Norfolk Southern locomotive on CSX

pennsy484 posted:

A simple question, but today I saw a train in Harper's Ferry WV, CSX railroad, and the lead locomotive was a CSX, but the second was a NS.  What's the business arrangement that would cause that? 

It's called "Power Pooling". Darned near ever railroad uses each other's units, and trades horsepower hours back and fourth. Happens every day, throughout the class ones.

I guess I thought of them as competitors and was surprised to see this.  

You'll see that all the time. The railroads will owe each other "hours"

NS power in Montana.  BNSF/old Great Northern RR, Missoula, MT.

pennsy484 posted:

 I guess I thought of them as competitors and was surprised to see this.  

Oh, they're competing, all right; you were absolutely correct.  There's nothing friendly, gentlemanly, nor high-minded in this arrangement;  it's business, tooth and nail.  There is an advantage to each railroad and they are each doing this to help only themselves.

CSX is trying to wring every possible horsepower hour (or kilowatt hour on A/C units) out of that unit while doing only what is absolutely necessary to care for it, while NS is monitoring the unit's output, location, and amount of time in service, and also watching for abusive use.  And they are both keeping calculations of what is due NS for the use of this unit on CSX, each of them doing the numbers in their respective favor.  They will argue it down to the last nickel before the periodic settlement date, which is fixed and is administered and arbitrated through the Association of American Railroads. 

I’ve seen every major RR motive power on the CSX owned  Boston & Albany sub , UP, NS, BNSF, leased units.  Makes watching trains interesting, since all freight cars look the same these days

NS is so efficient they’re giving their engines away.

Thanks for the info.  Very interesting to me.  

I have never been to Harper's Ferry. Great place for train watching. Up close and personal.  I'd like to go back and just sit at the station for hours and watch trains.  

Got a video by the station:  https://youtu.be/bh59auEhfYA

A coal train came though later on the closer track. That was fun  it was really moving and kicked up the breeze. Camera wasn't ready for that one, though I suspect there are a ton of videos on YouTube. 😀

Number 90 posted:

pennsy484 posted:

 I guess I thought of them as competitors and was surprised to see this.  

Oh, they're competing, all right; you were absolutely correct.  There's nothing friendly, gentlemanly, nor high-minded in this arrangement;  it's business, tooth and nail.  There is an advantage to each railroad and they are each doing this to help only themselves.

CSX is trying to wring every possible horsepower hour (or kilowatt hour on A/C units) out of that unit while doing only what is absolutely necessary to care for it, while NS is monitoring the unit's output, location, and amount of time in service, and also watching for abusive use.  And they are both keeping calculations of what is due NS for the use of this unit on CSX, each of them doing the numbers in their respective favor.  They will argue it down to the last nickel before the periodic settlement date, which is fixed and is administered and arbitrated through the Association of American Railroads. 

CSX owns the former PRR Ft. Wayne Line through northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana.  They lease the tracks to Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) who operates the line as the Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern (CF&E).  NS has trackage rights over the line and runs several trains per day.  I have seen CSX units on the point of NS trains traveling down CSX tracks.  I get headaches even thinking about the bookkeeping with these trains.

Tom

I saw a trio of UP engines headed into New Haven from the east yesterday on my way to the FWRRHS open house and the Maumee Valley gas and steam show. Used to see new GE units in C&NW paint fresh from the factory on their way to Chicago.