Z train (produce train with UP power)

[Passin Thru]

My nephew runs Dunkirk-Willard or Cleveland as conducter on CSX. He says, if the Z train is late they catch hell and he never want's to run it again as they get too many busted knuckles and it's always too heavy. Only thing is E-bnd it's a priority train. Loves CSX and wishes he'd started ther 20 yrs ago. Also, if an engineer runs a train into Willard and has the second unit running CSX will write him up for wasting fuel.They can't find good people and spend all their time trying to get rid of them.

 

[728 Cable Donkey]

After visiting Berea and now watching online i am still amazed how fast CSX goes through than the NS. That place is a top 5 railfans place for sure and the CSX sneeking up on you in person at speed for the first time is pretty damn cool!

 

[Passin Thru]

OK, It has trackage rights all the way to Rochester. They keep the UP units, why does CSX change the # to theirs?

 

[Passin Thru]

Must be Berea KY, not CA? Never heard of CSX in Berea CA. I'm in N VA and NS has 60 MPH speed limit from Potomac R S and CSX has 50 through Shenandoah Jct, quite curvy there.

 

[728 Cable Donkey]

Berea , Ohio. West of Cleveland south of Hopkins Airport. I spent only 4 hours but i was not disappointed.

 

[Passin Thru]

OK, don't think I' ever get there but Marshall TX was the busiest place I've ever been . MKT, BNSF and UP and a train every 10 min. Saw 5 new BNSF (Made in Mexico) units.

 

[RCH]

OK, don't think I' ever get there but Marshall TX was the busiest place I've ever been . MKT, BNSF and UP and a train every 10 min. Saw 5 new BNSF (Made in Mexico) units.

Made in Mexico? Are you referring to the ES44C4s coming from the new Fort Worth GE plant?

 

[Passin Thru]

Nope! Same as! http://www.qstation.org/mexico/mexico.html
On May 23, 1998, the OPSX unit coal train awaits its turn in Murray Yard, located in North Kansas City, MO, for a clear signal to get underway on the BNSF Fort Scott Subdivision. The consist contains BNSF SD70MACs #9869 and #9870, two new locomotives assembled at a Bombardier, Inc. plant in Sahagun, Mexico. The Mexican-made locomotives are two of the 94 locomotives that will be made at the Sahagun plant, and are part of 130 SD70MACs that will be delivered to BNSF in 1998. Both the #9869 and #9870 wear the new Premium Heritage paint scheme.
All photos courtesy of Jim Czarnecki.
If they move 950 jobs out of Erie and then a layoff comes, the Erie plant will be first as its a Union Shop. They claim they hired 1300 last year and are moving 950 to Ft Worth. Thats seems like quite a cut.

 

[Passin Thru]

9869 and 9870 were, Sd70Macs but not sure how many since or if they have built anymore they had an order for 99 to be built there. Look up the specs.

 

[RCH]

Oh, well I saw "new" and thought you were referring to the C4s. Those 70MACs don't quite have the new car smell anymore. In fact, I'd go so far as to call them ragged out.

As far as the new Fort Worth plant is concerned, right now they are just building kits that are being delivered from the Erie plant. I'm not sure when things will ramp up and full-scale production will commence. Texas is a "right to work" (for less) state, so I'm sure it's in GE's grand plans to get things moved over to the Fort Worth plant ASAP.