Horsepower Hour Restrictions

Locomotive identification, railfan locations, frequency information, etc. can be found here.
User avatar
David Collins
Youtube Railfan Guru
Posts: 2758
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 10:46 am
Location: Bloomfield Hills, Mi
Contact:

Horsepower Hour Restrictions

Unread post by David Collins »

Not sure if anyone remembers when CSX 3194 (Law Enforcement) went onto the UP for about a week, went down to Mexico and then went back to CSX. I've heard rumors that someone got in trouble at the power desk for sending 3194 because it's a railroad's (that is NOT Union Pacific's) special unit honoring law enforcement, I'm taking that statement with SEVERAL grains of salt, but is there a way a railroad can place a restriction on certain locomotives so they can't be handed off to other railroads to be interchanged for Horsepower Hours?

User avatar
Saturnalia
Authority on Cat
Posts: 15385
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 pm
Location: Michigan City, IN
Contact:

Re: Horsepower Hour Restrictions

Unread post by Saturnalia »

Yeah a railroad can do whatever it wants with its locomotives, and sometimes special restrictions can be put in place for a specific unit, such as direction to route towards a shop if a routine inspection is coming due.

In this particular case I have no idea, but it’s possible.

A horsepower hour is a horsepower hour, doesn’t really matter what gets sent. The 3194 is just like any other 4400hp engine for that.
Thornapple River Rail Series - YouTube
Safety today is your investment for tomorrow

User avatar
Ypsi
The Bestest Railroadfan... fan
Posts: 5510
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:13 pm

Re: Horsepower Hour Restrictions

Unread post by Ypsi »

About 99% of railroaders care more about the seat they sit in and the air conditioning then the paint on the locomotive. Likely whoever sent it didn’t even realize that is was “special paint”
"Ann Arbor 2373 Calling... Milkshake. Over"

All Aboard Amtrak: Northbound, Southbound, and My Hometown

PatAzo
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1368
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:20 pm

Re: Horsepower Hour Restrictions

Unread post by PatAzo »

David Collins wrote:
Fri Jul 08, 2022 1:43 pm
but is there a way a railroad can place a restriction on certain locomotives so they can't be handed off to other railroads to be interchanged for Horsepower Hours?
You add a rule to the thousands already in place that if everyone followed all of them very little would move. Successful managers know what corners can be cut. Safety no. Send a "special" unit to the UP for a week and some VP or GM will wet the bed. In the end who cares.

Post Reply