Eastern Railroad Discussion > Masters Trains in Augusta

As of today, all three of the OCS trains for the Masters tournament have departed for their home bases with CSX had departed for Waycross yesterday and the BNSF and NS departed earlier today.

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gulfstreams at augusta...https://www.facebook.com/reel/1091221446100295

michael jordons may have been the black one



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/25 20:27 by dan.

That is just sick...

Meals and entertainment expense tax deductiable (not 100%) for customers... Of course, the jets are a ordinary business expense.

Gonut1 Wrote:
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> That is just sick...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/25 12:32 by wabash2800.

Gonut1 Wrote:
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> That is just sick...

Yup. Wow.

When I lived in Colorado, I once drove by the edge of the Aspen airport one Saturday. I thought I would never see so many bizjets ever again, and it wasn't even ski season. Then I flew into Geneva, Switzerland on a trip a few years ago. The number parked at the one end of the airport was astonishing, and put Aspen to shame. But as a center for international diplomacy, it at least made some sense to be ferrying around governmental officials and diplomats on something smaller than a 757.

But this lineup at Augusta is obscene. I think Bernie's and AOC's anti-oligarch speaking tour just got a huge boost of support.

Very nice shots of all three of the business trains, particularly in a street-running situation. Thanks for the effort to get the images and to share them with us.

MC



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/25 20:35 by ironmtn.

It's interesting that the shareholders don't get all upset about these presumeably-costly business trains. Of course, the bigger shareholders are probably getting enjoyment out of them at times.  

NPRocky Wrote:
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> It's interesting that the shareholders don't get
> all upset about these presumeably-costly business
> trains. Of course, the bigger shareholders are
> probably getting enjoyment out of them at
> times.  

My understanding is NS, CSX, operates these trains empty enroute to to use the equipment as an on-site facility for entertaining customers so the RRs likely see this as a justifiable sales expense.

Also, according to chat commentary on the Greencastle PA live cam, the NS OCS equipment operating as symbol 955 spent last night (4/14/25) tied down in Columbia SC and may resume its trip north to Altoona Tuesday AM perhaps following NS Croxton-bound priority IM train 24X. Net: the NS OCS train may be visible passing the Greencastle cam in the morning.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/25 02:40 by JPB.

well aspen does not have room for any more jets many times, having to use other places such as Rifle, not sure about GSC.   G Jct, eagle,  and  Denver  area airports hanger some jets that frequent Aspen a lot

JPB Wrote:
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> NPRocky Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It's interesting that the shareholders don't get
> > all upset about these presumeably-costly business
> > trains. Of course, the bigger shareholders are
> > probably getting enjoyment out of them at
> > times.  
>
> My understanding is NS, CSX, operates these trains
> empty enroute to to use the equipment as an
> on-site facility for entertaining customers so the
> RRs likely see this as a justifiable sales
> expense.
>

That's correct. They do a lot of corporate entertaining on board while they are parked. And that can pay off handsomely in pressing the flesh with important shippers, politicians, economic development officials and influential people. Such entertaining has been known to shake lose millions in business, or to protect it with a shipper who may have the yips (and not about their putts) about some problem with their traffic. Some quiet conversation over a friendly drink about the problems and how they will be addressed has been known to repair an endangered business relationship and protect traffic, and the jobs that flow from it.

Sure, regular sales calls, business meetings and phone and online conversations carry the brunt of such work. Prompt and thorough follow-up and doing what's promised is mandatory. But when something's on the bubble and a goodly chunk of business is on the line, either new business or protecting old business, having that conversation in that unique environment over a drink or dinner onboard the business cars can make a difference. Stockholders know that, particularly the large institutional investors, and that's why they are generally supportive of these business car "show the flag" trips to big events like the Masters.

MC

dan Wrote:
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> gulfstreams at
> augusta...https://www.facebook.com/reel/1091221446
> 100295

​Probably half of those jets are owned/leased by the players themselves.  I have heard there is money in being a Pro golfer.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,6010126

We have 20-30 private jets on the ramp during summer at our neighborhood airport (FCA), ranging from HondaJets and Phenoms to Gulfstreams, Falcons and a private 757.

If you think the ramp at Augusta is crowded with big iron, check out the two airports in Louisville during the Kentucky Derby.

Back in 2019 i was engineer on the BNSF train from Macon to Augusta including wyeing and spotting. Then a week later i ran it back from Augusta to Macon besides the head end crew we had 3 passengers. A Mechanical guy, a cook and a car attendant. Our departure from Augusta was delayed by the cooks search for mushrooms for a formal dinner in Alabama on the way back. 

I caught one of CSX office car engines several years ago. It was going somewhere north of Augusta to relieve an engine that had crapped out. This engine wasn't much better. The A/c didn't work, and it still rode like an FP-40 on Amtrack.

Sam

NSDTK Wrote:
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> Back in 2019 i was engineer on the BNSF train from
> Macon to Augusta including wyeing and spotting.
> Then a week later i ran it back from Augusta to
> Macon besides the head end crew we had 3
> passengers. A Mechanical guy, a cook and a car
> attendant. Our departure from Augusta was delayed
> by the cooks search for mushrooms for a formal
> dinner in Alabama on the way back. 

I actually chasing you guys from Augusta to Waynesboro.

You had to be quick cause i was flying low that day. That ES44C4 was in its element with those 9 cars. 
akpsteam Wrote:
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> NSDTK Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Back in 2019 i was engineer on the BNSF train
> from
> > Macon to Augusta including wyeing and spotting.
> > Then a week later i ran it back from Augusta to
> > Macon besides the head end crew we had 3
> > passengers. A Mechanical guy, a cook and a car
> > attendant. Our departure from Augusta was
> delayed
> > by the cooks search for mushrooms for a formal
> > dinner in Alabama on the way back. 
>
> I actually chasing you guys from Augusta to
> Waynesboro.