Appalachian and Ohio

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Ok, I saw 5 Appalachian and Ohio SD50’s sitting at Madison yard today, can anybody tell me where they were headed? Was the A&O shut down?

Also saw two Brand Spankin New SD70ACe’s bound for Ferromex

2

I have not heard of it being shut down. BTW, were the SD50’s still in UP paint?

3

Here is the link to there web sire. It does not say they closed down

http://www.watcocompanies.com/Railroads/A&O/A&O%20main%20page.htm

[:D]

4

WOW, 90,000 carloads the first year! Why did CSX get rid of that?

5

What you may have witnessed is the shake out of the information contained in this item from the TRAINS News Wire for April 28,2006:

TRAINS News Wire for April 28, 2006

Friday’s railroad news:

  • Appalachian & Ohio switching parents-
  • BNSF names first Montana ombudsman
  • Norfolk Southern CEO to appear on The History Channel
  • GrandLuxe Rail Journeys new name for American Orient Express
  • Rail freight traffic up during most recent week, says AAR

Appalachian & Ohio switching parents

GRAFTON, W.Va. – Employees of Watco Companies Inc. were notified in an internal memo on April 20 that CSX has asked the Appalachian & Ohio Railroad — featured in the May 2006 issue of TRAINS Magazine — to turn over operations to Four Rivers Transportation Inc.
Watco, based in Kansas, had been negotiating — unsuccessfully, it turns out — to keep operating the leased 117-mile line between Grafton and Cowen in West Virginia’s coal country. The biggest issue was car supply to the mines. A&O had planned to lease 1,500 hopper cars to alleviate the supposed strain on CSX’s car supply, but the cars just were not available.
“CSX is aware that Four Rivers and Watco are in discussions regarding a potential change of control,” CSX spokesman Gary Sease said.

Four Rivers, a Delaware Corporation, is a holding company jointly owned by CSX and the management of the 165-mile Paducah & Louisville Railway in western Kentucky. CSX has a stake in the P&L, a former Illinois Central property linking its namesake cities.

Four Rivers also operates the newly created (Jan. 6, 2006) 124-mile Evansville Western Railway, formerly CSX and earlier the eastern segment of predecessor Louisville & Nashville’s line to St. Louis, Mo. The right of way on the west end of the old L&N route, from the Belleville, Ill., area into East St. Louis, now hosts the Bi-State light-rail system serving the metro area. – Bob Withers
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