Anybody else notice the increase of foreign power lately? Used to be pretty rare (at least here) to see this much “color” compared to the NS black and white’s. BNSF has been pretty common as of late. CN and UP are showing up quite a bit too. Saw 2 Soo SD40-2’s last night and I’ve never seen ANY Soo loco’s here before.
Not complaining though. [swg]
Yes…lots of foreign power here too. The other day I noticed two BNSF locomotives in the old warbonnet livery together with a BC Rail unit on CN… in Toronto…
The term “foreign” as a term of art isn’t as helpful as it used to be. After all, two of the seven Big RR’s are headquartered in Canada. I’ve seen lots of CP and CN offering motive power west of Chicago, but not on point that I recall. Another big’un (KCS) has almost about as much track in Mexico as in the USA.
If there’s much of a chasm left, it’s east (CSX, NS) versus West (UP, BNSF), but even that seems to be slowly melting. It would surprise me to see CSX with NS power behind, but since (at Rochelle) I’ve seen BNSF with UP HEP, it wouldn’t surprise me all that much. - a.s.
We don’t always see a lot of foreign power over this way, occasionally. At least along CSX, my guess is a lot of the engines get turned back at Selkirk Yard and don’t quite make it down here. You can also be fooled by a leasing unit, which might still look like its BNSF or UP. But when we are by the tracks, we are always on the lookout.
On CSX’s A&WP and Lineville subdivisions the trend is away from any foreign power. The last two months no CP, CN, KCS, FEC, no occasional other short lines, Nantional of Mexico, and only some NS on run through military moves.
NOW: – BNSF only on their haulage intermodals from LAX . UP and an ocassional CSX on UP’s LAX intermodal. Everything else all CSX. Lease power has completely disappeared vs last summer which was 20 - 35% of all motive power.
I think the foreign refers to railroads rather than countries.
I will trade anyone a whole sworpe of BNSF for a few CSX, NS and KCS. Dare I even hope for a CN or CP?
Foreign power means any loco not from the railroad its running on, lease units aside.
We see NS, CSX and UP power through Eola rather often and a smattering of other US as well as Canadian and Mexican power from time to time as well as leasers galore, so “foreign” power is nothing new at all here.
they have stop running foreign power on the NS Piedmont divison in NC. I’ve not seen nothing but black and white for 6 months. Be nice to see something more colorful here.
Now with all those Canadians and Mexicans (foreign devils) racing all over the U.S. in their cute little trains, why not invite some Egyptian Railways or Austrian, maybe even Iceland (are there railways in Iceland?) Possibly even Indian Railways, this would give a great international flavour to railroads in the U.S.
What what would you trade for the Cascade green BN(SF) unit I see currently being used for yard switching here?