CSX has no problem with steam on their leased lines. RJ Corman operates his QJ on a lined he leased from CSX.

not sure the specifics on this, but the Corman QJ has only operated over the part where he has trackage rights over CSX (Louisville to Anchorage) one time, which was the initial freight/press run. Every other time that the QJ has operated--including this year's Kentucky Derby train--it has turned around at the wye near Bagdad, and let the F-units continue to Louisville.

If Corman can't get permission to run the QJ into Louisville for the Derby train, I think it's pretty clear that CSX doesn't want to be bothered by any steam at the moment.

absolute no-passenger-train policy on its leased lines

Unless Mr. Corman has a very different arrangement with CSX than their other lessors, CSX has an absolute no-passenger-train policy on its leased lines, and I presume that applies to Corman's lines as well. I know of one lessor on the northern part of the system that tried and tried to get CSX to relent on this point when the lease was signed but they would not.

re: the Greenbrier Express - I can't believe anyone that follows this business is surprised by this news.

Chris.

Hooray for backpedaling!

Glad I'm not the only one who found it a bit odd that in less than a month we went from, "Work will commence on our three steam locomotives in 2011 (and please send us your suggestions for any suitable restoration candidates)" to, "We have no plan for steam, and the motive power really isn't important anyway."

I don't see how it could be construed as confusion, as the same plan was repeated in multiple forums when the Greenbriar venture was officially announced. It would be like holding a press conference to anounce the terms of a trade in baseball, that was never agreed upon and never happened.

Rather than being disappointed in kissing our sister, I guess we now know she never had a date to begin with.

Just speculation, just opinion, but. . .

Considering the past operation of steam locomotives on CSX, including an excursion program provided by Mr. Rowland for predecessor Chessie System, the operation of R. J. Corman's engine, other operations including an NRHS convention with 2-8-4s running doubleheaded and also pacing each other, semi-regular operation of steam on New River excursions for many years, film work in several movies over the years with steam (among them, Southern 4501 painted black as a Baltimore & Ohio engine in the film "Fools Parade," and NKP 765 in the coal labor drama, "Matewan"), and the original comments about steam on the Greenbrier Express, and then looking at what happened with the 734, I can only conclude that CSX has somebody in Jacksonville, likely in the legal department but also possibly in operations, who got wind of the 734 move, got nervous, and decided to pull the plug, and then stomped on Mr. Rowland and Mr. Justice too.

If this person is like others I've met over the years who would do something like this, I would bet he or she is very unliked by any coworkers in the immediate vicinity. Such people are legalistic rule-followers extraordinaire. They use their rule-following to cover up for their incompetence, and also to shove others around; the list of what I consider flimsy and baseless excuses to turn down money on the 734 and the Greenbrier Express and make the road look bad seems to bear this out. Military people know the type as "martinettes." No one, including people in Jacksonville, will shed tears for this person or persons when they leave. How they get promoted into such positions is a mystery to me (although I know of one such person whom people have been speculating used sex to get her promotion). Unfortunately, they are not important enough to cause enough trouble to get themselves fired, or are somehow protected by someone above them.

I have heard enough stories about this sort of thing (and seen some of it first hand) in recent years to think this problem has become rather severe and widespread, and will have consequences if not addressed. Specifically, this leads to serious problems in employee morale, and if word gets out, will make it hard for a company to recruit and keep better management material, or even to keep immediate coworkers from transferring out, if they are not unfairly fired first. If this is as widespread as I think it is, you will eventually have serious problems with a national work ethic, eroding it in ways even worse than the alleged threats a lack of incentive that "socialism" is suposed to have.

I have already commented that this person or persons is turning away business that many not be that big, but might still be worth pursuing. As far as I know, the 734 group was not expecting a free ride, and I know Mr. Rowland and Mr. Justice aren't, simply because they know they would get nowhere if they tried such a stunt.

The only thing to hope for is that these people are close to retirement, that their protection is close to retirement, or that they will do something really foolish and get themselves fired; unfortunately, they are normally not quite that stupid, so we are back to the waiting game.

Just speculation, just opinion, but. . . looking at what happened with the 734, I can only conclude that CSX has somebody in Jacksonville, likely in the legal department but also possibly in operations, who got wind of the 734 move, got nervous, and decided to pull the plug, and then stomped on Mr. Rowland and Mr. Justice too.