Canadian Pacific Railway will be receiving 60 ES44AC units this year, 40 in August-September and another 20 in December.  The ES44AC's will all be built at the General electric plant in Erie , PA with an option for more in 2012 and all expected to be numbered in the CP 8900-series.

On March 4th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, D&H train 158 cruise  west along the ex PRR / Conrail high line on the Trenton Sub behind a pair of clean CP / CEFX SD40-2’s.

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In March the following  CP-leased locomotives were on the property:

CEFX (AC4400CW) 1002, 1006, 1007, 1014, 1018-1020, 1023, 1024, 1026-1059,

CEFX (SD40-2) 2786, 2790, 2791, 2797, 2802, 2803, 3121, 3127, 3130, 3160, 3163-3165, 3168, 3172, 3173, 3175, 3176, 3181, 3183, 3184

CITX (SD40-2) 2783, 2785, 2792, 2794, 2796, 2799, 2804, 3008, 3024, 3026, 3036, 3053-3067, 3070-3075, 3077-3083, 3088-3093, 3095, 3097-3102, 3105, 3110, 3157, 3170, 3177

HLCX (SD40-2) 6204, 6206,6299, 6340, 6341, 6844, 7003, 7008, 7009, 7161, 7191, 7193, 7205, 7230, 7231, 7233, 8033 (JFDX) 8045, (HLCX) 8085, 8089,8139, 8163, 8176

NREX (SD40-2) 4403, 5542, 5568, 5581, 5661, 5668, 5777, 5823, 6301, 6309, 7212, 7237, 7246, 7275, 7287, 7349, 7356, 7360, 7368, 7370, 7374, 7931, 8092, 8096, 8099, 8401,

NREX (SD45T-2) 9402

In March, a few of  the HELM locomotives on lease to CP were sent to Montreal for repairs; St-Luc Diesel Shop (if minor), or to CADRAIL (if somewhat major).  One of these, HCLX SD40-2 7161 was noted at CADRAIL March 24th.

CP 642-806 cleared Belle River on March 26th  with CPRS 6066, ICE 6439, NREX 7212, and CITX 3066.  (Geoff Elliott).

Following  another late  snowstorm, Bob Heathorn clicked these HELM leased  SD40-2’s at Smiths Falls, Ontario March 6th.   Still showing there heritage,  the westbound Expressway  had HLCX 6844 (middle unit), and CP train 235 with HLCX 7009 second unit in the consist. 

Ken Goslett caught this notable power on CP’s Xpressway trains: During February, DM&E SD40-2 6413 ran back and forth on the   Montreal –Toronto run for a full week, and Ken caught her approaching Cedar Park, QC on Feb 13th.  Leased CITX SD40-2  2790 (an ex-SD45) was clicked at Brucy, QC on Feb 20th and HLCX SD40-2 (ex-BNSF) 6844 was shot at Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC on Feb 27th.

Ex-CP SD40-2’s (JLCX-owned) 5683, 5684, 5696, and 5709 all arrived in Coquitlam BC in early Marchh, leaving only three SD40-2’s remaining  5611 in Calgary. AB and 5806 and 5830 at Pasqua, SK destined to JLCX.

 In March, JLCX sold ex-CP GP7u 1510 and 1520 the Northern Plains RR in the USA.  At press time it was unknown if these will move from Vancouver via BN or  CP .

 JLCX sold ex-GP9u 1589 (nee-TH&B 402) to the Belvedere and Lehigh River RR and will be entirely rapainted and renumbered BDRV 1889 in Sand Point, Idaho. When completed it will then move to northeastern USA.  Due to its TH&B heritage many railfans have been following the dispostion of this locomotive.  

At Galt, ON Bill Miller caught both CP's gensets out on the road  leading train 440 (CP 2100-east) on March 15th . CP 2100-2101 are NRE-built 3gs21B-DE testing long-term and work mostly out of  Toronto Yard, but once in a while  the pair  get to stretch their legs and get evaluated on a main line assignment.  

Michael K. Fair submitted this shot of  CP 9622  and CP 9704 about to lead CSX train Q231-11 in Lima, Ohio on the CSX Toledo Subdivision on March 11th.  One of the new CSX crew is checking water in the prime mover and going through the safety checklist, regulatory on CSX after  a crew change.  He also caught CSX SD40-3 4000 (a rebuilt SD40-2 with modified nose and cab), leading CSX Q375 on March 10th. 

CSX 4000 is the class unit of  the first nine rebuilt CSX SD40-3's, and  CSX intends to upgrade more of their SD40-2 fleet to DASH-3 standards.  The  new look cab was built by MPI, and the units are rebuilt at Huntington, WV, or the Waycross, GA shop.  Here is the current list in service and previous CSX number:

4000 YN3 x8147 SD40-3

4001 YN3 x8142 SD40-3

4002 YN3 x8026 SD40-3

4003 YN3 x8126 SD40-3

4004 YN3 x8021 SD40-3

4005 YN3 x8115 SD40-3

4006 YN3 x8078 SD40-3

4007 YN3 x8203, xxL&N/3575 SD40-3

**4008 YN3 xCSXT 8045 SD40-3

**4009 YN3 xCSXT 8003 SD40-3

(4008 and 4009 not released yet)

Steve Nordahl of Bethlehem, PA wrote: “Every night brings something new when Canadian Pacific ties down here for the night.”  On March 14th Steve clicked SOO SD60M 6061 in Norfolk Southern's River Yard in Bethlehem, PA along with CP ES44AC GEVO 8853, both in Candy Apple Red.  In the background are LVRB (ex- PBNE) switchers #7 and #20 operates by Lehigh Valley Rail Management (LVRB) LLC - Bethlehem Division. LVRB manages all switching operations within NS's River Yard including the origination and receiving of Triple-Crown RoadRailers at the terminal operation HQ, located on the NS Lehigh Line on the south side of Bethlehem, PA.

On March 22, Bob Heathorn clicked GMTX GP38-2 2663 as the third unit on CP train #666 at Smiths Falls, Ontario destined to the Vermont Railway.

On March 18th Brian Thompson caught this terrific lashup on CP Train #242 with D&H GP38-2 7304, HLCX SD40-2 6340 (SP paint) and SOO SD60M 6062 eastbound at the west end of Nissouri siding.

Gary Melford also shot the unique lashup March 18th heading eastbound on CP 34T at Romulus, Michigan (MP 19 on former Wabash trackage), just before crossing the CSX-NS Diamond.

Geoff Elliott caught the same train clear of Belle River on March 20th.

In late March INRD SD9043MACs 9005 and 9009 were running on  CP 182 and 183.  These had been the power for a Roseport coke train, but as Roseport could not receive any new loads, the train was tied down in Muskego Yard.  In the interim, this pair operted on CP on at least two trains in the Chicago and Rondout area.

Richard Marchi clicked fire damaged AC4400CW 8561 behind the St-Luc Diesel Shop with burned hood in January and then showing the prime mover in the open on March 13th

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On March 3rd John Peakman caught CPR Script painted GP38-2 3084 arriving at Keith Yard in Calgary,AB.  Behind was  GP38-2’s 3020 and 3050 in Golden Beaver and and CP Rail small multimark.

For St-Patrick’s Day Andy Cassidy caught CP GP38AC 3005 still sporting her E&N two-tone green colours with patched Canadian Pacific lettering.  She is shown with CP  3001 looking a little grimy and sitting idle on TU2 at the west end of the dispatch area, in Port Coquitlam, BC on March 18th. As well Andy shot the yard assignment with CP GP9u’s 1620 and 1580 working X42 switching some grain cars. The 1620 is puffing a little blue on initial throttle-up in the second photo with a snowy local mountain backdrop. For readers  wondering, that black box atop the old bell mount in front of thenumber boards is an antenna for the Version 2 Lat-Lon remote Locomotive Monitoring Unit, (LMU). That system is no longer functioning in favour of the Version 3 system that uses a separate antenna (a small white dome at the back centre of the cab roof but not visible ib the photo).  Basically it's a GPS unit and records a number of locomotive functions, all remotely viewable by computer.  For those further wondering where the bell went. All our yard units areequipped with E-Bells mounted in those A-Frames atop themiddle of the unit where the old Dynamic Brake Fan was located. The DB blister remains but the DB was removed when the units were rebuilt for yard service many years ago. 

CP GP38AC # 3013 leads Technical Evaluation Consist # 63 (Accommodation Car 65, Guage Restraint Measurement Car # 424993, Track Evaluation Car # 63) eastbound on the Taber Sub, AB, at the Junction with the Turin Spur on 16 Mar 2011. What is different about this consist? The stainless steel Accommodation Car # 65 is normally on CP's other TEC Train (#64); the tuscan coloured Accommodation Car # 68 is usually on the train shown.

CP VIGNETTES:

CPR Extra 2206 West is seen just west of Leaside with Automobile box cars (CP 294893 next to engine). These are 40 foot cars with 15 foot double doors. Hundreds were built in 1957 and those with white stripe on door indicates equipped with Evans Auto Loader device which raised an automobile up towards the roof in each end of car to doubledeck them. This is likely the Trenton Pickup returning home. 2206 was the regular engine on this assignment with engineer Alf Moore.  Taken August 22, 1957 W. G. Carruthers photo from the collection of Ray L. Kennedy.

In the 1960’s passenger service was on the decline and beginning to prove very costly and CPR began to cut back on their train service. Bill Thomson recorded these last CPR trains in April 1964 on the Galt Sub.  The final Train #360 had CPR 9051 leading the RDC trio at Campbellville, and the last Train #21 with “head-end” Express cars behind the A and B is making the station stop at Guelph Junction.  

What a day to be at the St-Luc Diesel Shop during 1966!  Doug Hately clicked these unusual bed fellows sitting on the ready tracks:  NYC Alco RS3 5303 and 5332, two UP Alco C630’s demonstrating on CP with Dynamometer car 62, and C424 4210 alone showing the home road colours!

 This photo was submitted by Doug Leffler, but was shot by Dave Sweetland. It shows CPR Alco RS-2 #8400 in Newport, Maine during June 1969 sporting markers, a winter hatch and the great looking CPR Script paint scheme.

Terry Juuti submitted this photo of Train # 1 “the Canadian” with a pair of CP Rail Gp9's at Lake Louise, Alberta in the summer of 1977.  CP  had Geeps outfitted with steam generators for passenger service and although CP primarily used their F units, during times when an F was unavailable due to maintaince, the Geeps were the head end power  on occasion.  These particular units were notorious for making a lot of  Smoke when they throttled out of the station as can be seen here.

Doug Leffler photographed this meet at Kent Bridge, Ontario in July, 1977.  The westbound, headed by 4236 stopped short of the siding at Kent Bridge Road to wait for an eastbound out of Windsor.  The set of C424's on the westbound, while being a welcome set of  engines for myself and the other photographers that day, was overshadowed by the surprising lead engine on the eastbound; CP Rail’s  unique M640 no. 4744!

The CPR Ogden Yard Locomotive Shop opened in March of 1912 and was named after I.G. Ogden, CPR Vice-President. With 0ver 26,000 sq. yards of space, 35 locomotive pits and four overhead cranes capable of lifting from 10 tons to 250 tons, the shop handled steam locomotive repairs until 1957, with a break during World War II to manufacture 3" naval guns. After 1957, the shop handled diesel locomotive repairs and overhauls. It is interesting to see the contrast between the steam era Ogden Shop and diesel era overhead crane photo from almost the same view point. (Thanks to Cor van Steenis and Arthur Wieckowski for the photos).

© CRO April 2011