Is it just me?

I love just about all the liveries of the major Class I's in the US. Norfolk Southern has their jet black locos with the stampeding stallion. Union Pacific has their patriotic badge on a bright yellow background. BNSF just always has seemed to make their colors work. Even KCS' bland grey is sharply offset by their bright red letters.

I've lived in Georgia about 1/5 of a mile away from the CSX mainline for about 6 years now, and I just cannot get inspired by the yellow and blue scheme that afflicts CSX.

Is it just me, or does CSX need a makeover?

NOTE: I do enjoy their radio commercials...

 

In my view, it's just you. The YN3 brings back memories of the B&O and C&O days. What is uninspiring to me is the drab black and white of NS, horsehead or not

 

I would be completely for that.

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Ventureforth,
I live well off the beaten path for CSX, but we do get CSX power through town on almost a daily basis. Most CSX paint jobs I can take or leave, but I do like the new boxcar logo. I rank CSX paint above the monotonous UP Harbor Mist Grey and Armour Yellow. I think we all have paint schemes that resonate with us. I'm sure some people think CP red is boring, I couldn't disagree more. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

 

Living right on the CSX mainline I have to agree that it's not just you - but I think it's because this is what we see so often that it gets stale. Trying to look at their color scheme with an objective eye, I don't think it's any more or less exciting than the other Class I railroads.
That said, I think I miss the incredible variety of schemes that existed not all that long ago of the Fallen Flags. All the current schemes seem just a bit homogenized to me. For example, take a look at the NS executive train - beautiful. Those F7 diesels have the current prancing horse logo and color scheme, but the way they are painted in the old Sothern RR style, that is what I miss.
I agree wholeheartedly with the idea to have CSX do some heritage locomotives as NS has done. Would be incredible to see a brand new L&N loco on the track, or the royal purple of the ACL.....

 

Yes. I live right around the Savannah, GA area where the green Southern, the purple ACL, and whatever the SCL used to run, ran.

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I don't ever post in here, but this whole CSX TB forum does provide me with quite a few good laughs. Do not be to surprised in a few years if Union Pacific buys us out...most likely after 2015 when our National Gateway Project is complete and if our CEO M.W. steps down/retires. We have x4 major Class I railroads operating in the U.S./Canada with a ton of money just floating around...another merger will happen. But yes, it's just you; the paint means nothing (eye-candy for what we call foamers)...it's all in horsepower/tonnage ratio and maintaining track speed.


Postscript: here is your heritage unit from my home terminal...

 

CSX doesn't care for their history, in spite of B&O ancestor's setting aside notable specimens. Since they acquired their part of Conrail, they've done all they could to eradicate every trace of CR and predecessor history. (I worked for them for eight years.) Don't hold your breath waiting for heritage units by CSX.

Dieter Zakas

 

I live in Northern VA, so it's all CSX. I grew up with it in MD, having watched the last of the Chessies dissapear when I was very very young (I'm 32).

I like YN2. I accept YN3, but for some reason I do not like the box car logo. To me, it just looks stupid. I'll take it over NS though. Something about the black and white just does not inspire me, or get me excited at all. Though I love what they have done with their heritage units. CSX is all abbout cheap. that was the purpose behind the move to YN3. Easier to paint and Cheaper.

That being said, I think CSX could benefit with a tad more gold running down the side. Maybe just a stripe mid-level or something like that. I don't know. Just something to make it a little nicer looking.

As for the heritage units, don't hold your breath. Again. CSX=Cheap

 

Seanem44, CSX employees - especially those on the former Conrail lines - will agree with your assessment of "cheap."

Dieter Zakas
Former CSX conductor

 

I think it really is just a matter of philosphy. CSX doesn't seem to care about its community image. One can only wonder why, given the derailments and track issues that have plagued them in the past, including that sad incident in Ellicot city that killed those two teenagers. It seems their main driving principle is their share holders and profit.

NS on the other hand seems to care about its appearance among the community. Sure, Heritage units are cool, but do they do anything for the employees? Maybe a small morale boost. This was done for the community, the foamers if you will. And also for the veterans. That veteran salute engine is awesome. And as a Vet, I take notice.

As such, I hold NS in much higher regard than CSX. I may not like the black and white, and I may model CSX, but if it came down to choosing sides in a street brawl, I'd back NS in a heartbeat. They have done more to show they care about the community as a whole.

 

Apparently CSX does care about their community image. They run ads on the radio talking about how green they are. (Who runs a business that would decide to choose CSX based on a radio ad?) CSX also sits more respected than UP but less than BNSF with regards to their tolerance of Amtrak. CSX cares... just not a whole lot.

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I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the CEO of CSX(Can't remember the name) came out and said that they weren't doing heritage units.

 

What you see everyday becomes boring over time.