And I'm not making this up! Get the new Trains magazine (July 2008), which features -- in multiple articles! -- the Wheeling & Lake Erie. You're surely aware that this regional railroad, which operates 820 miles of track (including trackage rights) in Ohio and Pennsylvania, paints its locomotives in the Grande's black-and-orange scheme and employs the D&RGW's "speed lettering," too. Here's an example: Laying claim to the D&RGW's heritage, many of the ex-Rio Grande units sport the "stacked" Rio Grande speed lettering, creating scenes that you'd swear were shot somewhere on the D&RGW 20 years ago. What I didn't realize until reading the Trains articles is that the W&LE's Rio Grande look is more than just surface appearance. A bunch of D&RGW personnel migrated to the W&LE after the UP took over the Grande, and essentially re-created the Rio Grande's philosophy of operation, including a flat-out commitment to running the best possible railroad, a customer orientation emphasizing service reliability, and wise management that understands the value of human capital. CEO Larry Parsons spent most of his early career with the D&RGW, moving to the KCS after the D&RGW more or less disappeared into the maws of the Union Pacific. Moving to the W&LE in 1992, Parsons brought so many of his ex-D&RGW coworkers with him that the D&RGW factor in the W&LE's management is "sizable," says Trains, and the impact is visible in every detail, including the loco roster: It's straight out of the Rio Grande 70s-80s playbook (all-EMD to cut maintenance costs and increase part interchangability). Just watching this road operate is a step back in time because you'll see the classic Rio Grande diesel roster in action: GP35s, GP40s, and SD40s (including a pair of SD40T-2 tunnel motors, with Rio Grande "speed" lettering!) -- and not surprisingly, many of these are ex-Grande units. Echoing the past achievements of the Rio Grande's Burnham shops, the W&LE road runs its own diesel backshop in Brewster staffed with highly skilled workers; the shop's excellent reputation attracts a growing contract business from adjacent roads. In terms of modeling possibilities, W&LE sums up what John Armstrong meant by the term "modelgenic" -- that is, a prototype characterized by operations sufficiently interesting to model. The road's map looks like a gigantic X, intersecting via the diamond in Spencer, OH. With up to a dozen trains per day coming into Spencer, only to confront the complex maze of trackwork with the diamond at its core, the possibilities for fun, challenging, puzzle-like operation seem endless. There are interchanges galore, including major ones with the NS, CSX, and CN, and minor ones with a dozen short lines. Trackage rights on the NS and CSX hold out of the possibility of adding some diversity to your loco mix. Unlike the Grande, W&LE's home trackage in Pennsylvania includes several spectacular bridges and viaducts -- which only adds to the W&LE's modeling appeal. You'd have to give up the Rockies, of course, but by no means is the W&LE lacking in grades, tunnels, & mountains, especially in Pennsylvania. Thanks to Trains for a great issue. It's nice to know that the D&RGW's values, and many of its personnel, have found a happy home -- and that they're still making big news in railroading. --Bryan
I really enjoy reading desciptions such as the above. At least there are some real business people out there, who know what must be done to run a truly successful railroad. Boxcab E50
one of the W&LE GP30s is an EX-southern still in southern paint but painted over southern lettering but i couldent tell wether it sain weeling and lake erie or W&LE we were a little further away and in the highway in akron it was sitting there in the yard for awile because a week later on out trip back home we saw it still sitting inthe exact same spot
Just goes to show there is heart still in railroading. Real class, real brains--not beancounters. WTG, WLE! Thanks for making me drool, Bryan!
Woo-Hoo! Sorry I'm late to the Rio Grande party, folks! I guess my birthday came early this year. :tb-cool: W&LE gets my vote for management and a not-too-shabby paint scheme. Did my eyes cheat me or did I indeed see a Rio Grande among the W&LE speed letters? :tb-err:
lots of pictures on railnet, when you follow the link in boxcab's post above. here's one of tunnel motors: http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/3/4/1/9341.1200002400.jpg dave f.
So they do exist! Glad it wasn't just wishful hallucinations. Now, how to photoshop Mt. Massive into the background... :tb-rolleyes:
Oh yeah! By the way, Hemi, I noticed that you have 110 more posts (or so) to go before you top 14,433 (the same number for altitude in feet for Mt. Elbert, our highest 14er. Photoshop that one too!). Way to go, Hemi! :tb-biggrin:
