Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF on UP trackage?

I was returning yesterday from a month's vacation in Ontario, Canada. I was approx. 20 miles north of Las Vegas, NV. and saw an empty unit coal train of rotary dump cars headed north being pulled by three different color schemed BNSF locomotives. Does BNSF have trackage rights on the UP main, or is Utterly Pathetic leasing motive power from BNSF?

I think that I saw something on this board about a month ago. IIRR BNSF has a contract that involves shipping coal from mines in Utah or Colorado by unit trains. They use the LA&SL, keeping the BNSF power on and using either UP crews or a UP pilot.

chuchubobnv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think that I saw something on this board about a
> month ago. IIRR BNSF has a contract that involves
> shipping coal from mines in Utah or Colorado by
> unit trains. They use the LA$SL, keeping the BNSF
> power on and using either UP crews or a UP pilot.


BNSF has NO trackage/haulange rights on the LA&SL, hence this is not possible as a BNSF run trackage/haulage rights train. In this case it would be a UP train that either just happens to have BNSF power on it or BNSF is interchanging coal traffic with UP in Salt Lake City that UP runs down the LA&SL.

Aaron

Tell it to everyone here in town that has been seeing BNSF unit coal trains passing through Las Vegas. Maybe it was just a figment of my imagination.
See the thread on 6/21/06 @ 21:49

chuchubobnv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tell it to everyone here in town that has been
> seeing BNSF unit coal trains passing through Las
> Vegas. Maybe it was just a figment of my
> imagination.
> See the thread on 6/21/06 @ 21:49


I never stated that coal trains passing through Vegas might not have BNSF power on them, HOWEVER (and this is common knowledge), BNSF has NO trackage or haulage rights on the LA&SL route between Yermo and Smelter UT (look it up if you don't believe me). These trains are either UP trains with BNSF power on them or BNSF is interchanging coal trains in Salt Lake City with the UP. I'd hope people would know this by now but in this day and age, foreign power is not necessarily a sign of trackage/haulage rights

Aaron

Thanks for the info, Aaron.