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Our  Cover Photo

Our Cover Page : A southbound CSX train with CSX 976 and CSX 534 rolls past a stopped CSX intermodal headed up by CP 8903 with CP 8826 at Attica Ohio July 19th 2016

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BANFF ALBERTA on JULY 16th 2016 (By Cor van Steenis)  

 My story actually starts one week earlier, on Friday, July 1st 2016, Canada Day. My wife and I decided to go to Field, B.C. for dinner and to catch some early evening photos of the Rocky Mountaineer heading from Kamloops to Banff. We had a nice dinner, but by dusk there was not a sign of, or sound from, the train so we headed home; the train must have been really late. Two weeks later, on Friday 15 July 2016, we headed to Banff for some dinner and to catch some early evening photos of the Rocky Mountaineer arriving at Banff Station. Again, no such luck; I am perplexed. Two eastbound freights went by between 18:00h and 18:45h and at about that time we were ready to head home to Calgary when the west end signals on the siding at Banff went from red over red to green over red (see photo 2). Again, I am perplexed. Why would the siding signals give a clear signal to a westbound train when the main line signals were dark and there were no trains approaching; wouldn't a westbound train stay on the main to continue on to Field? We decided to wait to see what might be happening. At 19:35 a couple of CPR trucks showed up; at 19:45 we heard "CP 4107" on the scanner, approaching from the east. At 19:54 it came into the Banff siding with CPR Train no. 31B, the westbound Royal Canadian Pacific, and continued past the west switch at Banff; it then backed into Yard Track 1 by the station. We had our answer to the mystery of the strange signals. The interior of the train was dark; there were no passengers nor onboard hospitality staff on the train. From the radio chatter between the crew and road staff we learned: the crew would be staying overnight in Canmore and coming back at 7-ish the next morning to take the train, now with passengers and onboard staff, on to Field for a crew change. The train, 31B, the Royal Canadian Pacific, had CP 4107, 1900 and 4106 as power; there were 10 cars in the consist. The cars normally used as accommodation for the train staff, Mount Royal & Killarney, were not in the consist. Where were the onboard staff? Were they to be bused to the train from Calgary the next morning? I am surmising that the clients on this private charter from Banff to Vancouver were a small group utilizing the Business Cars to sleep while the onboard staff used the sleepers Banffshire and N.R. Crump. Oh, and what about that Rocky Mountaineer which didn't show at Field or at Banff? Checked the train schedule and past year photos when I got home and discovered that the train comes in to Banff on Saturday, not Friday, evenings. My wife is now also a little perplexed, not about the train, but about me. Hope you enjoy the photos anyway.

Cor van Steenis, Calgary, AB.

Thanks Cor! WB

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Hi All;

 This Baldwin Demolition Derby was the result of a head on collision between two freight trains at South Wellington BC on the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway on Vancouver Island. I viewed them in early August of that year at Nanaimo in Wellcox Yard.

 My knowledge of this incident comes from a crew member involved in the incident.

 Given the amount of damage to the locomotives, it is amazing that only minor injuries were suffered by the crews. There were dismissals following this incident, but the person I talked to was a very junior trainman and was only suspended for three months.

 The direct cause of the incident was some very poor judgement on behalf of the crew of the southbound freight.

 Most summers, the E&N would run a work train to carry out various track work along the railway.  To do this, a pair of GP9's would be shipped over from the mainland to add to the locomotive fleet.

 In 1973, the GP9's were usually assigned to freight duties on the E&N , rather than the work train they were intended for.  At that time, the usual practice was to run the Wellcox-Victoria freight south in the evening as an Extra, with the Victoria-Wellcox freight being a timetable scheduled train 51.

 The "meet" usually took place near Nanaimo, and often, 51 would have already arrived and tied up at Nanaimo Wellcox when the southbound was ready to depart.  On the day in question, the two GP9's were on the shop track at Wellcox, and for whatever reason, the crew of the southbound freight assumed this was sufficient evidence that train 51 had arrived, rather than check the train register.

 Unknown to them was that the GP9's had been used that day on the work train, and a pair of Baldwin's used in their place on train 51. The two trains collided head on at South Wellington. Because the Baldwins ran long hood first, there was a "crumple zone".They only saw each other briefly on curved track, giving the crews time to "hit the deck" while in one case, the cab crumpled around them.

 The locomotives were cut up at Nanaimo Wellcox over the next winter.

 Cheers,

 Phil Mason

Thanks Phil! WB

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Mark your Calendar: September 24th and 25th, 2016:

Montreal Model Train Exposition

Hi Will,

 I've been busy catching up on all the great CRO issues I missed, really glad I RE- Joined. Being a big CN fan I obviously enjoy the CNR related photos and information but also the vignettes and model railroad items are my favourites. I appreciate you posting some of my facebook photo submissions, hopefully you will consider some future pictures as well.

 Ed Creechan, Belleville,  ON

 Thanks Ed! WB 

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 Hi there guys;

 Although it was taken a great distance and through pretty strong heat distortion this photograph is likely the last to be taken of BN 5498 and 5499. Both recently showed up in the GE reclamation yard deep inside the plant within the last week to be cut up. These 2 were part of 6 B32-8s built. 3 for the ATSF and 3 for BN in 1984 with the promise that they could deliver freight more fuel efficient than previous models with a 12 cylinder motor and enhanced carbody features.  The ATSF units also tested on several other class ones including Conrail. (Where I got to know them) Basically they were pioneers in their own right with technology that helped get GE into the number one spot for locomotive building in the 1990s. Unfortunately they were also doomed from the start as they suffered from a variety of issues including wheel slip  and not to mention a rough ride for the crew. These problems continued to a lesser degree on successive models too.  The successor was soon to be built from the learning curve they provided and the B40-8 was born as well as the P40 Genesis as an adaptation. The 6 stayed together on their host railroads for years, BN returned them in 1991, 5497 was in such bad shape it was scrapped in Erie by 1997. The remaining 2 served as research locomotives before being set aside by 1998 for whatever was to come. The ATSF fleet fared somewhat worse when all were scrapped in 1996 without even an attempt to resell or rebuild them. The only railroad to sample and 3200 HP model were 10 C32-8s built for Conrail.  NS adopted a later version of the B32-8 but they only shared a few similarities. Most fans who went by the plant in Erie found them to be a familiar sight until recently. They will be the last of the B truck demos from an interesting time on American rails.

 Stephan M. Koenig, Erie Pennsylvania

Thanks Stephan! WB

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Hi Will

 I know you will like this! D&H PA4 #19 at Windsor Station in Montreal Quebec on a rainy hot humid August day in 1976.   D&H at this time had leased Domes from Amtrak and Skylines from CP.

 Warren Calloway, North Carolina

Thanks Warren! WB

Hello Friends,

 One of my favourite Cab Rides was on September 15th, 1998 when my friend Devon Generous and I rode in the cab of CP FP9A 1400 from St-Luc Yard She was working too! Here we are after arriving at Smith Falls )all day it had been sunny until we arrived here! The CPR 4-6-4 #2816 and the CP painted ex-CN FP9A (exx-Nebkota Railway) CP 1400. The Hudson-type steam engine had just been repatriated to Canada from Steamtown USA and was to be overhauled and become operational at the BC RAIL Steam Shop in North Vancouver! We were on aboard their first day in Canada! What memories! The train ran on restricted speed all the way To Vancouver, and here she was about to transfer to the Chalk River sub! Not sure if one the fellow in the orange safety vest is me or not.

Again the month, we welcome our new contributors on board, and we thank everyone for their CRO support.  Some of you still have advertising banners in CRO to renew as well as obtaining your new passwords for 2016.  Please make sure to contact me with any questions you may have by email:
 

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Some of you may have advertising banners in CRO to renew as well as obtaining your new passwords for 2016.  Please make sure to contact me with any questions you may have by email:

Thank You to all our Contributors-

Aaron C. Schlegel,  AMT,  Andy Cassidy,  Andy Perrin,  Avrom Shtern (AMT News),  Bem Lomon,  Bernard Babin,  Bill Edgar,  Bob Heathorn,  Bob Krone,  Brian Peters (CRO),  Bruce Chapman,  Buddy Burton,  Cal Murray,  Carl Luther,  Chris Gertz,  Chris McMahon,  Christopher Bodkin,  CN,  Cor van Steenis,  Craig Walker,  Dan Braun,  Daniel Dell"Unto,  Darren Doss,  Dave Schauer,  Dave Setting,  Davey Robinson,  David W. Brandenburg,  Dean Brown, Denis,  Dennis Weber,  Derek "Buffie" Brown,  Don McQueen (Froth),  Earl Minnis,  Earl Roberts (Branchline),  et Antonio,  et tous mes contacts a CP,  Francois Gagne-Audet,  Geoff Elliott,  Giulio,  GO,  Guillaume-Raymond Lavasseur,  Guy-Pascal Arcouette,  Ian Campbell,  James,  James Gardner,  James Hoffman (ONR), Ken Jones NF James Lalande,  Jason Noe (Railpace),  Jason Tarasenko (J&L),  Jean-Francois Turcotte (CRO - AMT Editor),  Jeremy Davy (WCRA),  Jim McPherson Bruce Mercer,  Jody Moore (Green Locomotive News),  Joe Ferguson,  John,  John Eull,  John Jeffrey (CRO GO Editor). Francois Jolin,  Jordan Hood,  John Read (CRO),  J P Cadieux,  Justin Spencer,  Ken Jones NFRM,  Ken Reiss,  Kenneth Borg,  Kevin Argue. Eric Aucoin,  Kevin Dunk,  Kim Kafura,  Marc,  Mark and David Zulkoskey,  Mark Forseille,  Martin Baumann,  Martin Mirabel,  Martin Simane. Paul Smith (CP),  Matt Landry,  Metrolinx,  Michael Berry (CRO),  Michel Kleist,  Michel Daoust,  Mike,  Mike and Mark Mautner,  Mike Garza,  Mike Robin (ONR),  Neil Compton,  Patrick,  Patrick DeLarue,  Paul Burgess,  Paul Cotterell,  Paul Donovan (CRO Eastern News),  Peter,  Peter Murphy (Exporail-CRHA),  Phillip Mason,  Pierre Milot,  Railpictures.net. Merci a Mac,  Randy Zarowny,  Ray Farrand,  Ray Kennedy (Old Time Trains),  Rich Jacobson,  Richard,  Richard Marchi,  Rob McCormack,  Roman Litarchuk (CRO),  Ron Ellison (CP),  Ron Visockis,  Shane Deemer,  Steve Bradley,  Steven Rathke,  Ted Ellis (ACR),  Terry Muirhead (VIA News),  The Bridge Line Historical Society,  The Canadian Trackside Guide,  Tim Hayman (CRO - VIA News Editor),  VIA,  Walter Pfefferle (CRO),  Warren Calloway,  Wayne D. Shaw (ONR),  Wayne Koch,  Wilco van Schoonhoven (CPR Diesel Roster).  If we missed you or there are errors please Contact Us

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The size should be no larger than an image width of 1000 pixels.  We can no longer accept over sized photos.  Always include the date, location, train number (if known), and other pertinent information in the photo caption.  Photos and complete captions need to be submitted before the 20th of each to be included in that months issue. If used, limited VIP Free access to CRO is granted to all who provide their photos and news. 

You must click image below to provide permission to use your photos or stories.

 As our vignettes segments are very popular with our readers, please continue to submit railroad photos from the past, and send along suggestions for future Vignette subjects, and ideas for CRO Special Reports.

Our CRO readers are primarily male and made up of railfans in the 21-71 age group living in Canada and the USA. 

We have many subscribers who are in the railway industry, railroad management and employees, Locomotive parts and repair shop contacts, railway museum curators and volunteers, Tourist train operators and employees, professional photographers, model train dealers and hobby 

The mission of CRO is to keep our readers informed of pertinent Canadian locomotive and industry news, which is compiled and verified over the month, and updated as needed.  The accurate information we post each month is obtained and confirmed from our reliable sources. However errors can occur, and we welcome your input in this regard.  I am humble enough to say I do make typos and have inadvertently misspelled a name or misplaced a photo credit.  I will always compensate the photographer and do what is needed to keep all of our contributors happy and satisfied.   CRO is a vehicle to showcase locomotive shots submitted by our readers, credit them, and help promote their photography. We never post photos, without asking the photographer for permission, and once granted, they are given free CRO access for as long as this sharing relationship continues. The same goes for our valued news sources. 

 Take care all,

William H. Baird

CRO Managing Editor

Montreal, QC

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New issues of CRO are posted each month on our website. News stories pertaining to Canadian railways, photos, comments, favourite links, and questions are always welcome. Please send us your photos, newsworthy sightings and railway stories and if used, will be placed in the CRO newsletter.  Please indicate if you wish your name to be withheld. If your own website pertains to Canadian railways, please contact us.

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