Who owns the tracks?

Question

I just moved Garland TX and the railroad tracks pass near my house. When I first got here I was excited because I love watching trains and I get a great show nearly every day.

The the first train I saw was Southern Pacific so I just assumed the tracks belonged to the SP. A few days later I saw a BNSF on those same tracks and I noted that the bridge that crosses the road said Santa Fe. If you look at the tracks on Mapquest, it says they belong to the Santa Fe too.

Since then I've see Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Texas Northeastern, and DGNO (Dallas Garland). I've seen two Norfolk Southern locomotives leading an BNSF in the same train and I've seen a Texas Northeastern locomotive leading a Southern Pacific locomotive in a train. I've even gotten pictures of a Southern Pacific locomotive pulling Amtrack cars. (I'm assuming they are old ones being reconditioned or something) Every time I hear a horn blow and I go outside and there is no telling what is coming down the tracks.

My question is: If all these railroads use the same tracks, who pays to maintain them and how does each railroad keep track of their trains if they are on someone else's tracks?

NEVYEN · Accepted Answer

Well, if mapquest said Santa Fe, then they probably belong to BNSF. The reason you see all the other railroad companies engines is due to trackage rights, power(engine) swapping/leasing,etc. how they keep track of engines, I don't know.

Rick Jones · Answer

Why ask why? Just enjoy the variety.

Martin Rosenfeld · Answer

I have a plastic figure of an adult male that measures 36 actual mm from the bottom of his feet to his eyes. What scale would he represent?Martin Rosenfeld

Christopher A. Lee · Answer

O-scale? That would be eyes at 5'8" in US O-scale (1/48). Or 5'2" inBritish O-scale (7mm/ft).

Bob May · Answer

Could be the D&RGW does!Look for the MOW trucks and other things poking about and see what they arelettered for.Some lines are shared operations - the famous Tehachapi line in Calif. isone of those where the SP and ATSF run.--Bob MayLosing weight is easy!  If you ever want to lose weight, eat and drink less.Works  every time it is tried!

Paul Welsh · Answer

Not likely. The D&RGW bought the SP, with the resulting railroad named SP. Then the UP bought the SP.

In its day, the D&RGW never got close to Texas (the original poster said he is from Garland, Texas.

Paul Welsh

Robert Heller · Answer

MR> I have a plastic figure of an adult male that measures 36 actual mm from the MR> bottom of his feet to his eyes. What scale would he represent?

OK, some calculations:

36/25.4 ;; mm to inches 1.41732 (6*12)/1.41732 ;; 6 feet (typical male height) * 12"/foot over scale size 50.80010 ;; This is 51:1, assuming a 6' male 1.41732*48 ;; assume actually 1:48 (0 scale) 68.03136 ;; the figure is 68 *scale* inches from toes to eyes 68.03136/12 5.66928 ;; or about 5' 8".

Since 0 is 1:48, I'd say this is probably an 0 scale male that is a scale 5' 8" from toes to eyes -- this might work out to close to 6 scale feet from toes to the top of his head.

MR> MR> Martin Rosenfeld MR> MR>

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Martin Rosenfeld · Answer

Thanks to both of you for helping me figure out a scale.Martin Rosenfeld

Gordon Reeder · Answer

Paul Welsh  wrote in news:    Actually he said that he "Moved Garland, TX"  Where he moved itto he did not say.  But the bigger question is how he managed to moveit in the first place.

Steve Caple · Answer

Regular people use a feather, kinky people use the whole chicken.

Mark Mathu · Answer

... bean counters and lawyers.

Who owns the tracks?

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