, If I'm watching a coal train - or Coltrane, where I come from - it gets boring to watch a string of identical coal hoppers one after another after another.
Why not spice it up a little with, say, a brightly painted box car with a brush-script slogan on the side, like "Everywhere West" or "The Route of Phoebe Snow?" Or perhaps a Diamond chemical car, or a flat car carrying a missile or satellite?
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.