CANADIAN LOCOMOTIVE SHOPS

In a factory the size of 12 football fields in this city, a group of workers at the EMD / Caterpiller plant in Muncie, IN complete a 200 ton  locomotive, "I think this will be the most efficient locomotive plant in the world," says William "Billy" Ainsworth, the vivacious director of rail equipment division deCaterpillar Inc. Ainsworth is under pressure to make that happen quickly. Caterpillar attempts to reach General Electric Co. (GE) amid a rise in demand in the market for locomotives, thanks to higher profits have allowed railway companies update their fleets. Any progress could be a challenge, at least in the short term, since Caterpillar is closing the plant had been their main locomotive assembly in Ontario, after a wage dispute. The company is supporting change in its new plant in Muncie, which opened last year in a former factory of electrical equipment, and other plant currently under construction in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Bombardier Inc. of Canada, also assembles engines for Caterpillar in Mexico. Despite the disruption, says Ainsworth, customers do not suffer delays: "We do not expect to lose the rhythm." In the same way, GE is underpinning its production by incorporating a new locomotive plant in Fort Worth, Texas, while maintaining its main factory in Erie, Pennsylvania. For years, GE handily beat his main rival, Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), which languished while its owner, General Motors Co., is distracted by his fall into bankruptcy. Now, EMD is part of Caterpillar, which bought it in 2010 and injected the financial muscle to take on GE. It is expected that the railway companies of the United States to increase their purchase of locomotives before they take effect in 2015 stricter standards regarding emissions. The transition to new technologies to comply with such rules "will be chaos," says Brad Wind, executive vice president of Helm Financial Corp., a firm that rents locomotives the railroad industry. Wind notes that railroads prefer to buy before the change or wait until the technology is proven cleaner. Similarly, the rise in oil prices has increased the competitiveness of rail versus trucks. For heavy loads long distances, railways can be four to five times more efficient than trucks, says Noel Perry, an economist with FTR Associates, a transportation consulting Indiana. Albert Neupaver, CEO of Wabtec Corp., a supplier of railway equipment based in Pittsburgh, estimates that in 2011 there were 1,100 locomotives in North America, almost double the previous year. Neupaver production notes that this year should be about 10% higher. Usually, about one third of the locomotives produced in U.S. are exported, the executive added. GE and Caterpillar occur mainly locomotives for freight trains, which are sold for $ 2 million or more, but both manufacturers are willing to expand in the passenger market, where it would compete with suppliers such as Siemens AG, Germany, and Bombardier of Canada . For this year, the railroad operator Union Pacific Corp. plans a capital expenditure record U.S. $ 3,600 million from $ 3,200 million in 2010. Much of the investment will go to 200 new locomotives, according to a company spokesman. Another railway operator, CSX Corp., plans to buy 65 locomotives this year.
 

ALL GAUGE 1600MM EMD-built SD70ACe’s line up at   SETE LAGOAS-MG ( BRAZIL )in May 2013

Saudi Arabia Railway SD70ACe

 http://railfan.thegrebs.com/index.php/Railpast-Photos/EMD-London-Ontario-Canada/Saudi-Arabia-Railway-SD70ACs

CAD Railway Services (Lachine, QC) is contracted to overhaul the remaining fleet of  SOO SD60’s and four SD60M’s  to Tier 0+ compliance, equip them with AESS (Locomotive Automatic Engine Start/Stop) to conserve fuel, and repaint and renumber to CP 6200-series. The entire rebuilt SD60 fleet will receive (PTC) Positive Train Control modifications at the CP St-Luc Diesel Shop.

In Service:

 CP SD60M 6262 (ex-SOO 6062) was released April 29^th, 2013

CP SD60 6239 (ex-SOO 6039) was released April 29^th, 2013

CP SD60M 6259 (ex-SOO 6059) was released in April 2013

CP SD60M 6258 (ex-SOO 6058) was released in April 2013

CP SD60 6231 (ex-SOO 6031) released January 20^th, 2013

CP SD60 6249 (ex-SOO 6049) released December 21^st , 2012

CP SD60 6238 (ex-SO 6038) released on December 4^th, 2012

CP SD60 6256 (ex-SOO 6056) released November 29, 2012

CP SD60 6246 (ex-SOO 6046) released November 20^th, 2012

CP SD60 6230 (ex-SOO 6030) released November 1st, 2012

CP SD60 6236 (ex-SOO 6036) released October 26th, 2012

CP SD60 6221 (ex-SOO 6021) released October 6^th, 2012.

CP SD60 6223 (ex-SOO 6023) released September 20^th, 2012

CP SD60 6257 (ex-SOO 6057) released August 31^st. 2012

CP SD60 6234 (ex-SOO 6034) released August 15^th, 2012

CP SD60 6252 (ex-SOO 6052) released July 25th, 2012

CP SD60 6255 (ex-SOO 6055) released June 21st, 2012

CP SD60 6229 (ex-SOO 6029) released June 5th, 2012

CP SD60 6243 (ex-SOO 6043) released April 20th 2012

CP SD60 6254 (ex-SOO 6054) released March 29th 2012

CP SD60 6245 (ex-SOO 6045) released March 6th 2012

CP SD60 6242 (ex-SOO 6042) released March 1st 2012

CP SD60M 6260 (ex-SOO 6060) released January 13th 2012

CP SD60 6228 (ex-SOO 6028) released December 16th 2011

CP SD60 6225 (ex-SOO 6025) released December 1st 2011

CP SD60 6241 (ex-SOO 6041) released November 2011

CP SD60 6240 (ex-SOO 6040) released October 2011

CP SD60 6250 (ex-SOO 6050) released October 2011

At Cadrail:

SOO SD60 6047 arrived in Montreal January 17^th

SOO SD60 6048 arrived in Montreal January 17^th

SOO SD60 6022 arrived in Montreal April 26^th

SOO SD60 6051 arrived in Montreal in April 19^th  

The remaining SOO SD60’s were traced in May:

SOO6022 arrived St.Luc 4/27/13 was moved to CAD in May.
SOO6024 on 242-10 moving toward CAD by Elkhart, IN 1114-10
SOO6026 at St.Luc 4/19/13
SOO6027 at Toronto Yard since 1/8/13
SOO6032 at St.Luc 5/3/13
SOO6033 on 242-10 moving toward CAD by Elkhart, IN 1114-10
SOO6035 at Toronto Yard since 1/8/13
SOO6037 on 286-09 moving toward CAD by Milwaukee, WI 1312-10
SOO6044 at Toronto Yard since 1/8/13
SOO6053 on 242-10 moving toward CAD by Elkhart, IN 1114-10
SOO6061 on 242-10 moving toward CAD by Elkhart, IN 1114-10
SOO6062 at St.Luc 1/11/13

On May 12^th, CP SD60M 6262 shows off her new Candy Apple Red uniform at St-Luc Diesel Shop with SOO 6032 behind.

Bob Heathorn missed CP SD60M 6259 on her maiden trip through Smiths Falls on April 16^th, but in early May, the former SOO widecab was seen frequently in the area assigned to a railtrain delivering CWR on the Belleville sub. 

The following locomotives were noted at CADRAIL in May:     

SOO  SD60 6022, 6047, 6048, and 6051. (For overhaul and CP repaint)

CP SD60M 6262

CP GP38-2 4514  

CP AC4400CW 9700, 9763, 9784, 9771,

CN ES44DC  (Number unknown) 

CEFX  SW1500’s 1560, 1561, 1562, 1564, and 1565

CITX SD9043MAC 119 and 136.

CITX (CEFX) SD40-2 3071, 3082, 3101, 3172 and 3155 (Photographed by Richard Marchi on May 11^th)

Seven Sw1500’s and one ex-IC GP11 were at CN Taschereau Yard in May destined to CAD for rebuilt for CITX.  CITX intends to lease to railroads in the USA.    These locos two of which are still lettered RF&P (Richmond Fredericksburg, and Potomac all came from a US Steel Mill who wanted them of the property.  In late May, CEFX  SW1500’s 1560, 1561, 1562, 1564, 1565 and 1566 were moved from CN Taschereau to CADRAIL, and photographed by Richard Marchi on May 26^th.

Earlier in the month two of the EMD switchers (CEFX SW1500 1560 and 1566),  arrived dead in tow Montreal CN-Taschereau Yard May 14^th, and were photographed by  Richard Marchi. 

The following locomotives were released from CADRAIL:

 CP  GP38-2 3027 (repairs).

CP 9725 AC4400CW (repairs)

CP 9750 AC4400CW (repairs)

CP 9751 AC4400CW (repairs)

CP 9772 (AC4400CW (repairs)

CITX SD9043MAC 105 and 136. (repaint)

CEFX AC4400CW 1037 and 1029 (repairs)  

CN  8866 arrived at the facility in March and James Lalande snapped her with the external electrical panel open for her repairs.  Reports suggest the Roberval - Saguenay GP38-3 (RS #62) is still at the shop incomplete. Motive power stored at the shop in December included ex-CP SD40-2 NREX 5771 (purchased from CP in 2006) and eleven stored NREX units; (NREX) GP9 208, RS3 307, GMD1m 1141, 1149, GP9 1602, 1684, GMD1 1911, SD40-2 5567, 5619, 5620, 5644, and 5771.

Ex-SW1200RS 1251 was sold to Lambton Diesel Services in Amy.  This switcher had been operating at Lake Ontario Steel in Whitby, ON for many years.

LDSX SW1200RS 1359 was renumbered Cando Contracting (CCGX) 1006, and  moved in April from Lambton Diesel Services in Windsor,  to London over CN, and then continued over  CP to Terrace Bay Pulp and Paper company in Terrace Bay, ON where it is now leased.    

Former Central Vermont Sw1200 1511 which worked for the Kodak Eastman Company plant for many years, was refurbished, repainted and has been sold to VIP (Vidal Street Industrial Park) of Sarnia to become their very first unit VIPX 1511.    

Almost one year ago Lambton Diesel Services (LDSX) purchased CN SW1200RS 1375, IC SW14 1501, and SW1200RSu 7316 from CN’s Auction Sale and  former GMDD/Caterpillar Shop Switcher EMDX  SW1001 #1.

©CRO June 2013