Railroad Forums 

  • NS 8098- Conrail Heritage ES44AC

  • Discussion related to the operations and equipment of Consolidated Rail Corp. (Conrail) from 1976 to its present operations as Conrail Shared Assets. Official web site can be found here: CONRAIL.COM.
Discussion related to the operations and equipment of Consolidated Rail Corp. (Conrail) from 1976 to its present operations as Conrail Shared Assets. Official web site can be found here: CONRAIL.COM.

Moderators: TAMR213, keeper1616

 #1028641  by atsf sp
 
I'm hoping the Mon line cause im at school in Pittsburgh but it isnt easy for me to get to the pittsburgh line but easy for me to get to watch the mon line right outside my dorm.
 #1028790  by markyk
 
I don't think it has left Conway yet.....It is supposed to be getting software installed before it gets assigned to any train
 #1028868  by waldwickrailfan
 
markyk wrote:I don't think it has left Conway yet.....It is supposed to be getting software installed before it gets assigned to any train
It wasnt leading, or online. It could have been there in case they needed it. I dont know if it is in Conway, I havent heard anything about 8098 since late Sunday.
 #1028951  by markyk
 
Left conway (pittsburgh) this morning heading west on Coal Train 578...

Was by New Brighton PA just before 2pm.....

will go west then south to Columbus then south then east to Lamberts Point VA......weird routing indeed
 #1029038  by ns3010
 
Correct, it did not leave Conway until this morning on 578. It was first out on the consist with 8106, 8107, 8110, 1023, and 1030 trailing.
 #1029096  by waldwickrailfan
 
The coal will make it black, just like Chattanooga likes it. All ES44AC's will stay in the coal fields, esspecially the ones that arent black and white. The only engine we may see is Penn Central, maybe. NS has already proven that these things will be coal engines, good luck catching any of these elsewhere...
 #1029366  by ns3010
 
waldwickrailfan wrote:The coal will make it black, just like Chattanooga likes it. All ES44AC's will stay in the coal fields, esspecially the ones that arent black and white. The only engine we may see is Penn Central, maybe. NS has already proven that these things will be coal engines, good luck catching any of these elsewhere...
Why would the PC unit be treated any differently? Aside from paint, it will be no different from any of the other SD70ACe's. IF (hypothetically speaking), NS wanted to get all of the engines dirty in coal service (and no railroad takes pride in dirty engines, especially ones that were specially painted as a PR move), the original color wouldn't stop them...

Not to mention that NS has stated (on multiple occasions) that they plan to operate them systemwide. Yes, there's a possibility that they just said that, but I doubt it. Just because the first run of the first heritage unit was a coal run does not mean that they'll run as slaves in the coalfields never to see the light of day for the next ten years. While there may be "just a chance" that it'll escape to other parts of the system once or twice, there's also "just a chance" that it coincidentally made its first run on a coal train...



Back to the 8098... It seems there's already been a decent coverage from the railfan community. Can't wait till it comes out this way!
 #1029432  by waldwickrailfan
 
ns3010 wrote:
waldwickrailfan wrote:The coal will make it black, just like Chattanooga likes it. All ES44AC's will stay in the coal fields, esspecially the ones that arent black and white. The only engine we may see is Penn Central, maybe. NS has already proven that these things will be coal engines, good luck catching any of these elsewhere...
Why would the PC unit be treated any differently? Aside from paint, it will be no different from any of the other SD70ACe's. IF (hypothetically speaking), NS wanted to get all of the engines dirty in coal service (and no railroad takes pride in dirty engines, especially ones that were specially painted as a PR move), the original color wouldn't stop them...

Not to mention that NS has stated (on multiple occasions) that they plan to operate them systemwide. Yes, there's a possibility that they just said that, but I doubt it. Just because the first run of the first heritage unit was a coal run does not mean that they'll run as slaves in the coalfields never to see the light of day for the next ten years. While there may be "just a chance" that it'll escape to other parts of the system once or twice, there's also "just a chance" that it coincidentally made its first run on a coal train...



Back to the 8098... It seems there's already been a decent coverage from the railfan community. Can't wait till it comes out this way!
I think they will travel the system, but they will never make it to NJ. All I see are Dash 9's and GP38-2's. except for good ol' CSX, they run everything on every line. Wish NS would do that more often... Anyway I heard a rumor that CR and Southern unit will be on 69Q (Chicago-Sewaren,NJ) next week. I hope this is true.
 #1029482  by ns3010
 
waldwickrailfan wrote:
ns3010 wrote:
waldwickrailfan wrote:The coal will make it black, just like Chattanooga likes it. All ES44AC's will stay in the coal fields, esspecially the ones that arent black and white. The only engine we may see is Penn Central, maybe. NS has already proven that these things will be coal engines, good luck catching any of these elsewhere...
Why would the PC unit be treated any differently? Aside from paint, it will be no different from any of the other SD70ACe's. IF (hypothetically speaking), NS wanted to get all of the engines dirty in coal service (and no railroad takes pride in dirty engines, especially ones that were specially painted as a PR move), the original color wouldn't stop them...

Not to mention that NS has stated (on multiple occasions) that they plan to operate them systemwide. Yes, there's a possibility that they just said that, but I doubt it. Just because the first run of the first heritage unit was a coal run does not mean that they'll run as slaves in the coalfields never to see the light of day for the next ten years. While there may be "just a chance" that it'll escape to other parts of the system once or twice, there's also "just a chance" that it coincidentally made its first run on a coal train...



Back to the 8098... It seems there's already been a decent coverage from the railfan community. Can't wait till it comes out this way!
I think they will travel the system, but they will never make it to NJ. All I see are Dash 9's and GP38-2's. except for good ol' CSX, they run everything on every line. Wish NS would do that more often... Anyway I heard a rumor that CR and Southern unit will be on 69Q (Chicago-Sewaren,NJ) next week. I hope this is true.
While you bring up a valid point on the Dash 9's, don't forget that they make up a massive portion of NS's road fleet, which is why we see such a high number of them proportionate to other road units. While the CW40-9's predominate, I have seen a fair share of EMD road power (including SD60's, SD70's, standard Dash 8's, etc.) in my limited Lehigh Line experiences. The Dash 9's are obviously the most common power, but there is plenty of other road power that comes out this way. Give it time, and you won't be disappointed :-)

Back again to the 8098, it'd be nice if it [they] did come through Jersey soon, preferably during spring break ;-)
 #1032158  by airman00
 
well, once in a blue moon I've seen NS black engines passing by on the CSX river line. As I understand it power sharing is routine on railroads? So perhaps ONE of these heritage units may someday pass thru northern NJ. :)