Occaisionally one railroad would lease engines from another (the PRR leased RDG 4-8-4’s). A few railroads that had seasonal traffic patterns (BAR for one) would lease some units to other roads with opposite seasonal traffic patterns. But there were no private owner large scale leasing as there has been over the last couple decades.
Dave H.
The Duluth Missabe and Iron Range RR in Minnesota leased quite a few engines from other railroads. They didn’t start buying road diesels until 1955, and ran heavy steam until 1960, but in the transition period leased diesels from other roads. Many were from “family” railroads - other railroads who were also owned by U.S. Steel, like Bessemer and Lake Erie F units (some were on the DMIR long enough to have Missabe heralds added to them) and Union RR RS-2’s. They also leased FT’s and IIRC F7’s from neighbor Great Northern.
Plus they used demonstrators, including the FM Trainmaster demonstrators in 1953.
Great info!
When leasing engines back then, was the engines repainted or marked in a special way?
Olav
No…The locos was use in the owning road’s number and paint scheme.After all the locos would be returned to the owning road after the lease expired.
why don’t railroads purchase a used or a new locomotive inseade of leasting for 15 years or so. I also understand why leaseing companys don’t repaint the engines. january 1st the price of paint went up AGAIN and I wonder when it’s coming down. and also don’t ask me how I know.
Because when you consider the tax liabilities, etc., its cheaper to lease and get a newer, more efficient model in 15 years or so.
Dave H.