Lately I have seen more and more Ferromex units on the BNSF around Kansas, everything from brand new ES44AC, and DAsh 9’s, to some really trashed SD-40’s. What gives, traffic is down slightly but leased Ferromex units are everywhere. I thought at first it was just transporting some new units to Mexico but they are showing up everywhere out here on both north and south bound trains. Mostly grain trains but some manifest trains like the HOUGAL and other Texas bound or originating trains.
Also a question about Ferromex ES44AC’s they have a section on the screen for consist management, was curious if anyone knows what that is about, it seems like a small subscreen that displays certain info about trailing units.
We have had some Ferromex units up here along with KCS. Aren’t they now a part of KCS? We just figured they were just like NS, CSX or KCS that we see run through here every so often. Just run through power.
probably due to the fact that the BNSF is generating more new tonnage a year than any other railroad and there leasing or pulling through anything they can! If they can they will take NS, CSX, UP or whatever they came across pulling a train origanally and carry it across the U.S. I have seen intermodals with 5 or 6 foreign power units being pulled by 1 or 2 BNSF units. And this is getting more common even with less priority trians. The BNSF has more trains and freight then they can effectively handle with the power roster they have so they shell out some extra clams to take someones foreign power back and forth through their territory. One would think you would see just UP and BNSF units in the L.A. area but I have seen lash ups of nothing but NS, CSX or what ever else they can get there hands on. So if someone doesn’t believe the BNSF is taking over then look at what is running behind the head power units on the transcon! And from what I have heard there is talk of a BNSF NS merger. Anyone else have any insight on this planned merger.
(Quote: An NS/BNSF Merger? Now I like the sound of that.)
Operationally, infrastructurally, BNSF + NS merger makes sense.
On the other hand, what would happen to the “weak sisters” CSX and UP? They both have been plagued with not enough motive power, not enough money for improvements or expansion, poor on-time service, and nasty little accidents that ought not to have happened (at least not on a well-maintained pike, and I’m saying this with particular regard to CSX).
Could the country afford to have a good third of its route-miles run by them, or a UP-CSX merger? Wouldn’t it take government cash infusions for them both , lest they turn into another Penn Central? [xx(]
Having corporate allies is a great thing. But if we get down to two dominant powers with friendly or hostile relations with the others, why, that’s what happened at the beginning of WW I. Maybe not the greatest analogy in the world, but the fact remains that seven is just about the minimum number of players to maintain a group dynamic.
The TFM units have already started to be relettered as “KCS de Mexico”.
What’s more interesting is that it is reported that new KCSdeM locomotives (as well as newly delivered KCS locos) will sport a new paint scheme in red, yellow and black (actually very dark green) styled after the old Southern belle paint scheme.
Just spotted a brand new Ferromex unit for the first time at the head of a BNSF train headed south along I-5 in Woodland, WA. I guess that BNSF is latching onto whatever motive power they can get their hands on these days, because lately I have seen UP, CSX, NS, and other locos mixed in at the head of BNSF trains headed north and south in this area.
Here are two FERROMEX Units on a BNSF Freight 2/03/07 westbound at Fraiser, CO. The lead BNSF 4880 is a Dash9. It appears that the two FERROMEXs are also Dash9s. About 5 degrees F. Wonder if the FERROMEX’s are winterized?
I will also through in a 1/23/07 pic of the F40 point on the Winter Park Ski Train.
