CANADIAN NATIONAL

November 2011

 Motive Power News

CN ex-BNSF C40-8W ROUNDUP 

 Wearing full CN Livery with their paint shop and new releases.

 (as of November 1st 43 of 67 finished - new units in red)

Another group of ex-BNSF C40-8W's arrived at the Centralia Shop in mid-October, and were placed onto to the north end of the stored BCOL B39-8E line up until an opening for prep and CN repaint becomes available.

Freshly painted GTW 5829 and CN 4715 pulled from the roundhouse and moved to the east side of the coaling tower.

Trace locations of CN 2098-2199

         (CN ex-UP C40-8, ex-BNSF C40-8W)

 Report compiled by Joe Ferguson (with thanks):

http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2011/oct11/getrace.pdf

On October 29th George Redmond caught the CN display at the Amtrak station for the “Fall Festival”.  CN 2156, and IC 100 were on hand with four passenger cars (2 IC - 2 CN).

On October 17th George Redmond clicked CN 2180 in new paint near the CN engine facility, at Centralia, IL.

October 4th, Joe Ferguson snapped CN 2183, fresh out of the Centralia paint shop, and previously painted 2099 now with number boards, headlights, and running after electrical work was completed at the shop.  Joe noted CN 2156, 2161, 2181, and 2184 sitting on the west side of the fuel racks, first two in the list without number boards, etc.

 At NRE-Dixmoor, I on October 3rd Mike Garza caught freshly painted CN 2168 and DLCX 6915, former WC 6915, ex-GCFX 6915, nee-CN SD40 5212 now adorned for Paterson Grain, a company in Western Canada.

George Redmond clicked future CN 2185 and 2098 (BNSF 847 and 865) October 2nd, awaiting their run thru the Centralia tailor shops.

CN Locomotives Retired  (Eight units during 2011):

CN GP9RM’s 7007, 7010, 7018, 7045, 7216, and 7259;

IC SW14 1501;

CN slug 272.

Two new CN repaints; GTW 5829 and CN 4715, were pulled from the roundhouse and moved to the east side of the coaling tower at Centralia, IL sporting fresh paint during early October

Paul Burgess caught GTW GP9R 4610 in Markham Yard in Homewood, Illinois on the lead pull-down job October 3rd.

A Northbound local on EJ&E line near the IHB Calumet Tower in East Chicago, IN, sits ahead of the crossing October 5th.  IC SW14 1497 and 1505 were noisily "chuffing" as new CRO contributor Gary Everheart captured numerous frames as the crossing bell rang continuously, with the crew waiting to continue north.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2772808

Gary also shot this colorful CN quintet of varied EMD power a few month’s back.  IC SD40-3 pound through Griffith, IN, May 23rd.

http://mononman.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2552232

William Beecher caught C44-9W BCOL 4644 October 23rd poised to lead M336 south from Shops yard at North Fond Du Lac.  

A surprise guest ran thru Oshkosh Oct. 23rd - Dan Braun caught GTW OLS GP38-2 5856 hitching a ride to Stevens Point WI behind Q199's CN 2270. 

http://flic.kr/p/aykosT

Sold to Diesel Electric Services, former CN SD40-2W 5306 is seen in Sudbury, Ontario in mid-September relettered DESX 5306 and in  blue repaint. This unit is now leased to Huron Central (HCRY) for work train service for $30M upgrade of the mainline west from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie Ontaio.  (Merrell Philippi).

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=120878

Chris Gertz caught CN GMD1u 1437 on train 435 passing through Paris, Ontario, October 23rd

At the bridge at Bellevue/Sault Ste Marie, Ontario Chris Wilson bagged (Train 633) the Agawa Tour train led by all three F40PH’s. October 1st.

Jesse Acorn was in Fort Saskatchewan Oct 16th and caught a trio of CN  GMD1m’s switching Scotford yard. Where GMD1’s once ruled, now a days, this may be the only place in Alberta where one can see this kind of thing happening regularly.

 Jesse also noted CN SW1200RSm 7304 Stored (possibly SUS), in the dead line  at Walker Yard in Edmonton, AB.  Currently there are only three  of these units left on the roster :  7300, 7304, and 7311.  In August 2011, CN retired SW1200RS #RT110 which was the the Tornoto Steel Center switcher.   The unit is ex-CN SW1200RS 1394.  

 Jeff Keddy bagged CN Track Evaluation RDC-1 #1501 set  to overnight on the siding at SNS Diamond, MB on the CN Rivers Sub (outside Winnipeg), on September 30th.

On October 15th Dean Motis photographed CN 8886, BNSF 4571 and BNSF 9408 crossing the bridge at Lytton, BC  Having shot the Thomson & Fraser Canyons for the better part of 15 years, Deane is always try to find a new spot.  Having shot the west end of Martel a hundred times, I ventured to what used to the be the east switch and discovered tunnels....Of course, CN 8887 was the order of the day leading a lengthy westbound with two units in DPU mode. What are the chances of shooting consecutive CN unit numbers on the same day?

CN Vignettes                                                           

 On September 30th 1984, Brian Nicholson caught well maintained CN C630M 2020 leading an eastbound freight at Norman Street in 1984. The train has just departed Taschereau Yard and is on the Montreal Sub passing  Lachine, Ville St-Pierre, Turcot Yard, St-Henri, Pointe St-Charles, and then cross southeast over Victoria Bridge destined for New Brunswick.  The last of the C630M's were retired between 1992 and 1996. 

http://209.85.120.98/viewphoto.php?id=16881&nseq=460

On May 17th, 1985, David Brook photographed CN's contribution to promote the “EXPO ‘86” World’s Fair in Vancouver, BC.  Wearing candy stripes, CN SD40-2W 5334 certainly stands out awaiting its next assignment in MacMillan Yard.   For comparison, one of the CP Rail Expo ’86 painted SD40-2’s is just below.

http://209.85.120.98/viewphoto.php?id=132522&nseq=481

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=36729

© CRO November 2011