I was wondering if it would be wrong to have Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and BNSF all running on the same layout?
Portland, Oregon, in the 70s and 80s, was served by Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Burlington Northern, so it doesn't seem all that strange to me. UP borged SP in September 1996, but not everything was repainted right way (even 13 years later I still see the odd SP livery unit). The BNSF merger was December 1996, if I recall correctly. Seeing UP, SP, and BNSF all around the same area has been a possibility here since 1996.
No it would not be strange. I saw that here on the east coast with Conrail trains having BNSF, SP, CSX, CP, CN, NS and other roads including leased units mixed in. I haven't seen it too much since CSX took over but it gives me chances to mix up units on my layout and add some more color to my trains.
It depends I am assuming you are asking from a real life basis; so, my question back to you is for what Era and location is your layout based? To me, whatever makes you happy is what is right... :tb-wink: :tb-wink: :tb-wink: :tb-wink:
No. Not at all. The BNSF merger, and the UP/SP merger happened in the same year, 1996. SP power was not all renumbered immediately, it took years. Aside from the above, remember this- It's your railroad. You got 'em? You want to run 'em? Then do it, and have fun! Boxcab E50
Not at all, and less and less so in the modern era where there are loads of trackage rights. For those three roads, I once had a Cajon Pass layout. Tehachapi Loop also features both roads (SP now a fallen flag) The line south of Denver was SF or BN, SP and DRGW (now BNSF and UP) I am sure you could find other examples of shared trackage and trackage rights agreements between almost any two roads out there, and maybe three. Of course, that is if you feel the need to justify running anything. Many don't, they just run what they like. Even in a "non normal" situation, there are occaisional derailment and/or track work detours or other special or experimental trains, like the NS Road Railer being tried on a few different routes. So, no worries.
The Joint Line from Denver to Pueblo is another example, was originally ATSF/CB&Q with D&RGW trackage rights, over the years those roads evolved into BNSF/UP. If you model the era just after the UP/SP merger when SP power had yet to be repainted you are all set.
I live right betwen those two cities. We see obviuosly a lot of BNSF followed by UP. We still have some SP locos hanging around from time to time and even see some D&rgw stuff. The SP and DRGW stuff pretty much has all been renumbered with yellow plates though. Heck friday i saw two NS locos for the first time in front of a UP coal train. Dont know what they were doing way out west.
You might not see them in equal numbers, but You can see virtually anything anywhere anymore. On my way to Billings this weekend I passed a BNSF grain train headed east with a KCS engine in the lead, and a coal train with a CSX engine in the mix. And they were all running on MRL track. I've seen NS, CP and UP engines mixed in the BNSF trains.......I even saw a NdeM engine go thru once on a BNSF train.
Not only would it not be strange to have SP, UP and BNSF on the same layout, but you could also add Santa Fe and Burlington Northern to the same layout and have it be no less strange. Such a mix of equipment would be very realistic especially for the period between 1996 and the year 2000, in any of a number of locations out west. These are exactly the roads that I model on our club layout, which includes Tehachapi Pass and Donner pass.
I got a glimpse of an NS coal train eastbound while I was going over the line on the Route 66 bypass the other day. There was a black NS in the lead and whatever was behind it was bright yellow, looked UP to me. Then there was another black NS behind it. Of course I saw this from about 150+ feet up and about half a mile away at 55-60 mph, but theres few bright yellow roads running large engines around. I of course tried squinting to see better but by that time we were across the bridge, lol.
