Interesting Lash-up @ Northtown

[mtaylor]

I was out railfanning today and tonight and saw a lash up I have never seen. On the point was a SD40-2 in classic BN livery followed by two Norfolk Southern high nose SD40-2 (I think) locos, a BNSF pumpkin GP40 and two Santa Fe GP40 locos (I have a tough time telling some of the geeps apart. Why would there be two NS locos in the middle of a BNSF lash up? I thought it was very cool from a model railroader's perspective. A great excuse to run foreign power http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

Thanks
Matt

[tunnel88]

I saw another CSX unit heading toward Denver today, but was too far away to get a picture...

That's the second one i've seen in a week.

[bnfan99]

two reasons i can think of is
1.paying back lease power time
2.these units are runthrough for a interchange with the ns somewhere
just saw tonight at work two bnsf sd40-2's on the lead and a ns gp trailing.in my opinion the better power was in the lead.

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those who know me know my sense of humor,dont take me seriously.
bnfan99

[Maxwell Plant]

I don't think Santa Fe had any GP40's, I'd bet they were GP39-2's or GP50's.

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BNSF RAILFAN-TO-THE-MAX!
Brent Tidaback, Member #234 and a N-Scaler to boot!

[Gats]

or they could have been outright lease units. Sometimes when roads have an abundance of power for their current traffic movements, they put some of the fleet out on lease. They would have come in from Chicago probably.
Another thought I had were they originated off the WC who has run-through arrangements with NS, but thinking about it, I don't recall WC coming into Northtown.

Gary.

Gary.

[Mankind]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Maxwell Plant:
I don't think Santa Fe had any GP40's, I'd bet they were GP39-2's or GP50's.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, Santa Fe had one GP40, acquired from the TP&W. It was overhauled, derated to 2500 hp, and was destroyed in a wreck in Pico Rivera, Ca, not long afterwards.



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Have A Nice Day!

[Jack Doran]

I thought the NS had there horsepower hours paid up also. But I am also seen alot of NS power here going through Galesburg only thing is though these are westbound movements toward Sreator,IL. Maybe there sending units they had on the west coast home to NS.

[mtaylor]

Well I was out again today with my son railfanning the majority of the Twin Cities (and four wheeling http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif) We stopped at Northtown and we saw a CSX lashed up with BNSF Locos. Also saw a CSX c44-9W in line to be serviced. There was also a ton of EMD Oakway locos at Northtown and in Saint Paul pulling BNSF trains. oddly enough though, yesterday when I was at Northtown, there were no locos in storage (the Northtown Parking Lot). Today there were about a dozen locos parked. Mostly SD45 locos with a couple of SD40-2 locos. Why would they be using all of this leased power while having their own power parked?

Thanks
Matt

[tunnel88]

If the leased power is serviced by the leasor it's probably much cheaper to use the other power and store the home units. I don't know if that's the case though.

[Jack Doran]

I was out and about yesterday and those NS units are returning again. An Eastbound train came in from Chicago with 2 SD40-2's on the front of it.Not only am I seeing NS units I am seeing CSX units by the bushel loads too. 2 AC4400CW's came inthe other night. Lots of renumbers from both Railroads are coming in. So I guess I have to retract my earlier statment

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Keep on railroad'n

[bratnut]

this interesting lashup was seen coming
down Crawford hill this weekend. the power was (first unit to last)-940cw SF 2 sd40-2 in
sf paint but lettered for bnsf, 1 sw1000 switcher, then 3 sd60m in bn paint. It was on the Lincoln to Laurel freight.

[mtaylor]

Maybe it's all just an excuse to run some more power http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif This is starting to make my planned model railroad operation look conservative http://www.trainboard.com/smile.gif

Very Interesting

Matt