CN 5470 is seen in new paint and ready to go into service at the CN engine facility at Centralia, Il. September 27th.

The same day at Centralia, George Redmond photographed CN 5458 in fresh paint and complete.

On October 19th, CN 5478 is in new paint and ready to go at Centralia, IL. .(George Redmond)

On October 24th, CN 5488 was in new paint at the CN engine facility at Centralia, IL.

The next day on the 25th, George crouched and snapped CN 5482 looking great with new wheel sets and fresh paint at the Centralia Shop.

Painted and in Service:

CN 5400-5442 inclusive (all from the 1st group of Ex-GMTX SD6o’s).

CN 5443, 5445, 5447, 5448, 5449, 5452, 5456, 5458, 5459, 5461, 5463, 5465, 5466, 5467, 5470, 5473, 5474, 5475, 5476, 5478, 5479, 5480, 5482, 5484, 5485, 5486, and 5488. (All from the 2nd group of ex-EMDX SD60’s).

Completed CN 5458 and 5470 entered service in September, and CN 5478 and 5485 were released from Centralia Shop in mid-October. The latest repaints CN 5482 and 5488, are expected to be completed the first week of November.

Compiled below are the 47 new EMD SD60’s in the EMDX 9000-series that CN recently purchased, along with the previous ex-GMTX units, for a total of 90 EMD SD60’s added to the CN roster.

CN  (ex-Oakway) SD60 Roster:

Notes:

• Providence & Worcester leased two of the SD60’s, GMTX 9014 and 9059.
• Six SD60’s GMTX 9016, 9044, 9061, 9067, 9082 and 9094 are leased to NYSW.
• Oakway SD60 9041 was wrecked during the 1980’s while on lease to BN. The locomotive was replaced with (Electro Motive Diesel Division) SD60 Demonstrator EMDX #3.
• Oakway SD60 9062 was wrecked and scrapped in the 1990’s.

Retired in 2013:

CN GP9RM 7027
CN GP9RM 7211
CN GP9RM 7267
CN GP9RM 7269
EJE SW1001 446
WC SW1500 1552

Disposition of CN Locomotives for sale:

Below are the locomotives being disposed of by CN and are compiled by railroad and loco number: and includes the model, and the year Built/Rebuilt, status if sold, and last known CN location.

CN 201 SLUG Markham Yard
CN 202 SLUG Edmonton
CN 233 SLUG 1987 Transcona
CN 251 SLUG Edmonton Sold to New Brunswick Southern (NBSR)
CN264 SLUG 1966 Symington Sold to New Brunswick Southern (NBSR)
CN 266 SLUG 1966 Vancouver
CN 269 SLUG 1966 Symington
CN 271 SLUG 1993 Edmonton
CN 272 SLUG Prince George, BC, SCRAPPED September 2013
CN 275 SLUG 1993 Melville, SK.
CN 501 SLUG 1978 Symington Sold to New Brunswick Southern (NBSR)
CN 508 SLUG 1978 Edmonton Sold to New Brunswick Southern (NBSR)
CN 1379 SW1200RS 1960 Edmonton
CN 1375 SW1200RS 1960 Woodcrest
CN 1406 GMD1 1989 Edmonton
CN 1407 GMD1 1989 Edmonton SOLD to WRIX Edmonton
CN 1415 GMD1 1989 SOLD to WRIX Markham Yard
CN 1418 GMD1 1989 SOLD to WRIX Markham Yard
CN 7007 GP9RM SOLD TO MVPX Markham Yard
CN 7018 GP9RM 1985 Symington
CN 7041 GP9RM 1988 Symington
CN 7045 GP9RM 1992 Transcona
CN 7051 GP9RM 1990 Transcona
CN 7259 GP9RM 1990 Transcona
CN 7262 GP9RM 1990 Symington
CN 7064 GP9RM 1988 Prince George SCRAPPED September 2013
CN 7076 GP9RM Markham Yard SOLD to IBCX
CN 7207 GP9RM 1985 Edmonton
CN 7210 GP9RM 1985 Vancouver
CN 7211 GP9RM 1985 Symington
CN 7216 GP9RM Markham Yard SOLD to WRIX
CN 7218 GP9RM 1986 Transcona
CN 7225 GP9RM Markham Yard SOLD to IBCX
CN 7235 GP9RM 1987 Edmonton
CN7236 GP9RM 1987 Symington
CN 7244 GP9RM 1988 Prince George SCRAPPED September 2013
CN 7249 GP9RM 1990 Edmonton
CN 7259 GP9RM 1960 Transcona
CN 7262 GP9RM 1990 Symington
GTW 4618 GP9RB 1989 Markham Yard SOLD TO IBCX
IC 1477 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1484 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1490 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1491 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1496 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1498 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1500 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1501 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1505 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1507 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1509 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1511 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
WC 1560 SW1500 1970 Woodcrest

Last month, Retired CN Slugs 251, 269, 501 and 508 were sold to the New Brunswick Southern (NBSR).

At Prince George, BC on September 14th, Malcolm Peakman clicked the remains of CN GP9RM 7064 (already cut into pieces), with sibling CN 7244 awaiting its turn. By viewing other scrap parts on site, it was evident that CN 272 had also been cut up by Richmond Steel Recycling.

Ian Campbell snapped CN SD60 5425 undergoing final running checks following a two hour mechanical overhaul at the Transcona main shop in Winnipeg, October 25th.

Aaron C. Schlegal photographed GTW 5849 and CN 2204 were snapped at the Woodcrest Diesel Shop on June 5th, at Homewood, Illinois.

Aaron also submitted this shot of IC GP40R 3115 getting some TLC inside the Woodcrest Shop on June 5th.

Henry Nye caught westbound train Q199 (heading to Canada) with CN E9A 103, and the second CN “SANDFORD FLEMING” (ex-IC 800653), with “CHAMPLAIN” and “TAWAW”, rolling through Neenah, WI on October 8th.

IC 101315 is still in IC black and grey.
IC 800413 is now in CN green and black and named “GREAT LAKES”.
IC 101314 is now in CN green and black and named “CHAMPLAIN”.
CN 1059 is now in CN green and black and named “TAWAW”.
IC 800653 is in CN green and black named “SANDFORD FLEMING”.

While they are both theatre cars, CP 1 was the first CN “Sandford Fleming”) and a former Canadian National car. The second CN “Sandford Fleming” is a former Illinois Central car. Here are photos of the former CN “Sandford Fleming” in CNR paint, CN repaint and as CP1 :

Standing trackside in the pouring rain in Fond du Lac, WI. on October 2oth, Henry Nye photographed CN 2607 leading the same three CN Business cars and a stack train. These cars had been in Edmonton, Alberta the week before , and CN E9 103 was still there on October 21st.

As we went to press, Christopher Bodkin snapped recently repainted CN GP40-2LW 9584 (equipped for public display with safety orange plastic on the hand rails), and CN/IC business cars IC 800413 "Great Lakes", ICMW 101314 "Champlain", CN 1059 "Tawaw" and IC 800653 theater car "Sandford Fleming" with ICMW 101315 up front move from the old IC roundhouse to their display location in front on the Centralia Amtrak Station for Halloween Days on October 26th

George Redmond took this close up of CN 9584 on display at the Amtrak station for the October Fest in Centralia, Il. 10/26/13. This engine just came out of the CN paint shop in Centralia, Il..

CN SD40-2W 5502 and one repainted CN SD75I now sport Illinois Central style numbers on the side of the cab. We are seeking photos of these.

GET NOTICED … With a “BANNER”! Contact us:
editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com

On Saturday October 19th at around 1:00AM, a CN train carrying crude oil, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) derailed at Gainsford, a small community just west of Edmonton, Alberta, resulting in an explosion and fire, but with no injuries, One of the LPG tank cars on the westbound train exploded, and three other tank cars carrying crude oil caught fire. Emergency crews battled the flames and worked to prevent the burning cars from triggering more explosions, a municipal authority spokesman said. Residents were evacuated from Gainford, Alberta, 85 km (53 miles) from the provincial capital Edmonton.

This new accident again drummed up safety concerns about moving crude oil and petroleum products by rail in Canada. It was the third Canadian National Railway derailment in recent weeks, and has fanned opposition to the crude-by-rail boom in Canada, as the country's oil producers seek alternatives to congested pipelines. Rail safety has become a central issue in Canada since the incident in Lac-Megantic, QC, July 6th, 2013 when a runaway train carrying crude products exploded in the center of the town, killing 47 people.

CN Rail said 13 cars had derailed in the accident in Alberta, which happened at around 1 a.m. There were no injuries, but local authorities evacuated the area as a precaution, CN spokesman Louis-Antoine Paquin said. The derailed cars were all tank cars carrying LPG and crude oil, with one exploding and others catching fire. Fire fighters and hazmat crews were soon at the scene, and once under control opted to let the flames burn themselves out. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

On September 26th CN announced their plans to begin freight service on approximately 75% of the rail network operated by bankrupt short-line Kelowna Pacific Railway (KPR) in southern British Columbia after reaching trustee, customer and labour agreements that support resumption of operations. KPR leased its network from CN in 1999, entered receivership on July 5, 2013, and halted operations. CN this week reached mutually satisfactory agreements with the line’s trustee to take it out of the bankruptcy process, Tolko Industries Ltd, is the primary customer on the line. Jim Vena, CN executive vice-president and chief operating officer, said: “I’m pleased to say that the parties were able to come together to assemble the right business and labour conditions to justify the resumption of rail traffic on the major portion of the KPR as well as a sizeable capital investment required to protect rail service in the region. We are targeting the resumption of operations as soon as we can ensure the track to brought back to a standard to ensure safe train operations.” CN will resume operations on 97 miles, or approximately 75 per cent, of the network KPR operated running from Campbell Creek, B.C., located approximately 10 miles east of Kamloops, to Vernon, Lumby Junction and Lumby, B.C. CN will discontinue track KPR operated between Lumby Junction and Kelowna, B.C., because of insufficient freight traffic. The 60-day discontinuance process under the Canada Transportation Act will start later this week.

CN has prevailed in Halifax's battle over the bridges. The railway and Halifax Regional Municipality have been arguing for years over cost sharing for repairs on several 97-year-old bridges. The bridges are structurally sound, but need improvements. Now a Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruling has settled the dispute, siding with CN Rail’s interpretation of a 2008 agreement. “This gives the parties an opportunity to move forward,” said Martin Ward, a lawyer representing HRM. The court found HRM is responsible for the pavement and sub-surface down to the arch. It’s also responsible for coordinating the relocation of utility lines. The city can appeal the ruling, but Ward said that is unlikely. “One of the options is to proceed with CN and go ahead with the repair.”There’s no word on when the repairs will begin, or how much they will cost the city. “With this ruling, the way is open to resolving the issue and do the work needed to keep the bridges in safe operation condition over the long term,” said Jim Feeny of CN public affairs. In 2009, weight restrictions were imposed on six of the bridges.

On October 8th Darren Doss bagged CN’s new geometry train at Dyersburg waiting on a meeting with M343. The car is named “Squamish River” and it carried the logo “NX Track” on the side.

While none of these allegations has been proven in court, a whistleblower lawsuit in the United States is accusing CN of fudging its numbers to increase executive bonuses and to make it appear to be North America's most efficient railroad for investors. Tim Wallender a former CN trainmaster based at the company's Harrison Yard in Memphis, Tenn. has filed a lawsuit under the U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley Act — which was passed into law to protect whistleblowers following the Enron scandal in the early 2000’s. CN is asking that Wallender's claims that it routinely reported fraudulent efficiency statistics to shareholders and customers be thrown out. CN claims he repeatedly reported train movements falsely and got fired for it. Wallender, 42, does not deny fudging the numbers but insists he was ordered to by his boss. He alleges in his suit that his managers made large bonuses, and the company was able to promote itself as being 20 to 25 per cent more efficient than its competitors, by creating favourable statistics that "were based on a persistent and pervasive fraud."

Wallender claims he and other lower-end employees were asked to tamper with "dwell time" statistics — an industry measure of how long freight trains sit in a yard — to make it appear that trains moved quickly. The crucial reporting time was 5 a.m., and if trains arrived later their dwell time clocks would not start until the next morning. The goal, Wallender alleges, was to get trains out of the yard just before 5 a.m., or have them arrive just after, either by moving the train so it could trigger time-stamp sensors, or by adjusting the clock in the company computers. They also reported cars were either broken or delivered to the customers — so they would be taken off the clock — when in each case they would still be in the yard, he claims in his lawsuit. Another trick was to move a train onto a ghost or dummy track which did not get monitored on the company's computer, he claims. According to CN documents related to the case, the company did audits of the Memphis yard — three times before Wallender's dismissal in September 2012 — and indeed found several employees were falsifying efficiency records. "The allegations in this matter are unfounded and factually incorrect," said Creel, who is no longer with CN.

"I have, and always will, hold all employees to the highest ethical standards and the facts in this case will reflect that." Because of a December 2011 audit, Wallender was to be disciplined. He brought a tape recorder with him to the meeting with his boss, general superintendent Andrew Martin. "I was supposed to be [suspended] for two days, lose two days' pay, and [they were going to] put a letter in my file," recalls Wallender. A complaint against Martin from another railway worker in the summer of 2012 led to the investigation that led, Wallender claims, to his demise at CN. Wallender handed over emails of the instructions he had received to fudge CN's numbers, and his audiotape of his discussion with Martin, to CN's human resources investigator. He recalls telling the investigator: "I'm done lying. If I get fired for this, which I expect to do, at least I can walk away with my head up, that I got fired for telling the truth."

He was fired the following month, CN claims, for continuing to fudge the numbers. After his dismissal, he pointed out to his bosses how others were continuing to fudge the numbers, and his access to CN's computers was cut off. Wallender's lawyer, Bill McMahon of the Chicago law firm Hoey & Farina, said Martin got a slap on the wrist after the review, "and continues to be employed at CN. The only person who got terminated, who lost his job, is the man who came forward with the concrete irrefutable evidence of the statistical manipulations of efficiency ratings in the Harrison yard."

CN's responded in a three-page email from spokesman Mark Hallman, that CN “collects data to make informed business and operational decisions. The notion that CN would condone any misreporting in that context is untenable.” CN has found “only a limited number of reporting issues which did not affect the integrity of the data that the Company has reported to the rest of the rail industry.” Although it boasts of its dwell time and train speed on its website and heralded a five-percent drop in dwell time in this week’s third quarter report to the market, CN says its “operating metrics such as yard dwell are performance indicators that are not included in any part of CN’s audited financial reports that are sent to shareholders and securities regulators.”

Hallman added that the Montreal-based company’s "decision to terminate Mr. Wallender was fully warranted given his history of misreporting, management’s repeated admonishments for such misreporting, and Mr. Wallender’s brazen disregard and continued misreporting of data even after he was ordered to cease such practices. Mr. Wallender’s termination illustrates the seriousness of CN’s approach to insure data integrity.”

Judy Shaw shot CN 553 with CN GP9RM 7058 as it returned to Oakville Yard from Clarkson, ON on September 24th.

Pierre Fournier (of the Quebec Railfans Group), posted this nice shot of CN train 401 powered by a variety of 6-axle GE and GMD-built locomotives (CN C44-9W 2600, SD75I 5758, and SD70M-2 8901) passing through St-Cyrille, QC last year.

On October 1st , George Redmond clicked visiting CP AC4400CW 8559 at Du Quoin, IL, sitting in the CN yard.

Kim Kafura submitted the following shots: GTW GP9RB 4620 pulled her cut of cars onto the Neenah, WI Wye, and then did an air test, before heading to the Menasha, WI yard to complete her switching on Oct 6th, 2013.

A pair of WC 1500 series switchers returned to the Neenah yard in September. The duo had been assigned to the Green Bay and Stevens Point, WI yards. Kim caught them paired up working the yard and got a smoke show to boot as original Wisconsin Central painted WC SW1500 1563 and repainted CN sister (WC 1564), pull a cut of cars out of the Neenah, WI yard on Oct 6th, 2013

On October 9th, Wayne D. Shaw photographed the final move of the day for the crew of CN 595 in Huntsville Yard in Huntsville, ON. CN GP9RM 4132 couples onto a tank car which they will take to the Longford Mills the next morning.

At Fulton, KY on October 18th, Christopher Bodkin clicked IC GP40R 3103 returning back with the Cairo local.

Pierre Fournier photographed rebuilt and repainted CN GP9RM 7030 positioned just outside the paint booth at the Open House at the AMF/CN Pointe St-Charles Shop in Montreal 6/10/91. This new paint shop was installed at PSC in 1980.

CN S13 110 (Formerly CN 8618) is seen inside the massive Point St-Charles Shop during a staged event showcasing rebuilt VIA Fp9Au 6300 and other CN motive power on February 12th, 1983. (Pierre Fournier photo)

Road weary MLW-built CN C630M 2038 was photographed at Joffre, QC in 1994 by John Young.

John also photographed CN M-636 2310 (class MF-36a) at Joffre, QC in 1993. Pierre Fournier pointed out that in 1973 CN 2310 suffered a sideswipe, and one side of the fuel tank was changed.

A rare view of CN 6522 taken in Alberta in 1965, Pierre Fournier saw wrecked CN 6522 on a flat car at PSC back in Sept 1967, badly damaged after a head-on at Capreol, ON. Brad Smith Photo).

© CRO October 2013