Just last weekend I saw one of those green FURX locomotives. I've seen other FURX locomotives on the UP's Chicago to Milwaukee tracks, and I'm wondering if anybody else has seen these FURX engines. Does anybody know if FURX is a locomotive leasing company, and does it just lease to UP? ------------------ What's that? A train horn? Sorry, gotta go!
This is off the top of my head, so I apologize if I get any facts wrong... IIRC, FURX stands for First Union Rail Leasing, which I further believe to be part of the First Union Bank family of companies. I recall First Union Bank sponsoring a NASCAR team a couple of years ago, and the color scheme on the cars was real similar to the lease locomotives. As for whether they only lease to UP, I believe the answer is no. I vaguely recall a past news item in a magazine that their first customer was one of the Eastern roads (NS or CSX). As with most leasing companies, I'm sure they lease to any company that will pay them (I recall that a New England shortline is leasing one of the CEFX SD9043's!). ------------------ Kevin Stevens www.trainweb.org/KernJunction
To set a few of the details straight (Kevin, you were pretty accurate). FURX is First Union Bank Leasing (any reporting marks ending in "X" are leasing company marks), locomotive numbers 3000-3049 began delivery to CSX for three year lease starting in February of 2000. Reportedly, First Union got out of the leasing industry, as locomotives 3050+ carry the reporting marks GCRX (or GRCX, not sure). These locomotives are ALL leased to CSX at this point, so they are on other rails as part of CSX run-through power. These are all rebuilt SD40s and SD40-2s that were rebuilt to SD40-2 standards in Canada. As for the New England Shortline leasing a CEFX SD90/43MAC, well you are wrong. They leased TWO of them. CEFX 138 (April-August) and 139 (June-August) were leased by Green Mountain RR (runs over the old Rutland lines in Vermont). Here is a photo of them in Vermont, courtesy of a friend, Brian Plant. ------------------ Corey Lynch Pres - Rensselaer Model RR Society NEB&W RR http://www.rpi.edu/~lynchc/Railfanning/railfanning.htm - My Site http://www.union.rpi.edu/railroad/ - NEB&W
Thanks a lot guys. CSX must have a lot of leased power these days because I was at UP's Butler Yard today, and saw a CSX train with GATX power. I've been to the yard a lot, and usally there's just a lot of UP power around the yard, but today I saw a couple NS units(#'s unkwn), CSX 8637, CSX 8103, Conrail 5461, Conrail 8327, and the GATX locomotive(#7357). I hope to see a lot more CSX trains running through Milwuakee, and I hope to see some more FURX locomotives too. Have you guys seen any FURX locomotives in person? ------------------ What's that? A train horn? Sorry, gotta go!
Well, since I'm an easterner, I get to see FURX units on a pretty regular basis. Also, there are no "Conrail" units anymore. The units you saw either had a white patch with black numbering (or vice-versa - these are now NS units) or had yellow numbering (these are CSX units). Conrail was split and merged into these two railroads on June 1, 1999. And yes, CSX has a lot of leased power on their rails. Helm (HLGX, HLCX, HATX) and FURX/GCRX tend to be the most common. Late last year they were borrowing power from the UP and BNSF, so that is why CSX power is showing up back west more often, to pay-back the Horsepower hours to those roads. Here is FURX 3018 at Selkirk, NY. I shot this back on February 21st. This unit is fresh out of the shop (no dirt anywhere - not even the trucks!!). This is shortly after they started taking delivery. <img src="http://www.rpi.edu/~lynchc/Railfanning/Selkirk/Visitors/Furx/Furx-3018.jpg" ------------------ Corey Lynch Pres - Rensselaer Model RR Society NEB&W RR http://www.rpi.edu/~lynchc/Railfanning/railfanning.htm - My Site http://www.union.rpi.edu/railroad/ - NEB&W
Thanks for the info and the picture Harron. I don't remember what color the numbering was on the old Conrail units, but it was nice to see some locomotives with the old "Conrail Quality" paint. ------------------ What's that? A train horn? Sorry, gotta go!
Here is yet another FURX locomotive on train MPRIT. It's seen here at Butler Yard, and there seems to be an increasing number of FURX locos, probably becuase CSX hauls this train from Proviso to Itasca, WI. ------------------ Drew Wisconsin Central Ltd.
