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I had heard the rumors. Not really surprised to see it happen. There's around 16 transportation guys left over there, I know of atleast 2 old enough to retire. Wonder how many will come to Portsmouth/Columbus or if any will go to the shortline (if they even can).

Despite NS guys being forced out, its nice to see a shortline take it instead of it being mostly abandoned. I hope they'll bring some industry back (which they might if they can drop the $$$ rates that NS had jacked up).

WATCO won't have any ability to market the line or rates. NS is controlling all of that. Basically NS is getting WATCO to do the work with cheaper labor for a set per car fee and pay NS to lease the line. Feel bad for the people losing their jobs or forced to bump somewhere else. People replacing them will be making a couple bucks more than the person asking you if you want fries with your order or checking you out a certain box store after waiting in line for 20 minutes....

midland sub wrote:WATCO won't have any ability to market the line or rates. NS is controlling all of that. Basically NS is getting WATCO to do the work with cheaper labor for a set per car fee and pay NS to lease the line. Feel bad for the people losing their jobs or forced to bump somewhere else. People replacing them will be making a couple bucks more than the person asking you if you want fries with your order or checking you out a certain box store after waiting in line for 20 minutes....

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that.

And it will most likely cause a some in Portsmouth/Columbus to be laid off.

Does one know if they have run their first train?

kwh wrote:Does one know if they have run their first train?

According to the Trains News Wire. Sometime next week.

Supposedly take control on Sunday. 3 SD45s and 3 GP39s. They leased 6 SD60s from NS. Track still cut in Ohio so whenever WATCO gets around to putting it back in service. Depends on who you ask, but either will be going all the way to Columbus next Friday or waiting at least a month. The only customer Ohio side they will actually service is the coal mine at Burr Oak. NS will continue to go to Thurston to the small grain elevator and everything in Columbus stays with NS. Supposedly NS power will be on whatever the Dickinson to Columbus trains are. So it may not actually look like anything has changed on the Ohio side once they get it operational.

Thanks for the update, midland. Would you happen to know the heritage of these 6 units?

midland sub wrote:3 SD45s and 3 GP39s.

Junk old GP35s I assume, 3901, 3902 and 3921. Looks like 2 of them got the Kanawha lettering and logo. SD45s look to be ex SP as they all look like they had the standard SP nose light package at some point 4211, 4212, 4213.

midland sub wrote:Junk old GP35s I assume, 3901, 3902 and 3921. Looks like 2 of them got the Kanawha lettering and logo. SD45s look to be ex SP as they all look like they had the standard SP nose light package at some point 4211, 4212, 4213.

The 4200s are indeed ex SP. Are they still true SD45s or have the been put through the SD40M-2 treatment?

The 3900 series units are considered GP39Vs, after being rebuilt from old GP35s by VMV for Burlington Northern. There's some pretty cool history behind these units (though I can't comment on how they run). To sum it up:

WAMX 3901 is former BN 2970, rebuilt from SP 6643 (GP35)
WAMX 3902 is former BN 2974, rebuilt from GM&O 626 (GP35)
WAMX 3921 is former BN 2960, rebuilt from WM 3577 (GP35)

G

KNWA Power; so far..
GP39-2 (ex-GP35): WAMX 3901, 3902, 3921
SD40-2 (SD45 Body): WAMX 4210, 4211, 4212, 4221
SD60 (Leased): NS 6623, 6627, 6656, 6667, 6668, 6690, 6695

The Watco/Kanawha Valley commences operations
http://www.observer-reporter.com/201607 ... t_virginia

A poster on facebook reported that maintenance crews have tied the tracks back together at Hobson. I can't say when operation will actually commence because there are way too many conflicting reports of offical starting date.

Today's Columbus Dispatch had a small article in the business section about Watco-Kanawha. According to them it started operations this past Sunday. Guess we'll have to wait for an actual siting to know for sure.

CSX is giving them fits about the trackage rights at Hobson, saying that CSX has no role in the lease agreement and while NS has trackage rights, WATCO does not. It's going to the STB.

No the issue is NS-WATCO didn't properly transfer the trackage rights. Shrugging your shoulders and expecting the STB to do the work for them...

Don't know about the Ohio side but railfans in West Virginia have captured pics of the Kanawha Valley in action around the Charleston area for about a week and a half...

Reports on another site had a coal train with NS power, I'm guessing a 698, loaded at Burr Oak Mine last weekend, then ran up to Columbus. On Saturday 8/13, a local ran out to Thurston from Columbus to switch cars, the power was a single NS GP38 leased to Watco. It's said the power will be kept at the Columbus end of the line at MP 7 in Refugee, there is only a Refugee Rd, no actual town or suburb of Refugee, so I'm not sure where they mean, my guess would be the large grain elevator off S. Hamilton Rd and I-70 on the east side, only place with multiple sidings on the north end of the line.

strugglin wrote:Reports on another site had a coal train with NS power, I'm guessing a 698, loaded at Burr Oak Mine last weekend, then ran up to Columbus. On Saturday 8/13, a local ran out to Thurston from Columbus to switch cars, the power was a single NS GP38 leased to Watco. It's said the power will be kept at the Columbus end of the line at MP 7 in Refugee, there is only a Refugee Rd, no actual town or suburb of Refugee, so I'm not sure where they mean, my guess would be the large grain elevator off S. Hamilton Rd and I-70 on the east side, only place with multiple sidings on the north end of the line.

Any idea what number on that NS GP38?

Any idea what number on that NS GP38?

I don't know, I haven't gone out to look for it yet, was hoping to figure out exactly where MP 7 is on the line without actually following the line east from Bannon.

The area at Hamilton and I70 at the ADM Grain Elevator and tracks is called Truro Station named after a township...MP 7 and Refugee just se of this location is out near Brice and Pickerington.