News and photos from our American CRO contributors.

Montana Rail Link’s first GP40 came out of the Western Rail paint shop in Usk, WA on January 9th as MRL 500. MRL inherited the unit from the demise of sister company, CEECO, which was a mechanical rebuild contractor of railroad and marine equipment in Tacoma, WA. MRL 500 is the former Western Pacific 3543 that ended up working for Wisconsin Central in the 1990’s as WC 3025. It arrived on MRL dead in July 2009 and the railroad’s Livingston, MT shop has slowly been rebuilding it as time allowed. MRL’s chief mechanical officer decided to try out Western Rail’s paint work so contracted with them to apply the MRL colors. Western Rail’s locomotive rebuild shop is located on the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad’s (POVA) former Milwaukee Road Metalline Falls branch north of Spokane, WA. Brent Mueller submitted these photos of MRL 500 in various stages of rebuild.

Darren Doss snapped this shot of Sperry Rail (SRS) no. 146, on CN trackage at Dyersburg, TN. The car arrived the evening before and was tied up in the "GM&O" track at Dyersburg. This track is all that is left of the GM&O's presence in Dyersburg. It was originally the interchange track between the GM&O (GM&N) and the IC. The track is now used to tie up MofW equipment and rolling stock. The Sperry car was laying over again the next night and was scheduled to depart northbound on January 14th.

Sitting in the CSX yard in Willard Ohio a long way from home on December 27th, 2014, was NBSR GP38-2 2319, shot by Sam Sponseller. It is one of the ex-Devco units and NBSR 2319 has been photographed in a number of places in the U.S. Northeast as it moved west, including CSX Selkirk Yard. It is enroute to Michigan for engine block work. Notice that the unit is not only shut down, but also the cab door is padlocked.

This is how New Brunswick Southern (NBSR) 2319 looked back in 2006.

Mark Mautner submitted these news photos: JBC Rail Service SW1200 1229 (Built as TRRA 1229, to Lange Stegmann Fertilizer to FTRL Railway, then to Sterling Rail, and back to FTRL Railway) will go to East Chicago, IN for work. This shot was taken with locomotive owner, and MEI permission East St Louis, IL January 16th, 2015.

CITX GP38-3 6537 (built as an SP GP35 ), was at MEI for unspecified work East St Louis, IL Jan 16th, 2015.

JLCX SW1200 1238 was built as TRRA 1238, retired and sold to Lange Stegmann Fertilizer, then to FTRL Railway, and finally to Canadian company J&L Consulting, who work with Sterling Rail in the USA. JLCX 1238 is seen December 30th, in fresh paint at Metro East Industries (MEI) in East St Louis, IL. In January 2015 it was in transit for lease to the Temco Grain Terminal, in Kalama, WA. It is interesting to note that this unit is not wearing the standard JLCX red livery, and instead was painted blue at the clients request in the leasing contract. (The photo was taken on the MEI property with permission).

Union Pacific SD9043MAC 3759 is one of over 100 UP SD9043MAC's that are being cycled thru MEI for frame modifications and other repairs before returning to service on UP. Taken with MEI permission on December 30th.

On January 9th, 2015, Dennis Weber clicked CP 280, with CP-8873,ICE-6101. Lacrosse,WI.

The same day, Dennis caught CP train 484 with CSX-5343, and NS-1059 at Lacrosse,WI.

To round out the afternoon nicely Dennis bagged Amtrak #8, with three Amtrak engines-20-192-93 at Lacrosse, WI.

Mark Mautner submitted these shots taken January 9th, of Progress Rail )PRLX) SD40T-2 2833 in fresh black dip at Metro East Industries in East St Louis, IL This locomotive was built at EMD in May 1972, as SP SD45T-2 9248, and became SP 6865. It was retired and rebuilt by VMV to UP SD40T-2 2833 and later sold to become NREX 2833 and then to PRLX. Taken on MEI property with permission. Mike also included a "Before" shot.

Vintage Gulf Mobile and Ohio GP35 631 (wearing her trade-in Alco FA trucks) , is seen in transit on NS train 112-08 at Brooklyn, IL on January 10th 2015. Many years ago, the unit was either sold, or donated to The GM&O Historical Society in Mobile, AL, where it received a fresh coat of GM&O paint, after several years stored outside in Alabama, it was moved to Southern Appalachia Railway Museum in Oak Ridge, TN. After many more years in TN it was recently sold bound for Kansas City, MO, where it will be rebuilt for possible resale

Mike Garza submitted these shots from the area. Alstom-Montreal rebuilt SD40-3 GTW 5938 was shot at Homewood, IL, by Mike Garza on January 14th, 2015.

IHB train BA3 was taken in Dolton, IL, on January 15th.

The NS "bottle train" was also shot at Dolton, IL, on January 15th.

Molten steel is transported in these cars from Indiana Harbor to the mill in Riverdale, IL.

On January 5th, 2015, The first emissions-friendly locomotives funded by the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program have been released for road testing by Norfolk Southern from its Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa. The first two GP33ECO switching locomotives to be released - of a total 25 partially funded by CMAQ for production by Norfolk Southern - sport the distinctive green paint scheme that reflects their environmentally friendly mission. After in-service testing in the Altoona area, they will be permanently assigned to their respective grant award areas of Chicago and Atlanta. Funding for the locomotive to be used in the Chicago area was awarded by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency, sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Funding for the locomotive to be used in Georgia (on Norfolk Southern's Atlanta Terminal) was awarded by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division. Dedication ceremonies will occur in the months to follow. Photo by Casey Thomason.

BNSF U-TNDCXD had a pair of good looking CITIRAIL GE's (CREX-1414-and 1312) tugging hard on a loaded crude oil tank train at Lacross, WI Januray 4th, 2015. Dennis Weber Photo.

On December 21st BNSF 8571, CSXT 3122, CP 9521, CP 9522, and CEFX 1052 are lined up on a northbound freight at and then departing CP's Ottumwa, IA yard. The two CP GE's were repainted at RELCO in Albia, IA. Photo taken By Justin Spencer.

SOO Bandit 1544 is tucked between NS and BNSF power on the CP. This power was instructed to uncouple from their train and head south to the yard to assist in a minor derailment cleanup involving 6 two bay sand hoppers. The cause of the derailment was a broken rail at Ottumwa, IA December 20th, 2014.

CSXT 826, CSXT 7392 and BNSF 973 are on the point of a southbound sand train in CP's Ottumwa, IA yard. This train was involved in the derailment caused by a broken rail. This train would later depart the yard 6 cars short. 12/20/14.

CSXT 491, BNSF 6542, and BNSF 6570 are on point of a northbound freight on the CP main line in Ottumwa, IA. The crew was instructed to tie down their train at Milepost 305 and assist with the clean up of the 6 car derailment in the yard. Ottumwa, IA 12/20/14.

Christopher Bodkin clicked train A431 with NS C40-9 8792 and BNSF SD60M #1405 for power at Centralia, IL, on December 19th.

U.S.A.  VIGNETTES:  (By Herb Iske).

On a beautiful January winter's afternoon in Cajon Pass, Union Pacific SD40-2 #3506 leads eastbound doublestacks through Blue Cut on the Cajon Sub in 1995.

© CRO February 2015