NS purchasing F-Units?

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Scooterb
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NS purchasing F-Units?

Unread post by Scooterb »

Reports on several other boards

NS has purchased four F-units for use on business trains. These are:

RPCX F9PH 1010 = former RPCX 101/MARC 81/MDOT 7181/MK F7A 4580/B&O 4580/B&O 937

RPCX F9PH 1020 = former RPCX 102/MARC 85/MDOT 7185/MK F7A 4557/B&O 4557:2/B&O 4590:1/B&O 947

RPCX F7B 2010 = RPCX 201/CNW 410:4/CNW 317/CNW 113D/CGW 113D

RPCX F7B 2020 = RPCX 202/CNW 411:3/CNW 318/CNW 114B/CGW 114B

The four units are currently enroute to the NS Juniata Shops in Altoona, PA on special NS train 956 with NS Dash 9-40CW 9352 leading.

Look for these units to be painted for Norfolk Southern, not in heritage schemes, but I haven't heard any specifics yet on the exact colors. I would like to see the units painted in NS tuscan red to match the business car fleet. Or the green and white Southern paint.

I have also heard from one source that NS has acquired NYSW E9A units 2400 and 2402, also for business train use. I have not positively confirmed this yet, though.
Last edited by Scooterb on Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

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SousaKerry
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Unread post by SousaKerry »

Ok so let me get this stait NS in 1998 got 4 E units from Conrail and promptly trades them to CSX who then sells them for a few F45's, fast forward 8 years and now they are buying more F/E's some with B&O heritage no less!!!????!! It still always amazes me how stupid large corporations can be. Heck NS has probobly bought out anyone with enough time to remeber how to work on an old 567 engine. :D :D
What smells like lube oil and diesel.... Oh wait it's just my "Locomotive Breath"

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Scooterb
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Unread post by Scooterb »

They might be purchasing a couple more from what I am reading. If IAIS is using Chinese Steam maybe NS will like the E/Fs so much maybe they will bring back some ALCOS :wink:

RailCanon
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Unread post by RailCanon »

What they should really be doing is rebuilding the 611 and 1218 and restarting the steam program that they stupidly killed 12 years ago.

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Scooterb
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Unread post by Scooterb »

with managment turn over it might not be to far fetched to think about steam again.

GreatLakesRailfan
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Unread post by GreatLakesRailfan »

Just because the NS sold the old CR units 8 years ago doesn't make them stupid for buying Es and Fs now. Granted, it may not make much sense to us, but I'd bet that their needs are different now than they were then. After the CR split, they had a RR to run/integrate. I don't think they really had the cash lying around to run a vintage business train. Why keep extra units on the roster if you're not gonna use 'em for everyday work? Its easier to tack on a road loco, especially if they've already got a power car for the train, and it's cheaper than keeping a bunch of vintage units running. Now that they've had some time to catch their breath from the CR merger, and build up their system, they probably have the cash lying around to spend on things like a bunch of vintage units for their business train and special needs runs.
As for the steam program- that's mainly a PR thing, at least I haven't seen anything that would suggest otherwise. It was a good thing while it lasted, but my guess with that is that its probably not worth the cost to bring it back, at least not yet. I agree that it would be nice to see it reborn, but I doubt it'll happen in the near future. On the other hand, the only railroad in the country with an active steam program is funding said program through the licensing of their trademarks...which caused quite a stir among model railroaders over the last couple years...I'd hate to see the NS bring back their steam program at the expense of a surcharge on a great deal more model railroading equipment...
my two cents anyway...

GP30M4216
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Unread post by GP30M4216 »

I heard a rumor that NS's current CEO (or President, whomever recently came to the position) was in favor of the steam excusrion program of the past and might be inclined to start it up again. Now that's just a RUMOR, but one I certainly hope is true. Perhaps they are starting in earnest with vintage diesels rather than the big steam of the 1980s and early 1990s. Or, perhaps they just want something nice on the point of their OCS and Track Geometry trains, rather than GP38-2s or whatever they have now. NS has an extensive fleet of Office and Business cars, and excursion cars, similar to that of the Union Pacific.

Either way, Scooter, I like your idea of painting them up tuscan red and gold. That would be reminiscent of the PRR passenger fleet (and the NS acquired quite a few ex PRR lines in the CR split), but could also invoke an interim Norfolk and Western Scheme from the late 70s and early 80s shown here:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=46485
And another photo:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=46167
Just put horseheads on the front and the side and it sure would look snazzy.

Another option would be, since NS often borrows Southern Crescent E8A #6900 from the Historic Spencer Shops and Museum in North Carolina, that they want to paint some covered wagons for their own predecessor railroads, perhaps similar to their Southern painted GP59 #4610. A photo of the 6900 is available here (with the 4610 right behind it... gee, I wish we'd get a Yard anniversary celebration with such fanfare!)
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=162810

If that were the case, perhaps they want to paint some of their own locomotives in the Southern or N&W scheme. Even though this was not the first N&W passenger scheme, there is something to be said for the royal blue and gold N&W paint scheme of the 1960s and early 70s (Hamburger logo era before the simplified Black) applied to Geeps, Alcos, FM Trainmasters, GEs, switchers, and some covered wagons. An example is on this F unit:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=142923

Anyhow, I think this is exciting. I don't know anything for sure, but these are just some ideas. Maybe, since they are acquiring some E's and some F's, one set will be in NS colors, the other in heritage.... or something like that. We shall see. UP has a great fleet of Diesel locomotives, and Conrail E units were nice to see as well. CSX sold their F units, so we need an eastern railroad with some cool old power! Whatever they plan to do with their new (old) E's and F's, it'll be interesting to see.

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Hogger1225
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Unread post by Hogger1225 »

I know that if the NS ever did bring back the steam program there is one person (other than myself) who would be interested. I work as an Engineer for NS and our new Dearborn Division Road Foreman of Engines is none other than R.E. Saxtan, who used to head up the program, or was the NS System Road Foreman-Steam.
I used to get paid for doing what all of you like to watch!

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SousaKerry
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Unread post by SousaKerry »

From what my limited understanding was, the steam program was the baby of the Claytor brothers and when they passed management axed it.

I rode behind the 611 once in 1992 for about 40 miles(marion to bellvue) was the ride of my life big steam running flat out close to 70mph on the mainline cinders in my face smoke in my eyes never had such a good time feeling so bad :D
What smells like lube oil and diesel.... Oh wait it's just my "Locomotive Breath"

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SD40-2
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Unread post by SD40-2 »

pictures of the F9PH Image

picture by Trainmasterrob




Image


picture by Jim Johnston

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