Okay I know steam on CSX isn't going to happen anytime soon but here me out. I'm no Ross Rowland but I have this Idea about a steam trip on CSX rails. One of my favorites NKP 765 CSX have the 765 to dress up as C&O 2765 again like in 1993. you have 765/2765 to handle a business special from CSX HQ in Jacksonville to Chicago like ATSF did 3751 in 1992. Make 765's crews temporary CSX employees to haul a pair of CSX fp40hs 9998 and 9999 and a string of CSX business cars to travel the whole system to Chicago. The diesels would be put in the consist to help conserve fuel. I think that CSX should do that on their anniversary like NS did 2012. I think CSX could or should do this now when freight traffic is down. If my knowledge serves me right the ATSF steam special with 3751 from L.A. to Chicago took 9 days and on return trip was 7. If CSX did this it would take 6 to 7 day round trip. I think this would be good for PR and for the shareholders which I'm not one of them because I can't afford stock and also too risky to own stock sadly. Like I said I'm no Ross Rowland and I know it's not going to happen but it would make a great site wouldn't it. I would like to hear your thoughts of this. Oh for the record I BNSF should this with 3751 in 2017 to mark 25 years on that trip by doing it again from L.A. to Chicago. your thoughts on that please

Sounds fun!

The union would probably have something to say (not good) about making the 765 crew employees.

that's why I said temporary employees for the trip remember that word temporary

It doesn't work that way.

ATSF did with 3751 crews in 1992 so CSX can do the same with 765 crews

Hmm, Sounds like something that might have been a decade & half ago. Just having CSX buy back and rebuild their old F units to GP38 specs and using them instead of the those F40's would be a winner with me.

Robert

My honest thoughts?

Given both the economic environment and railroad managements today.......

.... what you're obviously smoking is still a controlled substance, if not illegal, in most states.

oh that hurts ouch first of all I said it's just an idea Alex and second FYI I'm not on anything

SteamFan765,

The concept would sure be exciting to see take place. But what a lot of the guys are trying to say here is that CSXT is a LONG ways away from entertaining such a trip. They aren't even supporting even ferry moves with steam let alone hauling any passengers with steam on their rails right now. Railroad management unfortunately is a very complex web of relationships and power structures with a myriad of competing interests. Until the marketing and operating departments all get on board with such an idea and hold sway over the attorneys at CSXT, this will likely never happen. While we all hope that Cindy Sanborn will bring her father's desire for a steam program at Conrail back to life at CSXT, we are not seeing any signs of that quite yet. But hey, it doesn't cost anything to dream!

Sincerely,

Rob Gardner

For the record, a steam ferry move happened this week on CSX.

A short distance in Cleveland, Ohio to be exact. They went from the NS yard for the steel mill to West 3rd Street Yard (CSX) and was picked up by a Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad locomotive for the journey to CVSR rails just past Willow Wye (North of Rockside Station). It wasn't exactly a long trip (my guess is 3-5 miles) but it's a start. I think it blew all the local railfans' minds.

Pardon me for double posting (I couldn't find the edit button), but I should've added that the steam engine was NKP 765.

N0, Santa Fe did not do that, in 1992 or any other time. The UTU and BLE (their names back then) would have had a screaming fit.

Besides, that was 24 years ago. A lot has changed since then.