That was it ... the names ... DUH! I was not providing the username

Changed

 $sftp = Net::SFTP::Foreign->new( $remnode,key_path => '/export/home/secbatch/.ssh/id_rsa', more => '-v', );

To

%args = ( "user" => $remuser, key_path => '/export/home/secbatch/.ssh/
+id_rsa' );
$sftp = Net::SFTP::Foreign->new( $remnode,%args, more => '-v', );
[download]

Thank you so much. Enjoy your weekend.