cncproadwarrior
North of the 49th
Just wondering what the biggest railroad in North America is.
What is the biggest railroad
- Thread starter cncproadwarrior
- Start date
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Coast to Coast??????????? Maybe as loaner equipment or trackage rights but I don't believe either owns trackage to the east coast. That's NS and CSX's domain.
UP map
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Union_Pacific_Railroad_system_map.svg
BNSF map
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF
I stand corrected, i just googled both BNSF and UP trackage maps, and you are correct, nothing on the far east coast. i thought i had remembered seeing a map with tracks on the east coast for BNSF and UP, but it must have been something else lol
**Just saw your edit with the track maps as well lol, thanks for posting them
LOL, I don't know if I'd got that far, but there's a reason Warren Buffet decided to buy a controlling interest in the BNSF and not the UP. BNSF produces about $2 more earnings per share than the UP. There's a lot of fear and uncertainty among BNSF employess and shareholdes, though, since Warren Buffet usually buys corporations to break them up into more profitable units and dump the losers. The BNSF may be a much smaller company five years from now.
i could tell you a few stories about the UP that might change your mind! Like when we had a big snowstorm and cold snap predicted up here, but corporate said they didn't need to turn on the switch heaters. had trains tied down from downtown chicago to nebraska when the switches at an interlocking froze in the crossover position. anyone wanna figure out what the cost of 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel per engine, times average 3 engines per train, times about 60 trains equals?. and i'm not sure if he could break up the BN and still keep it competive, the UP would kick the hell out of anything smaller out west. or swallow up most of any subsidiaries that sprung from the BNSF. it would be a true monopoly west of the mississippi. would be interesting to see the UP and BNSF have to break up like Bell telephones did. i always liked the BNSF, they push the technology and have a great mainline on the chili sub. when the UP experimented with re-routing priority traffic on the BN from Peoria to out west, the BN dispatchers got real upset because the UP crews weren't accustomed to running at track speed for more than a few miles and kept running too slow!
The Canadian Pacific and The Canadian National go coast to coast in Canada, but here in the states, your correct only AMTRAK.
I know, irrevelant, but i had to say alittle something about my CP
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Alcomotive
Grandson of an ALCO Builder
Although, it depends what "big" means. The UP is the biggest in terms of track miles but the BNSF actually produces more revenue - $17.7 billion last year compared to the UP's $15.5 billion. The BNSF is much more effective at producing more revenue per ton mile than the UP.
The UP is the biggest in terms of track miles but the BNSF actually produces more revenue - $17.7 billion last year compared to the UP's $15.5 billion. The BNSF is much more effective at producing more revenue per ton mile than the UP.
Trucklover
BNSF SD70MAC's
I think it is a very close tie between BNSF and UP. Both serve coast to coast, both have literally thousands of locomotives, and thousands more rolling stock. I read somewhere that BNSF owns and has leased over 36,000 Covered Hoppers! Now thats just insane!
wheeler1963
Wheeler's Trains
Coast to Coast??????????? Maybe as loaner equipment or trackage rights but I don't believe either owns trackage to the east coast. That's NS and CSX's domain.
UP map
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Union_Pacific_Railroad_system_map.svg
BNSF map
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF
Last edited by a moderator:
Trucklover
BNSF SD70MAC's
I stand corrected, i just googled both BNSF and UP trackage maps, and you are correct, nothing on the far east coast. i thought i had remembered seeing a map with tracks on the east coast for BNSF and UP, but it must have been something else lol
**Just saw your edit with the track maps as well lol, thanks for posting them
wheeler1963
Wheeler's Trains
Only one that can claim coast to coast is AMTRAK.
LOL, I don't know if I'd got that far, but there's a reason Warren Buffet decided to buy a controlling interest in the BNSF and not the UP. BNSF produces about $2 more earnings per share than the UP. There's a lot of fear and uncertainty among BNSF employess and shareholdes, though, since Warren Buffet usually buys corporations to break them up into more profitable units and dump the losers. The BNSF may be a much smaller company five years from now.
i could tell you a few stories about the UP that might change your mind! Like when we had a big snowstorm and cold snap predicted up here, but corporate said they didn't need to turn on the switch heaters. had trains tied down from downtown chicago to nebraska when the switches at an interlocking froze in the crossover position. anyone wanna figure out what the cost of 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel per engine, times average 3 engines per train, times about 60 trains equals?. and i'm not sure if he could break up the BN and still keep it competive, the UP would kick the hell out of anything smaller out west. or swallow up most of any subsidiaries that sprung from the BNSF. it would be a true monopoly west of the mississippi. would be interesting to see the UP and BNSF have to break up like Bell telephones did. i always liked the BNSF, they push the technology and have a great mainline on the chili sub. when the UP experimented with re-routing priority traffic on the BN from Peoria to out west, the BN dispatchers got real upset because the UP crews weren't accustomed to running at track speed for more than a few miles and kept running too slow!
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I haven't checked if it's still owned by them, but BNSF (Frisco) used to own trackage into Pensacola, Florida. Depending on how you wanted to spin it, you could say BNSF has Atlantic and Pacific access. Of course, we all know that little line would be swamped by a single stack train...
on edit, I just checked, and Rail America now owns that track, as of 1997.
on edit, I just checked, and Rail America now owns that track, as of 1997.
Last edited by a moderator:
Littlefoot14
Active Member
The Canadian Pacific and The Canadian National go coast to coast in Canada, but here in the states, your correct only AMTRAK.
I know, irrevelant, but i had to say alittle something about my CP
Brianhasadd
New Member
Did I hear NS mentioned?? lol
Trouble, I know nothing except being a shareholder in the BNSF, but the least profitable parts of the BNSF are where they have to directly compete with the UP. Their big money maker is the Southern Transcon route from LA to Chicago. I suspect Buffet will try to shed lines in the Pacific Northwest west of the Powder River Basin and the grainger lines on the Twin Cities sub. These are the biggest loss makers for the BNSF. In fact, 68% of their profit comes from just one line, the Southern Transcon. I suspect Buffet will try to make the BNSF leaner, and concentrate on LA to Chicago and the Chicago to Texas lines. Many of those other lines would do better in the hands of the KCS or the UP and, I expect, a number of new regionals will sprout. One thing is for sure, Buffet didn't spend $44 billion just to keep the BNSF operating as it is today.
Littlefoot14
Active Member
Sorry for putting the CP and CN mention, it was kind of a thread drift there lol, UP and BNSF are definatly the largest.
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