The City of Covington Kentucky has up’d the ante with major increase in fines. Wonder if it’s going to change anything or will CSX just simply pay the fines again? Any thoughts? Here is the link http://news.nky.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20060727/NEWS0103/307270022
Some cities have to be perfect. Just like in a TV Commercial or a Movie Studio Set. This makes the city more valuable. The increased value, means people will spend more money in the city. That is the logic and reasoning that I have heard. Sure, that makes sense. Nothing is free and it must be perfect.
Well, I think it was inevitable that the city would eventually begin pursuing the path I suggested when we first started discussing this, maybe the local authorities cannot force the federally regulated RR’s to bend to their whims, but they sure CAN make being completely uncooperative j@ck@*e a more expensive undertaking for the railroads involved.
When you look at NS’s presence in places such as Lafayette In:
compared to the standards CSX seems to be content with almost everywhere:
It’s hard tosay that CSX is being “singled out” unfairly. [2c]
I know that it is very expensive to paint bridges. I remember when most railroad overpasses had the railroads names on them. Some better than others. It made for some good photography. What a simple advertisement tool.
I see that Philadelphia is complaining about the condition of CSX’s 25th street bridge.
If, as CSX claims, the paint problem is simply cosmetic, they should insist that Covington pony up some of the cost to repaint the bridges.
…There is that rusy Daleville, In. CSX bridge again…Nasty looking isn’t it…
…Agree with C H above…Paint the bridge and install a promotion of service message for the RR…Thousands upon thousands of folks would see it every day. Seems like a no brainer especially where a bridge is over an interstate highway. Most rail fans probably agree the railroads could use better images and this just might be an efficient way to gain some…
Just my opinion, but I believe some people make the mistake of over romanticising these issues.
This is not a conflict between a railroad and a city government, both of those parties are just bit actors and middle men representing the real principals involved.
Greedy stockholders who’s profit motive will take a back seat to nothing, sacrificing long term viability in exchange for short term gains, even if it means some poor suckers are stuck seeing their property values take a hit as the neighborhood saddled with the decaying infastructure is forced to stand witness to the resulting neglect.
Why should the stock holders care? afterall the mess isn’t in their back yards, pulling their property values down. “Let the suckers on location eat rust”, etc
What is amazing QM, is that the responsibility for painting that bridge is clearly NOT the highway department’s, as some here have speculated. The road overpass immediately behind the RR bridge is neatly painted (as are all bridges along that stretch of highway) with a date stamp of 1998 on the paint job.
Only this RR bridge looks completely neglected
Careful, Mr. Gates. It’s often a long fall off of a high horse.
…Yes, I understand…it’s pretty typical. Most interstate overpasses are painted. On a trip to Pennsylvania last week I did noticed in general, that to be true…Even on the Pennsylvania Turnpike bridges are painted…Believe it is still owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
I do not remember the {Daleville}, CSX RR bridge ever being painted since it was constructed in the '70’s.
About a third of the way into Ohio {I-70}, they are adding a lane each side of the highway and it requires a new or modified RR bridge…In fact they now have the tracks on a temp. structure, so it will be interesting to see when finished, if it will be painted. I’ll have to pay attention to see which RR it is…
Take your best shot bowser, it’s time for you to reveal yourself.[:-,]
That is why the railroads should use Cor-Ten steel for the bridges. Never needs painting.
Bert
Modelcar, if that bridge that you are referring to in Ohio, if I’m not mistaken is CSX line from Cincinnati to Toledo Ohio. CSX property, don’t be suprised if it is in rust when completed. The last highway overpass that I can remember CSX painted in these parts was the one spanning I-75 in Kentucky. It’s the line from Cincinnati to Louisville. CSX only painted there logo on it. Were talking when CSX was first forming. Who knows CSX might just surprise us and paint the new bridge over I-70.[:O]
…I make that trip a couple times a year so I’ll keep an eye on it and see if I can remember to ID it the next time we go across there and see it’s condition.
Reveal myself, as in who I am, where I live, ect. … Or as in my intentions? If its my intentions, I’ll use a line from one of your past posts: ’ It should be obvious what I mean. If its not, see above.’
ps Mr. Gates: I’d like to remind you that its the pursuit of profit that put food on your table and pays your rent. You may rant and rave about “greedy capitalists,” but its still the pursuit of profits that pays for everything. Including, Sir, all the railroads that we inthusiasts enjoy. It is also one of the ingredients that has helped to make this country great and to help fund that high horse that you often climb.
pss This is not my best shot. I do my best work in person.
Antigates, your pictures of the viaducts at Lafayette are very revealing. I saw one photo that told the same story–NS tracks and CSX tracks side by side (can’t remember the exact location–somewhere in Virginia). I’ve seen another CSX main line–often!–that (a) I know has seen better days and (b) now looks like some of the yard tracks I remember from the 1970s CNW.
And I’ll never forget the time I visited a premier car shop and saw the origin of the repainted cars where the rust re-revealed itself in weeks. Some things don’t change.
The bottom-line fixation, no matter how noble it seems to the practitioners thereof, is going to come back and bite them someday. Either that, or they’ll try to retrench themselves into more profitability, leaving some of these piece-of-s*** lines to some hapless shortline operator.
Nearly every other major railroad has it right!
That supposed to be some kind of threat? Don’t make me laugh so hard, I almost spilled my dinner.
You also said: “You may rant and rave about “greedy capitalists,” but its still the pursuit of profits that pays for everything. Including, Sir, all the railroads that we inthusiasts enjoy. It is also one of the ingredients that has helped to make this country great and to help fund that high horse that you often climb.”
Sounds to me like you need to take a deep breath and relax man, your affrontive nature isn’t gonna change my opinion one bit. Even Trains magazine has documented CSX’s legendary neglect to infastructure. Recently referenced in their " the fight for conrail" article. If you have not already read it, I heartily recommend it.
Regardless, if I choose to sympathize with the cause of those objecting to how CSX’s neglect affects them personally, I hope you’ll understand that my failure to ask for your permission is purely intentional. OK?
Now back under the bridge with you so you can be ready to pounce on the next unwary traveler to come walking down the pike.
Truth be told, I cheated a little bit, this time. I’m surprised somebody hasn’t called me out on it.
Remember the story 3-4 years ago about the big re-route project done in Lafayette to eliminate street running?
Well the bridge shown is almost brand new via that particular project and is the first in an extensive series of bridges built to carry NS’s former Wabash through the town. The bridge in question is on the NE quad of the city spanning over Highway 25. And as you follow the line west towards the river and then south, it’s really remarkable to see that much recent RR work near a city center.
The temptation to use the pic was just too strong, …(LOL) now i’ve confessed, and must repent