CANADIAN NATIONAL
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As of January 30th, 34 of the 35 ex-UP, nee-CNW C40-8's were in CN livery: CN 2100, 2101, 2102, 2103, 2104, 2105, 2106, 2107*, 2108, 2110, 2111, 2112*, 2113*, 2114, 2115*, 2116, 2117, 2118, 2119, 2120, 2121, 2122, 2123, 2124*, 2125, 2126, 2127, 2128*, 2129, 2130, 2131, 2132, 2133, and 2134. The asterisk signifies the 15-year artwork. The final one to be completed is 2109, which at press time was inside the CN shop in Centralia, Illinois. CN 2128, which suffered fire damage in November, was moved from Winnipeg to Chicago on January 8th. On January 27th the newest one, CN 2119 popped out from the Centralia paint booth leaving only CN 2109 to be unveiled in our March 2011 CRO issue! (George Redmond)
On January 4th, Chris Bodkin shot CN 2108 with UP SD70M 4573 and CN 2114 at Mount Vernon and Benton, Illinois.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2359162
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2359178 George Redmond photographed several newly CN uniformed C40-8's, and ex-UP and ex-BNSF GE’s around the CN facilities at Centralia, IL. On January 25th, he caught CN C40-9W 2146 and CN C40-8 (ex-UP) 2110. CN (ex-BNSF) 2146 is yet to cycle through the paint shop, and 2110 is seen in fresh paint just after release.
CN 2102 was released on January 21st, and shot by George Redmond at the CN engine facility in Centralia, IL. Outside the shop were CN (ex-UP) C40-8 2109 and CN (ex-BNSF) C40-8W’s 2155 and 2138.
On December 30th CN C40-8 2108 was released in new paint and seen running at the CN engine facility in Centralia, IL. (George Redmond)
George Redmond was one of the first to catch CN class unit 2100 in fresh CN paint outside the shop in Centralia, IL on January 5th 2011.
On January 14th George clicked #2100 again, seen being prepped for active service outside the CN engine facility in Centralia, IL.
James Humbert submitted this flashback photo showing how the CN 2100-series looked when still on her home road. James was a hogger on the C&NW Fifth District in those years and was actually quite fond of these locomotives. He said they were great pullers and could make a giant fire at the stack under load! CNW C40-8 #8539, looks beautiful in her yellow and green livery at Dupo Yard, Dupo, IL April 1996, (James Correll photo, submitted from James E. Humbert Collection).
Loco trace of the first 27 CN (Ex-BNSF) C40-8W’s received as of January 11th, 2011:
Brian Thompson caught CN 2141 leading IC 2466 on train #392 at Hardy (Brantford, ON) on January 24, 2011. CN 2141 was the first of the ex-BNSF CN C40-8W’s to enter service after release from Woodcrest Shop at the end of December 2010.
George Redmond clicked (ex-BNSF) CN C40-8W 2151 at the CN Centralia shop ready for primer and CN paint on January 10th, 2011.
In early January 2011, BNSF had sold another group of C40-8W’s to Canadian National. In total, CN has acquired 67 c40-8W’s (BNSF 800-866), with #866 being the last ATSF C40-W from that particular GE order from1992. The CN C40-8W’s numbers are as follows: Ex-BNSF 800-852 - Only the “Even” numbers and assigned as CN 2135-2161, Total 27 units and in order.
The 40 additional C40-8W’s are ex-BNSF 801-865 (“Odd” numbers only), as well as (“Even” numbered) 854-866. These new arrivals will be assigned to the CN 2162-2199 series. As the CN 2100-2199 series is complete with these 65 C40-8W’s and 35 C40-8’s, the remaining two C40-8W’s will be numbered CN 2098-2099 (as per UMLER).
On January 28th, George Redmond caught GTW 5836 and EJ&E 670 with new CN arrivals BNSF 811 and 817 dead in tow at the CN B yards. (1/28/2011).
Soon after their arrival George Redmond shot three pair of former BNSF C40-8W's January 14th in the CN B yard at Centralia, IL. The 6 seen together were 855, 825, 861, 835, 853 and 866; none are yet assigned a CN 2100-series number.
Also in the B yard January 19th, George caught four more arrivals, ex-BNSF 865-837-821-849. None have been re-numbered.
Regarding our January CRO report on IC SD70’s receiving Distributed Power (DP) upgrades at Quality Rail in Illinois, here is a summary of CN’s DPU plan for 443 selected locomotives in their fleet: BCOL C44-9W 4645-4654, (10 modified to CN standard 2009/10) CN C44-9W 2200-2205, (6) CN ES44DC 2220-2344, (125) CN C44-9W 2523-2538, (16 - retrofitted 2006) CN C44-9W 2653-2666 & 2668-2727 (74 - retrofitted 2009/10) CN SD70M-2 8000-8024, 8800-8964, (190) IC SD70 1000-1005, 1007-1012, and 1015 (13 upgraded 2010). See control stand modifications, and DPU equipment on IC SD70 1015.
If required, an 23 additional IC SD70's (thru 1039), and the Locotrol-equipped BCOL Dash 9's could also be retrofitted if DPU demand increases. The ex-UP C40-8’s (35) and ex-BNSF C40-8W’s (67) acquired recently could also be retrofitted at a later date. Upgraded IC SD70 1000 has the new Marker light visible above the ditch light. The engine shown is pushing this CN iron ore train from Duluth to Gary, IN on New Years Day. (Wm. Beecher Jr.)
Brand new London-built CN SD70M-2’s 8949-8958 arrived in January with 8959 through 8964 in various stages of painting and testing at EMCC in London, Ontario. CN 8952 traced to Edmonton on January 20th, CN 8949, 8950 and 8951 were noted in Neenah, Wisconsin the same week with 8950 and 8951 mid train DPU's. Jesse Acorn caught one of the newest,
CRO Co-Editor Walter Pfefferle caught CN 393 with shiny new CN SD70M-2 8932 leading. The train is seen westbound after working in Ingersoll, Ont. on Dec 12th in factory fresh paint!
Two ex-hump trail-only GP38-2's CN 7507 and 7515 have received their GE RCL modifications at Industrial Rail Services, a contract shop in Moncton, NB. Both are currently in Edmonton, AB. CN 7505 is the only GP38-2 with the CN “15 Years” Anniversary decal, and is currently lined up to get the same GE RCL system installed. Mark Perry caught CN 7505, soon after her “15-Years” repaint late last year.
CN SD40u’s 6023, 6025 and 6028 have been released from the NRE shops in Capreol, ON, and are now in Vancouver. The first 6000-series SD40u that received the GE RCL system was CN 6027 which is presently in Edmonton, AB. CN 6022 is presently at the NRE shops currently having the modifications done. These CN SD40’s were rebuilt in the early-1990’s at Alstom (Pointe St-Charles Shop) in Montreal, QC.
Still a stand-out in her classic Grand Trunk Western blue and red livery, George Redmond caught GTW 5848, the fourth unit on Southbound CN train A432 in Centralia, IL. on December 30th.
On January 23rd, the Woodcrest Shop released B&LE SD40T-3 904 following repairs and has returned the unit to service. On January 25th George Redmond caught EJ&E 670 moving southbound with cars lifted from the BNSF yard at Centralia, IL.
In mid-January three retired CN units were sold to Indiana Box Car (IBCX). CN GP9RM’s 4029, 7042, and EJ&E (ex-DMIR) SD-M 814 were moved from the storage tracks and then relettered “IBCX” at the Woodcrest Shop in Illinois. It is expected that up to 75 retired CN units could be scrapped at the Woodcrest Shop during 2011. Likely candidates are IC SD40-2’s and some units from last years CN auction sale. On January 9th, some of the motive power stored in the CN dead lines in Homewood included this group of ex-GEC-Alsthom SD40-3’s (Photo by Saul Camargo)
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=351334&nseq=13 Mike Garza was fortunate to catch two WABASH painted F-units at the CN Woodcrest Shop on January 7th. The F7A’s were being moved as (CENTRAL STATES RAIL ASSOCIATES) CESX 1950, and 1951 and are repainted into the 1950’s-era WABASH livery. The F7A’s were originally built by EMD for the Great Northern. CESX #1950 was GN 364A, then BN 704, and S&NC 103. #1951 was GN 464A, BN 684, S&NC 102. The pair had been used on the defunct Traverse City, Michigan dinner train. The train set, two ex-SP articulated coach pairs and a kitchen car (from a converted baggage?), are also repainted in Wabash colors. Equipment is waiting for updated air before moving to Columbus, MO. The line, which is now owned by the city, is ex-Wabash trackage.
On January 28th, George Redmond caught ICG caboose 199576 at the CN yard in Du Quoin, IL.
In Early January, IC GP40R 3110 was returned to service in fresh CN livery following release from the Woodcrest paint shop at year end. Ex-CN GMD1u WRIX 1403 (Western Rail Inc) was in transit at the IHB yard Riverdale, IL. January 25th, 2011. Billed to WRIX in Sandpoint, ID., it is moving over BNSF. Sold in 2009, WRIX GMD1u 1441 is seen in Wendover, Utah at Imsamet on August 1st, 2010 far from her CN home (M.J. Scanlon).
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=351074
A small derailment involving 12 freight cars in Shiawassee County's Vernon Township in mid-Michigan forced crews to work overnight January 6, 2011 to clear up hydrochloric acid that leaked from a tank car. 35 people were evacuated from nearby homes as a precaution until the next day.
On January 4th a westbound CN coal train derailed near McBride BC, with about 30-35 coal hoppers coming off the rails. No injuries were reported.
On January 7th Ron Visockis shot CN SD70M-2 8920 and CN C44-9W 2532 w/b at Belleville, ON.
Ron also caught CN C40-8 #2112 wearing the “15 years” livery on train #305 at Belleville ON Dec 30th.
At 15:45 AST on New Years Eve, CN Train 406 is seen heading Westbound at mile 61 of the CN Sussex Sub between Moncton and Saint John NB with two new GEVO's, CN 2329 and CN 2337 and CRO reader Luc Doiron was the engineer! If you look closely, you can see him give a wave to the photographer Tim Dryden.
CN's website heralds a new $100 million Intermodal Facility slated for operation by 2013 just east of Calgary, Alberta. In December and January, CP and CN were busy lifting grain from their terminals on the prairies to the export terminals on the coast. Here CN SD40u 6016 (nee-SD40 5026) along with CN SD40-2(W) 5331 switch the Viterra Inland Grain Terminal at Trochu, AB., on the Three Hills Subdivision, Dec 28th 2010. (Cor van Steenis)
This panoramic shot by Murray D. Adams of Calgary was taken in late September of 2008 in the badlands at Benyon, AB., (between Rosebud and Wayne) at MP 68 of the Drumheller Subdivision, CN Train No. 114 has left Sarcee Yard in Calgary 64 miles behind and is headed to Saskatoon to join the CN transcontinental main line and then proceed on to Brampton, Ontario. As it heads east it is seen here running through the Benyon Canyon and is about to cross the Rosebud River with CN Dash 90-44CW # 2646 on the point; Drumheller is 16 miles ahead. The area being traversed is an ecological preserve protected by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The portion of the CNR line through this location was built in 1912 by the Canadian Northern Railway; with a rail siding, a section house, a water tower and two grain elevators at Beynon; there was never a station built at this location. Today only three inhabitant houses remain in Benyon. The last CNR freight, southbound Train No. 115 with 143 cars, went through here on 02 Dec 2008. CN applied on 18 Nov 2009 to abandon the line from Oyen, AB., to Lyalta, AB., which includes this section. The replacement Daily Train No. 114 and its counterpart Train No. 115 now use the line from Brampton to Edmonton to Calgary (via the Camrose and Three Hills Subdivisions). Thanks to Cor van Steenis.
CN Vignettes:Streamlined CNR U4a class 4-8-4 Northern #6401 is seen snaking here way through West Toronto, Ontario on May 5th 1956. (Clayton Morgan photo via Doug Hately)
Kevin Piper submitted his photo of GTW GP38AC 1776, which is one of many locomotives that American railroads painted-up in celebration of the US Bi-Centennial (1776-1976). This loco was nicknamed "The Thunder Chicken" and is a personal favorite of mine and Kevin’s! Taken at Bedford Park, IL, on 8-13-76.
CN GP9 4513 was involved in a collision at Mile 2 Dundas sub during the first week of May of 1984. This view by Arnold Mooney shows what little of her remains, seen parked just east of old Dundas station May 6th, 1984.
The outside shell of this car was built in 1959 by National Steel Car as CNR Business Car #23, and the interior completed by Point St. Charles Shops in 1960; it was the second CNR Business Car to carry the number 23; it was painted in the olive green and black scheme with yellow lettering adopted for the 1954 Super Continental. In October of 1975 it was re-numbered to CNR Business Car # 93, the ninth car to carry that number. In the first image we see the car at its home base adjacent to the downtown Edmonton station on 12 Apr 1978 painted in the 1961 gray and black scheme with the red CN 'wet noodle'. Later in 1978 it was painted in the blue and yellow VIA scheme although it remained a CNR Business Car and was never transferred to VIA. It is seen in the second image in the blue with yellow stripes being turned on the wye at Jasper, AB., on 18 Aug 1989. At this date it was assigned to the CNR Vice-President Mountain Region and was based in Edmonton, as it was throughout its service with CNR. The car was sold in 1992 to a private owner, restored, and is now named TIOGA PASS (PPCX 800693), based in California for private excursion service at the tail end of Amtrak trains; it is still painted in the blue and yellow scheme. (See more of Cor van Stennis great shots in our VIA Vignettes” section).
The link below shows the car as it is today: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=454936
© CRO February 2011 |
