BNSF & Union Pacific engines in Perryville MD

Just wanted to know why these engines are in this area. I saw two BNSF engines in their orange livery about to lead a train over the Susquehanna river from Perryville MD to Havre de Grace last week and now tonight I saw in about the same spot, two Union Pacific engines leading a freight toward the bridge. Is this a normal occurrence? Did they come all this way from the West? And if so why? Thanks.

CSX is receiving run-through trains from both UP and BNSF. These train operate through the interchange location with the power the originating carrier placed on the train. The power continues on CSX to the destination of the run-through train - staying with the train until it is unloaded and then being used to return the run-through train to it's originating carrier.

At the present time Oil, Ethanol and Coal are being run-through from the Western carriers to East Coast destinations.

Bobby S wrote:Just wanted to know why these engines are in this area. I saw two BNSF engines in their orange livery about to lead a train over the Susquehanna river from Perryville MD to Havre de Grace last week and now tonight I saw in about the same spot, two Union Pacific engines leading a freight toward the bridge. Is this a normal occurrence? Did they come all this way from the West? And if so why? Thanks.

It is a common industry practice to interchange entire trains with foreign locomotives, even between competitors. It keeps the rail system more fluid (imagine the time and constraints it would make if you had to keep all your locos on your home turf) in today's railroading.