Favorite US Railroad?

[SPNGTyler]

7) DRGW (Though modern day DRGW not so much. They just aren't the same after they aquired the Union Pacific, and took on their name and paint scheme. I know that it is a better known name and all, but still, they could have at least kept the DRGW paint scheme.)

I do hope that you are joking and/or aware that UP bought out the D&RGW/SP in 1996.

 

[coreycoen12345]

I do hope that you are joking and/or aware that UP bought out the D&RGW/SP in 1996.

I believe that Union Pacific was bought out and merged with Southern Pacific as SP being the surviving lead company but they decided to keep the Union Pacific name

 

[SPNGTyler]

Nope. In 1996, after the Rio grande had bought out the SP, but kept the name (Except for their home state of Colorado), the SP had some pretty big finacal issues. They were in a weak state, and since the merger between ATSF and the BN had just gone threw(I belive in 94) and the UP was looking for a way to gain a competitive edge on the BNSF, if not just to stay alive. So, they looked at their long rival, the SP(Now owned by the DRGW i know) and saw they could eat it up and not be eventualy over run by the BNSF. But it didnt go so smothly. It even got so bad that some SP records were lost, and for a time there were actualy a number of "Ghost" locos on the newly aquired UP trackedge. Not to mention stock problems, etc, etc...
But in short, no. UP bought out the SP, and that is fact.

 

[SPNGTyler]

ok, why does it seam like I killed this thread with me pointing out facts? Sorry to make anyone angry by doing that, but when it concerns my favorite railroad of all time, I have to point out the facts.

 

[LVman]

Funny how that is portionately wrong.
Rio Grande Industries purchased the Southern Pacific after the failed SPSF merger. SP was financially weak, as you mentioned. Phil Aschultz was the CEO and President of Rio Grande Industries, and personally sought to purchase tje UP as well. But, Since UP was a bigger name, he arranged it so that everything would be consolidated under Union Pacific, and then left UP to run as its own. So technically, UP's real name should be Rio Grande Industries.
Just my 2c.

 

[hert]

ok, why does it seam like I killed this thread with me pointing out facts? Sorry to make anyone angry by doing that, but when it concerns my favorite railroad of all time, I have to point out the facts.

Na I am with ya,

Union Pacific is my favorite RR. I live next to the Union Pacific Yard in Roseville, thats one of the reason I like them.

The other reason I like them is they are the oldest surviving railroad still in Business that has not had a name changed.

Second Santa Fe/BNSF/ATSF

Third Southern Pacific

hert:wave:

 

[NIARTcar]

ok, why does it seam like I killed this thread with me pointing out facts? Sorry to make anyone angry by doing that, but when it concerns my favorite railroad of all time, I have to point out the facts.

Try searching the forum with my username, I have a history of thread killing as well:hehe:

 

[lginc]

SPNGTyler, I see no need to apologize for speaking the truth .

Cripes, when I read "the UP was bought out by the SP" I about choked on my coffee , wow, I never heard that one before.

The cold hard fact is EVERY ONE of the roads the UP bought out was completely in dire straits, ALL of them had Huge financial problems. Think about it folks, if they we making money they darn sure would still be around today .

The BNSF really shares the same exact scenario, yet oddly nobody ever mentions ALL the Great roads that were ate up in those mergers (AGAIN, due to financial problems)

**Getting back to the thread theme...
UP (Class 1)
WSOR (Regional)

 

[coreycoen12345]

Yea thats my fault after I posted that I did some heavy research and I was wrong

my Fav RRs CSX and NS

Fallen Flag Chessie System

 

[dnutter]

Norfolk Southern, CSX, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Union Pacific, and BNSF, Lease company and (shortline: Maryland & Delaware (MDDE) and Delaware Coast Line Railroad (DCLR) that's it.


- David

 

[jadebullet]

Nope. In 1996, after the Rio grande had bought out the SP, but kept the name (Except for their home state of Colorado), the SP had some pretty big finacal issues. They were in a weak state, and since the merger between ATSF and the BN had just gone threw(I belive in 94) and the UP was looking for a way to gain a competitive edge on the BNSF, if not just to stay alive. So, they looked at their long rival, the SP(Now owned by the DRGW i know) and saw they could eat it up and not be eventualy over run by the BNSF. But it didnt go so smothly. It even got so bad that some SP records were lost, and for a time there were actualy a number of "Ghost" locos on the newly aquired UP trackedge. Not to mention stock problems, etc, etc...
But in short, no. UP bought out the SP, and that is fact.

Whoops, forgot about this thread. Actually, you are partially wrong.

Essencially it went like this: Southern Pacific was failing after the failure of the SPSF merger. It needed to merge, or be bought out. This is where the DRGW came in. The DRGW bought the Southern Pacific, but, because Southern Pacific was a better known name, they adopted that name. Then, a few years later, the DRGW(now SP) merged with the Union Pacific. (They weren't bought out.) Rather than make a new name and herald or anything, they once again went with the better known name. The merger came about, as you said, because of the BNSF merger. That merger in itself was caused by the Union Pacific getting larger. Because of the SP/DRGW & UP merger, the BNSF then tried to merge with CN, but the ICC crushed that. If that had gone through, chances are that UP and CP would have merged.

Technically the UP and DRGW are now the same company, similar to how BN and ATSF merged into BNSF. Though the UP was stronger, it wasn't a buyout, and the DRGW/SP actually proposed the idea to UP, not the other way around. As you mentioned though, the merger had some issues.

BTW Iginc, both the ATSF and the BN were some of the strongest railroads in America when they merged. They weren't having financial troubles. They just merged because UP was getting too big for them to compete with in the future.

Anyway, back on topic:
Reading
Lehigh Valley
Nopac
Lehigh New England
New York Ontario Western
BN
ATSF
New York Central
Beech Creek

 

[UP5521]

as for the kodachrome paint colors on some of the former SP locomotives,uggh!

 

[PereMarquette1225fan]

My Faves (Version 2)

Hey everybody,
I decided to choose a few common carriers that I enjoyed.

CLASS 1:
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
Norfolk & Western Railway
Canadian National Railway
Southern Pacific Railroad
Canadian Pacific Railway
Ontario Northland Railway
Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway
Chicago Great Western Railway
Boston & Maine Railroad
Chicago & North Western Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
Virginian Railway
Milwaukee Road
Texas & Pacific Railroad
Alaska Railroad
British Railway
Japanese National Railway
Reading Company
London & North Eastern Railway
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway
Amtrak
Chessie System
Great Northern Railway (U.S.)
Northern Pacific Railroad
Southern Railway (U.S. & U.K.)
New York Central Railroad
Conrail
Denver & Rio Grande Western (even after they bought SP and continued to use the "SP" name. And narrow gauge operations)
CLASS 2:
Wisconsin Central (1989-present)
Washington Central
Algoma Central
Montana Rail Link
CLASS 3:
Buckingham Branch Railroad
McCloud River Railroad
Those are my favorite common carriers of all times.
Favorite Passenger Trains:
Super Chief- AT&SF
Broadway Limited- PRR
Bluebird- WAB
Powhattan Arrow- N&W
Senator- PRR
Congressional- PRR
Chief- AT&SF
Capitol Limited- B&O
Royal Blue- B&O
Tennessean- N&W, SOU (U.S.)
Favorite Railroad Grades:
Elkhorn Grade- N&W
Marias Pass- GN (U.S.)
Favorite Transit Railroads:
SEPTA
New Jersey Transit
METRA
Metro-North Railroad
Favorite Railfanning Locations:
Marias Pass
Cajon Pass
Union Pacific's Cascade Subdivison
BNSF's Harbor Subdivision
Northeast Corridor
Keystone Corridor
North Jersey Coast Line
Donner Pass
Harlem Line
Favorite Multiple Units:
PRR MP54
SEPTA Silverliner #269: The one with "Pennsylvania" on the sides.
Reading MU cars
SEPTA Bombardier Push-Pull coaches
New Jersey Transit Comet cars
Budd Metroliner
Favorite signal designs:
Tri-light signals
Position light signals
Favorite Diesel Model:
GE P42DC
GE Dash 9-44CW
GE Evolution Series
EMD GP40
EMD GP60
EMD SD7
EMD SD40-2
EMD SD70Ace
EMD SD70MAC
EMD SD80MAC
EMD GP9
EMD GP7
EMD GP38-2
Favorite Electrics:
PRR GG1
PRR P5a
PRR R1
NYC P-motor
NYC T-motor
PRR DD1
PRR DD2
PRR FF1
VGN EL-2B
VGN EL-C
Favorite Steam Wheel Arrangments:
4-4-0
4-4-4
4-6-4
4-8-0
4-8-2
4-8-4
2-6-2
2-8-0
2-8-2
2-8-4
2-10-0
2-10-2
2-10-4
6-8-6
4-6-4-4
4-4-6-4
4-4-4-4
4-8-8-4
2-8-8-2
2-10-10-2
2-6-6-2
2-8-8-0
2-8-8-4
4-6-6-2
4-6-6-4
Favorite Freight Cars:
Boxcars
Cabin cars (PRR-esque term for caboose)
Tank cars (after 1960)
High-cube boxcars
Covered hopper.
Favorite Tourist Railroads:
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (ex-D&RGW Narrow Gauge)
Durango and Silverton (also former D&RGW Narrow Gauge)
Steamtown National Historical Site
Strasbug Rail Road
Grand Canyon Railway (Steam runs only)
Favorite Railroad Museuums:
National Railroad Museum
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
California State Railroad Museum
Favorite Interurbans:
Cincinnati & Lake Erie Railroad
Indiana Railroad
Lehigh Valley Transit
These are my favorite things about railroads.

 

[SPNGTyler]

Though the UP was stronger, it wasn't a buyout, and the DRGW/SP actually proposed the idea to UP, not the other way around.

WOW , Some how I never heard of that. Iv always been told that the UP had bought them out, and it was there Idea from the start! Wow. Tricky Buisness stuff goin on there.
Id still would prefer the SP still being around. I was only 2 years old when they vanished, but I have heard that they were at least cooler with preserving/ allowing Historical stuff, even from other railroads, on their territory. Nowadays? UP almost crushes every atemp at preserving another Railroads history or running a Non UP locomotive on their trackage without paying Humongous sums of money.

Sorry to go off topic.:hehe:

 

[jawais84]

Fallen flags:

PRR
NYC
B&O
EL

Current (not just Class 1):
NS
CSX
IORY
Chicago South Shore & South Bend

 

[qassaquyangli]

May i join?

Union Pacific (Or :UP)

Southern Pacific (Or :SP)

Western Pacific (Or :WP)

Missouri Pacific (Or :MP)

Rock Island (Or :The Rock)

NYC (New York Central)

Santa Fe (Or :SF)

Burlington Northern (Or :BN)

Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF)

Alaska Railroad (ARR)

Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)

Penn Central

Conrail

Norfolk and Southern

Illinois Central

Katy

Denver & Rio Grande

Canadian National

Canadian Pacific

CSX

That's All.

 

[UnionPacificRules]

You know, I started a thread like this, but there were no replies! Maybe I'm just not well known.......

My list:

UP (My Name Says it All....)
SP
BNSF
NYC
PRR

 

[hoborailcat]

Well, lets see here...

1.Southern Pacific
2.Cass Scenic Railroad
3.Rio Grande Narrow Gauge

 

[on30gn15]

What is your favorite US railroad (could also be a list if you don't have a definitive favorite) and why?

Uhh, do you mean last week, this week, or next week?
:hehe:

Was born in San Diego and largely raised in Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, so there is a fondness for what was seen growing up in those regions.
But somehow the Rock Island, Milwaukee, ICG, Virginia & Truckee, and New Haven have infiltrated the mix.

And most things with pantographs, no matter where they're from.

If I had to chose and stick to one company to save my life, well, hope you come to the wake.

 

[SUBWAY125]

The rails

Mine are:
P.R.R.:Y:
SEPTA:clap:
Amtrak
N.Y.C.:Y:
Metro North
NYCTA (Is it a R.R?)
CSX:clap:
Conrail