Railroads Illustrated Previews

Colorful Train Consists No. 1

This Union Pacific westbound freight is led by UP SD40 3074 at East Linwood, Kan., on July 2, 1982. Assisting is Milwaukee SD40-2 166 and Missouri-Kansas-Texas SD40-2 610. Kevin EuDaly photo

Colorful Train Consists No. 1

CTC Board readers enjoyed many years of reporting and contributing interesting motive power consists for each railroad column. Railroads Illustrated is bringing back the excitement with Colorful Train Consists. This is the first of many installments for the Railroads Illustrated website. We are looking for ongoing photo contributions.

Do you have any pictures of recent colorful consists? Do you have any pictures from years past? These photos can be taken anytime, anywhere. The only requirement is that the train must have three or more paint schemes with a preference for different railroads and/or leasing companies. Multiple schemes for a single road will be considered. Also, when submitting your photo for consideration, please include date and location and any other details (train ID, direction, etc.) for caption information. Some of the best photos will be saved for each issue of Railroads Illustrated Annual. Send us your photos today!

Train 17M climbs Christiansburg Mountain at Shawsville, Va., in May 2018. The freight is led by leased Florida East Coast SD70M-2 105. Completing the colorful motive power consist is NS C44-9W 9243, NS ES44AC 8168, CREX (CitiRail) ES44AC 1511, and a KCS SD70ACe. Samuel Phillips photo

BNSF RailwayA southbound BNSF Railway manifest is running on the north side of Colorado Springs, Colo., on August 18, 2012. Today’s freight has BNSF C44-9W 4093 on the point with CSX AC60CW 659 and KCS ES44AC 4787 making for a colorful motive power lashup. Nick Krantz photo

Southern Pacific
A wild power consist is pictured at Lordsburg, N.M., on January 3, 1995. Southern Pacific GP60 9765 is on the point followed by Union Pacific SD40-2 3243, Rio Grande SD40T-2 5398, and an SP tunnel motor. Behind the SP are a Santa Fe, an ex-Conrail, and two more SPs. James R. Doughty photo

Youngstown & SoutheasternThe Youngstown & Southeastern has a nice collection of old Geeps. On July 27, 2019, a southbound Y&S train is coming through Boardman, Ohio, with GP10s 8343 and 8340 bracketing GP9 77. David Baer photo

Wheeling & Lake ErieWith its BNSF heritage showing, Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40-2 6967 leads a company “Tiger” and Allegheny Valley EMDs on the Buffalo & Pittsburgh P&W Subdivision at Evans City, Pa. This empty coke train, ECOKE, is running on a snowy January 16, 2018. Harry Gaydosz photo

Union PacificCanadian Pacific run-through trains from Eastport, Ida., to Portland have CP units mixed with Union Pacific, and on a few occasions, bonus power from BNSF is included. This westbound Canpotex potash train features UP C45AH 8102, CP ES44AC 8725, and BNSF ES44DC 7367. The train has pulled into the siding at Cascade Locks, Ore., on June 4, 2019, and will wait for an empty Canpotex train heading east. Steve Jessup photo


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This article was posted on: June 8, 2020