CSX

[Anonymous]

In a recent article in the Washington Post, the Virginia Rail Express (VRE) was critical of CSX for their failure to keep their tracks open during the recent snowstorm. I note that Amtrak managed to keep the Northeast Corridor trains running through the entire weekend. In 4 yrs of riding the VRE I've had many examples of CSX problems with switches, communications failures and broken down trains. Is CSX well regarded in the railroad community?

[RudyRockvilleMD]

I don't know how well regarded CSX is in the railroad community, bu the fact that its competitor, Norfolk Southern< managed to stay open through the storm says something about it.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

I don't know how well regarded CSX is in the railroad community, bu the fact that its competitor, Norfolk Southern< managed to stay open through the storm says something about it.

[wabash1]

To answer your question in my opinion the csx is a good railroad but the way they keep up their rails is horrible. mantainance is almost non-exsistant.

[csxengineer98]

it wasnt a question of techincal problems, it was one thing and one thing only, avalibity of crews!!!! myself and many others marked off weather becoues we couldnt get out of our driveways. the thing that did csx in was where the traffic had to go... if they cant get a crew for the train, it has to sit, now multiply that by how many crews marked off becouse of the weather, you have your yards a parking lot for trains. now take into consideration that if the trains arent moving, all that snow piles up and you do have switch problems and so on. i work for csx as an engineer, and im not going to risk my life driving to work... i made that call after i saw a plow truck slide off the road right in front of me...
one more point also...NS's crew change points and yards that where hit by the same snow storm as csx was are in major citys that have public works departments to try and move snow, most of the csx yards around here are not in any major cities, they are in smaller towns that have poor public works departments. so if you cant get to work becouse of the snow, how are the trians supost to run....

[Anonymous]

I appreciate getting a "CSX" point of view.

[C40dash8]

As a former RF&P employee, I am ashamed of the way CSX handled the storm. RF&P didn't want to hear "I can't get to work; it's snowing". I always bought vehicles with one eye on how they would handle snow. And I NEVER missed a day of work account weather. Guess it's the kinder, gentler railroad. The fact that NS continued to run speaks volumes. Of course, RF&P had more than a skeleton crew for maintenance and I would imagine NS does, too.

[csxns]

I remember years ago when it snowed deep real deep the only noise you could hear for miles was the train.Now if it snows only an inch CSX stops.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it is because they spend so much money on new paint schemes every few years than maintaining the operations of their railroad. Service is first, then apperance of your engines.

[Anonymous]

It has been my experience that CSX is not as highly regarded as NS. Years of budget reductions and deferred maintenance are beginning to catch up to them. Usually, when deferred maintenance can no longer be tolerated, the large expense to bring the railroad to an acceptable level brings down top management. Unfortunately, it generally is not the one that caused the problem. Someone has to be a sacrificial victim. It probably will get worse before it gets better. I would be hesitant to hold stock in CSX right now...on the other hand I would not buy NS, but would hold it.