For a CNW fan like me it is always a joy to visit the railpictures.net site and find new photos of CNW 8701, 8646 and 8575 almost on a daily basis. With that joy of seeing these CNWs still around after about ten years comes a sad question. What will happen to the three of them once the UP unveils the CNW heritage SD70ACe. Now I’m sure us CNW fans look forward to it, but when you think about it, the UP might just be putting off repainting these units until the heritage unit is unveiled. With UPs constant fighting over its logo and name rights it is quite possible that these three units have been retained only so that the UP can prove that they still use the CNW logo. I am sure the CNW heritage SD70ACe will not look like a typical CNW unit. I predict it will have the CNW logo on the nose, 1995 on the side of the cab where on a real CNW there would be a logo, and a large CNW logo on the side of the long hood. This is how the other schemes are, I would like to be proven wrong. I don’t really look forward to the CNW heritage SD70ACe not because the scheme might be wrong but out of fear of the true CNWs being gone forever. Feel free to let me know how you guys feel.
From what I’m hearing is that they will stay for a while longer til after the Heritage Unit comes out.
I really wi***hey’d keep the units CNW and repaint them or something. Sure UP probably wants all their locomotives to be painted UP colors but people with no interest in trains probably won’t see a train and have to remember the locos were UP. That and the customers most likely don’t care, even if the locomotives are pink, just as long as they get their service. I think a few locomotives actually painted like what UP is fighting over in its logo and paint scheme wars would work more in its favor. The one thing that gets to me though about those 3 CNWs is how bad UP has let the paint just wear away on the three units. I live around 2 UP lines and one CP line and have seen many very clean SOO locomotives, almost new looking, on CP which would convince any nonrailfan that the SOO is alive and well.
I agree with the above. I believe these units should remain in their current status and should continue to be used by the UP. Because these three locomotives are true herritage units, I think the UP should repaint them all and not even paint a CNW heritage SD70ACe. I think the UP should repaint this pieces of living history in new CNW yellow and black. Whats better a CNW heritage SD70ACe that never saw action on the CNW or three units repainted who actually saw action on the road in which they represent.
Seeings theyre going to do the heritage anyways, id think it would be better to paint a new ES44AC with CNWs lightning bolt scheme. No flashy paint, just like GE wouldve sent them out April 11 1995. Better yet, 3 of them and keep them in designated service together forever. Same thing with SP. Itll be a sad day when everythings gray and yellow.
-Tom
Speaking of CP and SOO, IIRC, there was a small accident involving two SOO SD60s in the white and red paint scheme, and CP fixed up the paint on them, still white, good as new! Now why couldn’t UP do that…
And ill bet you all 100%,that thell be ugly as hell too. It won’t be the true CNW.
I sure hope they don’t paint the engines yellow and black…
UP is probably enjoying the positive p/r from the last three full C&NW units, but let’s be realistic, UP is operating a business and in due time the three units will be patch-renumbered and eventually repainted in Harbor Mist Gray and Armour Yellow.
I would like to say that the three CNW units lasted longer than I thot they would have,so has SP…I dont know about WP cause I never get to Ca. But,The Katy was gone in a matter of months of that merger…I loved the lastes scheme CNW did before the merger and hope that it would be someting similar…
I would say it wouldn’t be that bad if UP does what BNSF does(putting just “BNSF” letters and leaving the old BN or ATSF logo still on the unit) but they don’t so it is that bad.
If those CNW units do get patched after UP gets the CNW SD70ACe then we have plenty of time to catch the train. UP hasn’t even taken delivery of their 2006 order of SD70ACe’s yet. I don’t even know when they will either.