Western Railroad Discussion > Mixed Road Power Consists, Good or bad?

The trend these days seems to be that any train on any of the major systems can have power from any of the others, in addition to home road power and leasors. Trainorders.com and other websites are full of photos of mixed bag power consists every day.

Call me old fashioned, but I used to enjoy going to a specific railroad to railfan to get pictures of that railroad's power. Now, you go out on UP and you're likely to get CSX, NS, and CN power in the head-end mix, and the same sort of dogs' breakfast mish-mash on all the major systems. How many "Whose railroad is this?" sort of postings do we see with each unit in a power consist hailing from a different railroad?

I personally don't like all this run-through stuff. The variety may seem to be interesting, but if everybody's train looks like everybody else's train, what fun is there in that?

Thoughts?

Art

I can see both sides to this thought, however, you do have a point. I live along the UP (and see it everyday and am sick of it). Remember, this isn't the UP of the 60's and 70's, but rather todays mundane UP of endless SD-70's and Dash 9's. My last trip out east was to Sandpatch on the CSX to get some eastern action and CSX that I don't see everyday. Well, the very first train I got that day after a 710 mile drive was led by a UP engine. I think everyone back in Iowa could here me cussing and stomping my feet after that train went by as I was so mad. The trip did improve I'm happy to say. But I do see where your comming from.

CNW8531 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can see both sides to this thought, however, you
> do have a point. I live along the UP (and see it
> everyday and am sick of it). Remember, this isn't
> the UP of the 60's and 70's, but rather todays
> mundane UP of endless SD-70's and Dash 9's. My
> last trip out east was to Sandpatch on the CSX to
> get some eastern action and CSX that I don't see
> everyday. Well, the very first train I got that
> day after a 710 mile drive was led by a UP engine.
> I think everyone back in Iowa could here me
> cussing and stomping my feet after that train went
> by as I was so mad. The trip did improve I'm
> happy to say. But I do see where your comming
> from.
>
>

I see your point...but I think there is more variety with today's UP--at least in certain corridors--than there was to be had in the late 1970's and particularly 1980-1985.

People complain about SD70M's and Dash Nines. What did you have in the late 1970's and early 1980's? C30-7's and SD40-2's, with a few older units, but the proportions of the C30-7's and SD40-2's were much higher than what you have today with any class of unit.

Yes...the SD70M is the top percentage unit you'll see...and Dash 9's, Dash 8's, C44AC's, C60AC's, GEVO ES44AC's, SD70ACe's, rebuilt SD40-2R's and rebuilt ex-SP SD40M-2's, a few remaining rebuilt ex-SP SD40T-2R's, uh...SD9043AC's...and that's just 6-axle power.

I can see your frustration going out to the CSX and catching what you do at home, however!!!

Well from the Inside the cab out it is Frustrating too. When I walk my power it gets frustrating looking for all the things on a foriegn unit. Just becuase they are made be GE doesnt mean the Isolation or Dynamic Switch is in the same place. Then you got the CAB signal's you have to figure out how to cut out. It's not just frustrating from the Outside view but the inside too.

Then the NS decides not to invest into refrigerator's and you have to fool around with an Ice chest as your " KEEP IT COLD " source. Then the CN want's you to stay awhile with a HOT PLATE , and MICROWAVE. I know they are'nt the Visual disruption's you all deal with but that's my 2 cent's.