A Northern Trespasser!!


wheeler1963

Aurora & Portland Owner
Sitting in my office today, heard the horn blowing, figured no biggie, another CSX local dropping off flats to Ft. Bragg. Well to my surprise when I turned around to look. A pumpkin!! Must be on loan to be this far south.
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I see NS engines on the BNSF tracks (along with other engine (Ferromex, CN, CSX, KCS, Metro Rail) all pulling freight cars of some sort. Not sure where the Metro Rail come from, but sometimes an interesting mix.
 
#4359 is a C44-9W and a few good years old, so probably on loan or lease. The last entry for this engine on rrpicturearchives.net is 4-1-2017, so a chance for an update there Jerome. It's on page 7 (of 18) of the C44-9W roster pics..
 
Today's models are so well detailed that sometimes when I'm seeing the real one I first think it's a scale model !!
 
Lets say the BNSF and CSX operate a train pair that runs from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, 2000 miles, 6 days on the BNSF and 1000 miles, 3 days on the CSXT. The BNSF puts its power, two 4000 hp engines, on the train out of LA and the CSXT puts its engines, two 4000 hp engines, on the train out of Phillie. After 9 days, they can use the inbound power to power the outbound train.

Railroads calculate engine usage by "horsepower hours", how many horsepower by how long its on another railroad. Each set of CSXT power is on the BNSF for 12 days (6 out, 6 back) so that is 24 hours/day x 12 days x 8000 hp = 2,304,000 hphrs. Each set of BNSF power is on the CSXT for 6 days (3 out 3 back), so that is 24 hrs/day x 6 days x 8000 hp = 1,152,000 hphrs. The BNSF will "owe" the CSXT more hphrs than the CSXT will "owe" the BNSF. To even up the balance the BNSF will add engines to the pool, the BNSF powering 12 of the 18 trains in the cycle and the CSXT powering 6 or the BNSF letting the CSXT use twelve 4000 hp engines for a while.
 
Can't identify that one Jerome, except to say it looks like another GE. The shape of the radiators on the rear top edge suggest something from a Dash 9 or later. You'll have to go and cut down some trees.
 
I'm heading up to Minnesota to see family in Sept and hope to get a glimpse of "The Great Pumpkin" Old # 9297, renumbered (Original paint) to 8197, renumbered (original paint) to 1474 seen numerous times around the Northern burbs (I'm from Coon Rapids Mn).
 
Wow two hours? Must have had a breakdown, didn't think they were allowed to block more than five minutes?
Nice shots tho!
 
Wow two hours? Must have had a breakdown, didn't think they were allowed to block more than five minutes?
Nice shots tho!
Not a breakdown, just CSX doesn't care about blocking this one crossing. It happens 3 or 4 times a year when they bring in flat cars to Ft. Bragg. Our driveway is the only one on this side of the tracks, so they figure it won't hurt to block it. Little do they realize that this contract that I run here, supplies all of the jet fuel for the aviation units on the airfield. OOPS!!!
 



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