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Trains News Wire FLASH: NS shares new ‘GoRail’ locomotive photo
Very cool! Great way to promote shipping by rail. Congrats NS!
As another stockholder and rail fan, I think these efforts will be rewarded in the short and long term. Short term with employees and shippers. Longer term with increased public appreciation for the railroad, which can mean victory in some situations.
As another stockholder and rail fan, I think these efforts will be rewarded in the short and long term. Short term with employees and shippers. Longer term with increased public appreciation for the railroad, which can mean victory in some situations.
As another stockholder and rail fan, I think these efforts will be rewarded in the short and long term. Short term with employees and shippers. Longer term with increased public appreciation for the railroad, which can mean victory in some situations.
As a railfan it’s neat. As a stock holder, what a waste of money.
Max,
I think your criticism is somewhat shrill . I am glad that NS has a desire to sperad the news about shipping by rail in a positive way. I remember the sixties and early seventies when railroad companies were almost ashamed to be in the railroad business. The outlook of some of them was quite negative. Let’s be glad that a major railroad cares enough to paint a locomotive in special colors like NS has with this one and the others as well.
Eric, you need to take a look at the Canadian Pacific locomotive fleet before you tell me this is a waste. NS seems to have a good grip on cleanliness, while CP…doesn’t even put a towel to any of their locos…
Eric, if by having such neat looking power NS fosters increased pride in the company by their employees and thus an improved work ethic…then a few hundred gallons of paint is well worth the price for a better motivated employee base.
Publicity is another form of advertising. Advertising sells. The NS TV ads are exciting and appealing. All of this is not lost on shippers now; future shippers later. As another stock holder I say Bravo! to this effort.
Of course they’d pick one of those hideous abominations to sport the special scheme. I’m afraid It is impossible for me to like this unit…
Eric This is corporation advertising money that adds to the bottom line. More money for the stock holder.
Ok we need to see what the cost of the paint job was and then divide it into all of the NS stock out there and see what Eric’s portion is that he lost. Dont forget Eric that this unit will be earning its keep pulling revenue freight, and is not some rolling museum piece where a boatload of money is being spent to restore it.
The last “black” units that were acceptable were New York Central’s. NS should go back to the ‘Southern’ scheme.
Eric, since you are getting toasted on this one, my only comment from a Marketing standpoint is, “Image and Packaging are Everything”. Enough said.
Gus: the CP units, that come thru Shelby, MT are always immaculate, including the DPs on the coal trains. Maybe it is because they are under lease to BNSF. Hard to wash locos at -25 F.!
Eric T. Hendrickson, you remind me of a past Espee president who declared, “Why wash the locomotives; That doesn’t make them run any better”! It’s all about image which aids P.R. Do you recall when S.P. locomotives scheme was described as “Espee dirt”? If I ran a railroad; I sure the hell don’t my railroad being described as such.
As a Locomotive Engineer the SD60E with that cheap aftermarket cab may have seemed like a good short term investment it is in no way a great long term one. The cab may be spacious and have a standard control stand which is far better than a desktop however it is welded instead of isolated from the frame. The SD60 has always been a loud locomotive to operate and this cab makes operating this unit seem like you are operating it from inside the engine compartment. It is so loud you have to shout across the cab to the conductor and makes for one misreble trip. Purchasing a 30 year old locomotive and rebuilding it for 1 million instead of purchasing a brand new SD70ACe for 2 million. Here is the kicker though, two ACes can handle almost the same tonnage as three SD60E units and they will absolutely last more than twice as long. But the most important thing to me is that an ACe has a much more office friendly environment and has incredible strength and braking abilities compared to an SD60E making my job so much easier.