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  • CSX and NS Powerlashups and shared power

  • Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.
Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.

Moderator: MBTA F40PH-2C 1050

 #206556  by Engineer James
 
I was amazed! I was down near the River Rouge Yard, In Detroit Michigan. I was participating in an Navy ROTC Drill Meet. the school was right across from the yard. I noticed many Conrail (Shared Assets) CSX, and NS lashups. Including A couple of Geeps and an SD. Do they do this often, share power I mean.

 #206579  by chuchubob
 
They do it all the time in South Jersey. Some recent examples:

http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -17+28.jpg

http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -18+18.jpg

This pair was working CA-11 again yesterday:
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -27+31.jpg

The CR Blue GP15-1 in the middle is NS:
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -18+03.jpg

Bob

 #206651  by Engineer James
 
Why would they do that though? I mean wouldn't they, unless BOUGHT OUT (such as UP and SP), not try to do that? I mean they are competers... why give a piece of equipment to a competor? Why not just use what ya got on hand?

 #206719  by charlie6017
 
They could be using "what's on hand." Sometimes one carrier uses another's units as "run-thru" power. E.G. A Union Pacific train of UPS trailers comes into Chicago at Proviso Yard, which is an end point for UP. CSX then takes the train into Little Ferry, NJ--which is the ultimate destination for the trailers. UP lets CSX continue on their way to NJ with the UP power to save the chore of cutting away their power, AND CSX bringing their own power and hooking up to the train--performing an air test, etc. Valuable time saved there! And time is MONEY. That's one of many reasons why you see power from all carriers all over.

And think--wouldn't it be awfully boring looking at the same engines all the time??

 #206741  by ACLfan
 
Actually, it appears that CSX and NS get along generally well, especially when such behavior is considered to be mutually beneficial.

NS and CSX have worked out a lot of "shared" trackage rights, so that time and $$ can be saved in trip times, reduced track maintenance costs, etc. So, if there is a $$ and sense reason for doing something, they'll probably try it!

As far as trading units, they usually don't trade units. It's like Charlie described: Other railroads hand over the power on through trains to CSX, regardless of who it belongs to. Sometimes NS, other times UP, BNSF, CP, CN, KCS, TFM, etc.

Such varied locomotive "scenery" makes train-watching (and life) very interesting!
You're probably too young to be aware of the movie "Forrest Gump". In the movie, he said "Life is like a box of chocolates: You just never know what you'll get".
So is train-watching, when you never know what kind of (or whose) locomotive will come around the bend. I hate it when it is predicable!

Also, a railroad may end up with a NS unit on a run-thru that terminated on their line. Often, in such circumstances, they'll assign the NS unit to a train that serves as a means of getting it back "home", such as on a train to CSX, so that CSX can put it on a CSX freight headed to a location where NS crews can drop by and pick the unit up.

I see a lot on NS units on CSX freight trains in south Georgia and Florida, sometimes as the lead unit! Now that's a sight to see!

Catch you later!

ACLfan

 #206811  by chuchubob
 
In South Jersey this is Conrail Shared Assets Organization (CSAO), jointly owned by CSX and NS. When Conrail was split between NS and CSX, there were places where one railroad would have a monopoly: Philadelphia-South Jersey, North Jersey, and Detroit. It's not that CSX and NS are pleasantly sharing each others locomotives; they own the operation jointly.

http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -06+01.jpg

http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... 1-07+2.jpg

http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -10+22.jpg

CSAO Paulsboro Yard local power:
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -10+25.jpg

http://www.transitspot.com/gallery2/v/u ... -15+16.jpg

 #206853  by roadster
 
If I'm not mistaken the Detroit area is also a Conrail Shared Assets Organization region, and it operates the same as the NJ region with NS and CSX both contributing to the power needs of this territory. CSX and NS jointly operate the shared assets regions and jointly supply power and crews, hence "shared assets".

 #206926  by Engineer James
 
Now I get the concept. They try to use what ever is onhand instead of using their own ROAD locos... Interesting.

 #206944  by octr202
 
Engineer James wrote:Now I get the concept. They try to use what ever is onhand instead of using their own ROAD locos... Interesting.
Well, the Shared Assets area is a little different. Conrail still exists (yup -- see http://www.conrail.com) as the operating company that operates service within the Shared Assets area. Conrail does not own any locomotives of its own -- NS and CSXT provide motive power to it. Conrail does employ its own train crews, operating personnel, and necessary management.

 #207018  by ACLfan
 
We have a little misunderstanding going on......

Just for clarification, I was intentionally not talking about the Shared Assets area, as several of the following posts to my above post have mistakenly assumed.

Sorry you jumped to the wrong conclusion regarding my comments. The Shared Assets area is a separate universe, and I did not intend to even bring it into the conversation.

Surprise!, CSX and NS also shares trackage rights, etc. in the sunny South, a very long distance away from the Shared Assets areas!

In each of these situations (which were made on an individual basis), CSX and NS have jointly decided it was a mutually beneficial arrangement to do the shared track deals!

Are we OK now?

ACLfan

 #207025  by ACLfan
 
"...pleasantly sharing...." locomotives and trackage???

"Please pass me a GP40-2." "Sure, no problem, thank you for asking."

What an absolutely strange notion!

ACLfan

 #207066  by Jay Potter
 
CSXT deals with short-term increases in motive power requirements by operating power from other railroads and later compensating those other railroads by providing CSXT power to them. The accounting is done on the basis of horsepower-hours. For example, CSXT's operation of another railroad's SD40-2 for four days this month could result in that other railroad operating a CSXT AC6000CW for two days next month.

 #207769  by Engineer James
 
Ahhh.... I just found it interesting.

 #211365  by Tadman
 
Sometimes CSX will send a unit train onto Guilford with two Dash-9's. In return, Guilford has no biggies, but will supply a typically beat-ass geep, and CSX will use it in their yard to equal out their HP-hours. This actually helps, as bigger roads like CSX are beginning to shed smaller units, which are more useful in yards.