For what? For repainting locos into their livery? Are they supposed to maintain a whole fleet of units in assorted paint schemes. That would be easy and economical. Sheesh, why can’t the BNSF bring back Chinese Red, then?
Is it for taking over the CNW? UP controlled the CNW for a long time before they actually took them over, and allowed them to exist quite awhile. If I remember right, the UP only formally took them over right after the BNSF merger announcement. It really was a business decision that was somewhat forced because of the bold BNSF move. Shouldn’t the BNSFshare part of the blame, then?
I know I say this a lot, but I STILL don’t understand the complete and total animosity directed at Uncle Pete from railfans. Just me I guess.
Seriously dude, The caps are getting annoying. you CAN shut it off. If you can’t, get a new keyboard. If that doesn’t help. You need too figure out what wrong with your computer, becasue it shouldn’t do that.
It is sad that the CNW units are dwindling. However, this thing about the whole UP being stupid for painting THEIR property. Remember, as much as we love them, it is UP’s business to do what they want with their things. What if I were to call you stupid for cutting your grass? I think it looks better a foot long. All you were doing was trying to make your place look better by altering the state of your grass. The UP is altering the state of their locos, by making them look like all the others. And by having all thier Locos say UP on the side, it is effective advertising. Why advertise for a Fallen Flag? I do love CNW, And I am sad to see it go, but I knew it was coming, and that none of us had any control over it.
grass grows back, CNW units are dead for good after a patch. apparently you didnt grow up watching CNW locomotives. i even remmeber seeing quite a few high hoods in my childhood. so to me, CNW defines “train”. a locomotive with a spartan or high hood cab in the green and yellow colors towing a long line of cars is my deffinition of “Train” at least. i hate seeing all these units go. UP doesnt intend for this, but the’re spiting me every time i see a CNW unit with a big yellow patch on the green cab. when i was a kid, i loved both roads the same and was thrilled to see either CNW or UP. but now i hate UP beyond belief.
it’s been years now with the same hideous armour yellow now. it’s time for change and pizaz. UP should make their scheme look interesting and not put 4 horizontal stripes across every locomotive so it looks bland and unpainted. i proudly wear my CNW hat as i type this rant. so what’s left? 2 crash 9s? wonderful. i hate widenoses… they may be safer, but man are they ugly. why does UP patch these units? CP doesnt patch any of their SOO fleet and CN doesnt patch their WC units. and boy do they ever have problems keeping track of their fleets… think of how much money UP could save by not painting their locomotives aquired from mergers. then maybe they could afford all that stuff they have shortages of. but then again, this IS UP we’re talking about…
lastly, look at UP’s roster and note the few CNW units on it. then look at their abundancy of SP units on it. yeah, patch CNW and don’t touch SP. UP clearly has some issues with CNW
grass grows back, CNW units are dead for good after a patch. apparently you didnt grow up watching CNW locomotives. i even remmeber seeing quite a few high hoods in my childhood. so to me, CNW defines “train”. a locomotive with a spartan or high hood cab in the green and yellow colors towing a long line of cars is my deffinition of “Train” at least. i hate seeing all these units go. UP doesnt intend for this, but the’re spiting me every time i see a CNW unit with a big yellow patch on the green cab. when i was a kid, i loved both roads the same and was thrilled to see either CNW or UP. but now i hate UP beyond belief. yeah sure, the heritage stuff will be nice. i was told the CNW heritage unit will be half CNW and half UP. just a UP SD70ACE with a colored ***. and the words “2 great railroads under one name” somewhere on the unit. that quote is so wrong. there’s nothing great about UP and if they REALLY were under one name, the name would be new. i cant look forward to more spiting by UP[V]
it’s been years now with the same hideous armour yellow now. it’s time for change and pizaz. UP should make their scheme look interesting and not put 4 horizontal stripes across every locomotive so it looks bland and unpainted. i proudly wear my CNW hat as i type this rant. so what’s left? 2 C44-9Ws? wonderful. i hate widenoses… they may be safer, but man are they ugly. but i would still love the sight of a CNW one though. the lightning stripe was brilliant and looks really cool. why does UP patch these units? CP doesnt patch any of their SOO fleet and CN doesnt patch their WC units. and boy do they ever have problems keeping track of their fleets… think of how much money UP could save by not painting their locomotives aquired from mergers. then maybe they could afford all that stuff they have shortages of. but then again, this IS UP we’re talking about…
lastly, look at UP’s roster and note the few CNW units on it. then look at th
As long as the trains keep rolling… I don’t care what color they’re painted! I too like the CNW paint scheme and I hope that they keep at least one around. It should be noted that the CNW has been gone for over a decade now and the fact that a train can still have an all CNW painted consist is a bonus. Take what ya get and be happy with it. Change happens.
While I still have the (until now unspoken) opinion of “It’s only a darn locomotive!”, I’m increasingly attached to this story and to the other two CNW units. I compare this almost to CSX’s takeover of what was Seaboard System, including Clinchfield. Granted, the CRR locos didn’t last NEAR as long, but it was sure sad to see them go.
copcar, i did not imply that my deffinition of train was universal. it’s mine and only mine. at least you can still see trains that almost fit your deffinition in a few places. there’s an excursion train that runs a few hours away from my city. steam power, refurbished old passenger cars, and all. as for seeing CNW again, it wont happen because they’re all gone. save for 2 Crash 9s. but those mean little to me as widenose cabs are just plain ugly. no more spartan CNW. no more fun. just armour yellow boredom
I can sympathize with your predicament. I grew up in Aurora, so technically my hometown RR was the BN. At the same time I did a lot of railfanning on the CNW out as far as Clinton (and occasionally on long weekends to Boone for a dose of the B&SV and Kate Shelley). I loved stopping in Clinton and checking out the GP-7’s that always seemed to be shuffling things around the yard. I liked standard cabs (and still do…not only do they look better, they’re a lot easier to photograph…no nasty glare on the winshield). I liked the yellow and green (but must confess that I abhorred the bright yellow…whatever it was called).
I just don’t understand the complete and total animosity that seems to almost be ruining the hobby for you. The railroad industry has been changing since it’s dawn. There are some differences, but it still comes down to a steel wheel on a steel rail. If you learn to appreciate that fact, I think you’ll have a better time of it.
As for me, I miss the CNW. I miss the BN (I really miss the Tiger Striped units!) I would’ve loved to have lived when steam ruled the rails. But…I also have learned to like the BNSF (maybe even the swoosh?), the UP, and short lines. I’ve learned to like steam (even little tourist steam is still a lot of fun to experience) and I’ve really come to be a devotee of the UP Steam program. One glimpse of 844 or 3985 (or both together as at last years Frontier Days Train!) is enough to make me bleed Armour Yellow.
So relax, enjoy your memories of the CNW and take the time to appreciate railroading for what it is and what it will someday become.
i know i know. i just really hate UP’s color. and railroading has gone so far downhill. ugly armour yellow widenose GEs towing nothing but hoppers and intermodals. booooriinnng. i miss the SD45 mixed freight days. the CNW days. i miss the great color schemes. this retarded UP scheme is terrible. they may as well paint the whole thing yellow since they didnt use enough of the grey to make the color balance. words cannot describe how much love i had for the green cab and yellow nose of a CNW locomotive. it looked so great. now look at UP. yellow nose, yellow cab, grey tippy top of the roof. yawn. even with my terrible art skills, i could paint that with my eyes closed. the only shortline i know of around here is Wisconsin Northern. nothing great there yet. just 2 geeps. nothing SD yet. CNW was awesome. now i’m lucky if i even see a freight go by in Altoona. when CNW went down, all railroad activity in my area dropped too. truth be told, nothing interesting to look at is left
Some of you are obviously not C&NW fans. Anyway, even if it’s a GE, it’s sad to see the last CNW standard cab go. Think about it- other than 2 DASH9s, CNW power is GONE. No more SD45s, no more Geeps, no more DASH8s.
what about that image of a CNW GP7 i linked to? i think maybe 2 crash 9s remain only in UP’s fleet. it is possible that UP sold some of their CNW units
Pretty soon, in a few years, you can get excited when a unit CAME from C&NW but was since repainted. “Yup son, that der is the old CNW unit, fought out of its yeller, now its ______ (insert rr here)”
