I saw an oddity today, on a standing in wait westbound NS freight on the old wabash, the lead unit was a cement color gray/green, with black lettering.
Seemed to have all the correct markings too… I liked it in fact, told the engineer too,…he just shook his head and said “too hard to keep clean”
Wish I had got a pic for you guys, it was awesome.
I hope that the engineer dosn’t reflect the opinion of the NS. A splash of any colour would be etter than the black and white that it is now.
I have seen this gray color on units for other roads as well. I am told that it is just plain old primer. We (BNSF) ordered some units awhile back and were at so much of a power shortage, they didn’t want to wait the extra time for the factory to paint the locos, so they were delivered in primer with real generic markings stenciled on. After the power shortage subsided, they were sent back to be painted…so I’m told.
Ken
http://www.railroad.net/forums/messages.asp?TopicID=9431This link will take you to a discussion page that bears out the primer theory.
these units are only primer and will be painted at a later date. we will still have the black and white units for your viewing pleasure
wonderful!!![:D]
La Mook
I like the horses head in the stripes by the ns.
stay safe
joe
I like the NS color the way it is. The B/W color accurately depicts the type of railroad NS is…hard working and rugged.
Ricky Wilson
Hey Wabash, I’ve heard rumblings that the NS and the BNSF are gonna merge since I hired out…No biggie. But now it seems like it is more than just a rumor. Are you hearing anything tangible on your side?
Ken
I’m not “wabash”, but, a year or so ago I struck up a conversation with an NS starched collar out on a priority track repair who said the talks between BNSF and NS were fast and furious. Said some days that was all he heard about. But the talks were more about the purchase of select routes, than an outright merger.
Yes,…thanks… Didn’t realize I had seen a “ghost”…[:0]
The official NS color scheme has changed according to an internal memo. NS will now paint locomotives black and white, rather than the previous colors of black and white. The new paint scheme was inspired by the corporate ledgers that are also printed in black and white. Of note, the cafeteria in Norfolk will continue to serve Black & White milkshakes, which must not be confused with the paint according to daily safety bulletin 0478-03. Chocolate milk shakes are strictly prohibited.
LC
At an undisclosed location on the rail lines known as the former Conrail.
Oh, BTW, I just heard that the rumor on CSX is the UP will be taking over in February. FOFLMAO. All these rumors are garbage. If it were true the SEC and STB and DOJN would have had to pass on it by now, to say nothing of the shareholders…
LC
Well when CP rail switched it’s Eastern division to STL & H. (1996). they assighned around 100 locomotives to be repainted STL & H, (~ 20 were to be completely repainted, ~ 80 were to be relettered) well the relettering ones were easy, and realeased within a short amount of time But up at Ogden (The Cp rail paint shop plant) I believe, if my memory serves me correctly… the painters were inmist of a labour dispute and only got to paint 2, and the other 18 or so were in a terrible Gray primer… so since the power was needed, they Just painted STL & H with a black paint roller, the “&” comes out terribly when you do that) as to this day… there are still some that are grey, but the black STL & H is long gone, it looked very unprofessional.
What’s wrong with the old " black and white ‘’ . I like the new paint jobs going on the locomotives now.
I’ve often subscribed to the theory that “NS” stood for “Nothing Special.”
Having said that, I do have fond memories of photographing NS at speed in central (near Lexington) Kentucky in the late 1980’s.
Well, all speculation is BS, but then Wall street is paved with the stuff so who knows. The one thing you can depend on, is that neither our government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” nor the corporate boardrooms will feel one iota of responsibility towards keeping john doe well informed of any preliminary proceedings.
I like the idea of a Burlington northern santa fe and norfolk Southern merger, the new ID could be changed to B. S.
Well there has been talk for years about the ns and bnsf merging but the last talks was just the purchuse of certain lines. exspecially the line i work. the new talks and papers that are signed is a merger of sorts. I wont say what is comming down ( other than we are going to run 5 of the bnsf trains aday) with ns crews. the other thing that is noted in talks is that there will be no ns any more that bnsf will be the parent company. and we will go by the bnsf contract . Much to everyone coment on here there is things going on that you wont hear in trains mag or on the news until it is done. we hear things but wont say anything until we know for sure. I for one dont care who owns us. just as long as i get to make it to retirement… and if i remeber right we make more money on the bnsf.
Thanks for the reply Wabash. I don’t trust the rumors that I’m hearing and if it does happen, like you say, we won’t know until it is over. I will say that the NS treats their employees poorly, but, runs their RR like an RR. As opposed to BNSF hit and miss strategy (ala old ATSF).
Ken
[:D]
Mookie