Canadian Railway Observations

CANADIAN PACIFIC

October 2011

Late News

CP Holiday Train Schedule Released

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train hits the rails again in November, visiting over 140 communities across CP's network.

CP Holiday Train

Motive Power News

Brand new GE-built CP ES44AC's 8900-8902 were moved up to Toronto on CP train 255 September 5th, lead by CP 9604, SOO 6047, with CP 8901, 8902, and 8900 trailing. James A. Brown caught two on their first assignement CP 8901 (with 9724) and 8902 as mid-DPU on train No 111,at Palgrave ON, September 8th.

On September 10th at Etobicoke Michael Sbrocchi clicked a spectacular eight engine lash-up lead CP 248 eastbound from Windsor: CP 9585, CP 8900, CP 6072, CP 9012, DME 6069 "City of Miller", ICE 6422 "City of Columbus Junction", DME 6088 & CP 5963.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=374763&nseq=75

Then on September 11th Greg Sherwood caught the units at Revelstoke, BC, following their cross Canada trek.

http://greshe3.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2723440

On September 14th Jim Dorst clicked CP 8900 on her maiden voyage across Canada leading train 111 over the Mountain Sub at Golden, BC

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=375091

Two brand new GEVO’s arrived in Canada the next day, CP ES44AC 8903 and and 8904 were outside the shop at Toronto Yard September 12th at midnight. Brian Switzer caught the pair on train 255 September 12th x-Welland Yard, north of the US border. On September 15th CP 8907 arrived at Toronto on Train 255 and 8905 and 8906 arrived the next day. All are in service west of Toronto. On September 20th 8911, and 8912 were noted on the test track at GE, in Erie, PA.

Most notable changes on CP’s newest ES44AC’s - all firsts for CP:

(by Tim Organ)

1. BNSF / EMD Cab windows

2. High mounted number boards

3. Front Cab door now on engineer's side of the nose.

4. UP style external cab door lock.

As shown on UP 7360 - mounted just below the bottom of the nose headlight -

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=358560&nseq=204

5. UP / American style of blue flag mounting loops on engineers cab side.

As shown here on UP 1996 -

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=258801&nseq=415

6. Number board lights and the centre cab light are LED

(all other interior and steps lights etc - old school.)

7. The connection is there for the "ECP" - left side of coupler

Shown here on the right side of the coupler on CP 8896 -

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1042797

8. NO long hood ditch lights - the mounts are there with a sticker that says"no light" and, it's hard to see the location in the window of the silent witness camera.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2719656

9. ECP brake connection. (Power hand brake)

10. Engineer and conductor's seat - look like they came out of a U.S nuclear sub.

11. Revised computer screens with bigger fonts and some movement of the on screen information.

For GEVO comparison, here is a good example of the previous CP ES44AC model. (Trever Wiley)

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=375212&nseq=0

John Leeming caught brand new CP ES44AC 8902 East (110-13) at Mile 113-6 on the Shuswap Sub, British Columbia Sept 13th with sister 8901 mid-train DPU on the EB stack train.

On September 28th, Rob Gearns caught CP ES44AC 8914, 8915, 8910 and 8911 eastbound in the mainline siding in Trenton, Ontario. Destined to Montreal, this marks the first time these new 8900-series GEVO’s have been to St-Luc Diesel Shop. At press time CP 8900-8915 were all on the property.

CP leased locomotives on the property in September:

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

CEFX (SD40-2) 2786, 2791, 2797, 2802, 2803, 3105, 3109, 3112, 3120, 3121, 3127, 3128, 3130, 3133, 3137, 3139, 3143, 3145, 3148, 3149, 3151, 3155, 3163, 3164, 3166, 3168, 3172, 3173, 3175, 3176, 3181, 3182, 3183, 3184, and 3188.

CITX (SD40-2) 2785, 2790, 2792, 2794, 2796, 2799, 2804, 3008, 3024, 3026, 3032, 3035, 3036, 3053-3067, 3070, 3071, 3073, 3074, 3075, 3077-3083, 3086, 3088-3092, 3095, 3097-3102, 3110,3157, 3170, 3177.

NREX (SD40-2) 4403, 5542, 5581, 5661, 5777, 5823, 6301, 6309, 7003, 7212, 7223, 7237, 7246, 7275, 7287, 7349, 7356, 7360, 7370, 7374, 7931, 8092, 8096, 8099, 8401.

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

Nathan Dahms submitted this sharp shot of CP train #643 (CP SD40-2 5908/ICE SD40-2 6403) approaching Wyocena East, WI on 8/27/11. You can see the brakeman in the cab.

On September 8th, Steve Nordahl clicked a multi-coloured lash-up with CP and leased power laying over in Norfolk Southern's River Yard in Bethlehem, PA. The now silenced Bethlehem Steel Furnaces stand guard in the background. This motive power included CP ES44AC #8749, CEFX SD40-2 "Bluebird" #3176, DME (EX CP) SD40-2 #6087, HLCX (EX BN) SD40-2 #8139, and DME (EX CP) SD40-2 #6072. (Shot using a Nikon D90 with a 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Nikkor lens).

The eight SOO SD60’s to be overhauled and repainted in Montreal will be reportedly numbered into the CP 6200-series. To date only five are at CAD: 6025, 6040, 6041, 6050 and SD60M 6060. Whether the entire fleet is overhauled or not, the plan renumbers SOO SD60/SD60M’s 6021-6062 to the CP 6200-series, eliminating duplication with the CP SD40-2's.

South out of CN-IC Markham yard on the Kankakee local September 11th were SOO GP38-2 4414 in white and red SOO GP38-2 4515. Destined to the Paducah and Louisville Railway who will deliver them to Progress Rail in Mayfield, KY. This pair joins other SOO/CP 38's already there for rebuild and CP repaint; CP 3038 was the first one completed and noted in Fulton, KY September 15th.

At LaCrosse, Wisconsin on September 10th, Denis Weber clicked this pure SOO LINE consist on train 283 with SOO-6038-6047-6048.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2721395

CP has plans to renumber several of their locomotive series for 2012. Most notably the SOO LINE locomotives, the oldest of which were delivered in the late 1970’s, and most of the DM&E and IC&E units. With most cases the locomotives will retain the last two digits of its current road number. The proposed renumbering is as follows but has yet to be approved or implemented:

GP7u/GP9u (CP 1501-1697) to CP 2200-2334
GP9u (CP/STLH 8200-8252) to CP 2335-2383
GP9u (CP 8263-8270, four units) to CP 2384-2387
SD60/SD60M (SOO 6021-6062) to CP 6221-6262
GP38/GP38-2 (DME 3800-3835 nine units) to CP 3200-3235
SD40-2 (DME 6200, 6201) to CP 6100, 6101
SD40-2 (DME 6359-6370) to CP 6102-6112
SD40-2 (DME 6050-6097) to CP 6150-6197

(We have no confirmation on renumbering the ICE locomotive roster)

SD40-2 (ICE 6100-6102) to CP (unknown numbers)
SD40-2 (ICE 6400-6459) and the GP40 (ICE 4000-series) may not require renumbering, as they have no CP series conflict.

Many SOO GP38-2’s in the 4400-class have now been repainted and changed to CP reporting marks, and the program apparently will have additional units CP patched and renumbered, without repainting.

At Fulton. KY, Darren Doss photographed CP GP38-2 3038 fresh from her Progress Rail overhaul. Still missing horns, the locomotive has number boards with a numeral font not standard to CP. Regarding the missing bell, it was shipped separately for installation in Canada. Some GP38-2’s had their bell moved to under the frame in front of the fuel tank, with some getting the old bell bracket removed and others not. CP has replaced electronic bells on many units in their as well. Most CP yard, local power (GP9u’s, GP38-2’s) and a number of transfer units (GP38AC’s and SD40-2’s), now sport e-bells. They sound somewhat different from the real thing, and a dead giveaway is if they are shut off mid “ding”, as it stops abruptly. However the e-bells require less maintenance.

In a photo that would beat the heart of any railfan, on September 10^th Ron Tilley caught this busy scene at Bethlehem, PA: From left to right you can see NS local crew H74 moving five locomotives off of CP train 259 off of the layoff track. Next to them is CP train 257 also known as 39Z on NS. Just to the right of that train is NS 25R, which outlawed earlier in the day.

On September 4th Kevin Dunk photographed westbound CP 8575 and 9631 slowly winding their way around the mile 17 curve along Moyie Lake with a mixed freight heading for the US border at Eastport, Idaho.

Kevin also clicked UP 8271 at MP 62.4 on the Cranbrook sub leading a set of four SD9043ACs (8280-8265-8284) eastward towards the CP Caithness siding in BC with a mixed freight from Eastport.

Cor van Steenis likes shooting the tail end as much as the front end of the RCP, and you can see why … here are two shots of the Royal Canadian Pacific on September 8th. With an FP9A and GP38-2 leading and Business Car 'Mount Stephen' adorning the rear, CP train 32B heading up the big hill at Field, BC eastbound on the Revelstoke to Calgary leg. The “Mount Stephen” is seen crossing Otter Tail Bridge.

On September 4th, Andy clicked CP SD40-F 9017-9006 sporting the regulation frame safety striping sitting at the Coquitlam Diesel Shop at Mile 111.9, on the Cascade Sub in BC.

CP AC4400CW 9733 wrecked at Sparwood, BC in March of 2008, has returned to operation. It was first repaired at the locomotive shop in Albia, Iowa. Then this unit was involved in another incident this past winter when 9015, 9018 and 9733 hit an oil truck at a level crossing in Tilley, Alberta. Progress Rail in Winnipeg is still repairing the two Red Barns and released 9733 three months ago. The CP St-Luc Diesel Shop repainted the loco two months ago into the current CP colour scheme sans beaver logo. Cor van Steenis caught her in new garb at Strangmuir, AB September 21st.

CP News

John Morin caught this Ottawa Valley work train with removed welded rail passing through Carleton Place, Ontario over the former CP Chalk River Sub September 8th.

September 20th the bleeding has stopped in the Ottawa he Valley temporarily, as the last loaded CWR recovery train departed Renfrew for Smiths Falls and beyond. In late September only the odd clean-up movement of gondolas filled with ties, tie plates, etc with the action going dormant for the winter. Ray Ferrand made a point of photographing the CWR train as it departed Renfrew, heading for Arnprior and got the train passing under the new Hwy 417 underpass just east of town.

Two fine videos, one recalling the last years of CP action on the OVR: “Remembering CP in the Ottawa Valley”, and the other a photographic “Tribute to the Chalk River Subdivision”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rgPhTdUnzw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khmL9T57TnQ

Andy Cassidy photographed preserved CP RAIL caboose (CP 434553) which is displayed not far from Andy’s home in Maillardville, BC. The CP van rests adjacent to the old Fraser Mills CP Station which now houses the Fraser Mills Railway Museum. http://www.placedesarts.ca/uploads/documents/OPl-H-FraserMillStation.pdf

A MUST SEE! CPR #2816 Rocky Mountain Steam “IMAX” promo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fuArMb8f7c

CP Vignettes

Doug Wingfield was at the August 8, 1971 model railroad convention in Calgary, AB. The star attraction was an excursion with CPR CFA 16-4 (C-Liner) 4081 on a run ran from Calgary, to Field, BC. Here is the train stopped at Banff, AB, and as CLC units were rare on passenger trains at this time, these rail fans took advantage of this photo opportunity while it lasted.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=364902&nseq=0

Truly a rare consist for the “The Canadian” in BC as CP GP9, F9B and FPA-2 have just pulled train #2 into the freshly ballasted siding at Glacier BC in the summer of 1972. Significant having an MLW FPA-2 trailing in the consist (a once only event?). The MLW actually lead train #1 a couple of days earlier. The FPA-2's were common on 11-12 and likely they were caught short at Sudbury, Ontario for a leader for number 1. It is surprising that Calgary didn't change the power consist. The GP9 was probably a Calgary addition on 1. The boxcar ahead of the baggage car was a fixture on 1 & 2 west of Calgary for many years. The main Calgary Post Office was just west of the Palliser Hotel in Calgary, with a rail spur. Bagged mail for intermediate points between Calgary and Vancouver was loaded in these boxcars. At Revelstoke and Kamloops, Post Office employees unloaded the bagged mail onto their baggage carts.

Remembering the unique SD10:

CP rostered only three SD10 models: 532 534 and 543, all off the property now. Originally in the Milwaukee 'bandit' scheme (See photo below) all three got fully repainted into CP Rail System livery by the mid-1990’s. These units had 16-567BC engine blocks under the long hood.

CP 532 was built as MILW 2237, built 2/54, then rebuilt MILW 541 9/75, EMD builders number 18780. Originally built as an SD9, it was rebuilt by MILW into an SD10.

CP 534 was built as MILW 2209, built 6/52, then rebuilt MILW 509 10/75, EMD builder's number 15621, originally built as an SD7, it was rebuilt by MILW into an SD10.

CP 543 was built as MILW 2220, built 10/53, then rebuilt NILW 520 12/75, EMD builder's number 18306, originally built as an SD7, it was rebuilt by MILW into an SD10.

CP Rail System painted SD10 534 is seen at Bensenville, IL in March 1998. (JC Benson photo)

Their dispositions are not all known, but 534 went to NRE a few years back after being stored in TR Falls, but its whereabouts today is unknown. The 532 is alive at the White Water Valley RR after CP donated her back in November 2001, Nathan Dahms shot it on the trip south. As for the 543, I believe it also went to NRE around the same time as the 534, the dates escape me, but I did get photos from a friend who works on the CP in St Paul. (Nathan Dahms)

Here is a shot of all three together back in the day (Bruce Chapman) and others by Mike Guss and Nathan Dahms.