CANADIAN NATIONAL

 Motive Power News

 

New GE ES44AC locomotives :

CN 2800-2834 are confirmed on the property and assigned west of Edmonton, AB.  On February 23rd, CN 2826, 2827, 2829, 2830 and 2831 arrived in Toronto, with CN 2826, 2827, and 2828 arriving soon after.  The remaining AC units 2829-2834 arrived in mid to late March completing the GE order.  CN ES44AC 2818 suffered a failure during February and was returned to GE for repairs.     CN 2823 is also out of service following a collision (See below).

Spotted on March 19th 2013 at 6:20pm we see brand new CN ES44AC No.2833 resting on the siding at Wainwright while they changed crews before continuing east to Biggar, Saskatchewan.

CN ES44AC 2807 was photographed in Squamish, BC March 4th. 

 

On March 9th at Edson, AB., Tim Stevens caught brand new CN ES44AC 2823 after a little incident with the mine’s coal loader.  Apparently while loading the first car of coal, the brakes were released and the slack rolled  the trailing unit back into the coal loader colliding with  the cab.

 

http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=8730

 

Damaged CN ES44AC 2823 arrived at Taschereau Yard (Montreal) March 30 and departed on M327 on March 31st for Soulanges Industries Q37 at Coteau, QC.

 


 New EMD SD70ACe locomotives (still to come):

CN`s 30 new SD70ACe`s which are CN’s first Electro Motive-built AC locomotives, are expected to begin construction later this year, numbered CN 8100-8129. 

In total, CN will acquire 65 new high-horsepower locomotives and is splitting the new locomotive order in two, with GE delivering 35 ES44AC 4,400 hp locomotives during 2013 and EMD building 30 SD70ACe 4,300 hp locomotives all equipped with Distributed Power (DPU) technology.

 

CN’s Second Hand Power:

CN Dash 8-40C / C40-8W STATUS as of March 2013

CREX 9023-9064, the first of 42 C40-8s (4000 hp) being numbered CN 2000-2041 are on the property. These are ex-UP same numbers, nee-CNW 8501-8542, and the second group of ex-UP, nee-CNW Dash 8’s that CN has purchased.  These are to be painted at Centralia and then completed at either Metro East Industries (MEI) in East St. Louis, IL. or at Quality Rail in Madison, IL.    These CREX C40-8’s were constructed at GE - Erie, PA  in 1989, as CNW 8501-8530, and as CNW 8531-8542 during 1990.  When Union Pacific  acquired the Chicago & North Western Railroad  they got numbered UP 9023-9064, but not in sequence.  When retired by UP during 2008 and 2009, they were sold to Citicorp Railmark and retained their UP livery and road number, with CREX on the cab sides.  Prior to being purchased by CN last year, these had been leased to CSX.

Compiled below are all the latest ex-CREX and ex-UP Dash 8-40C’s and  ex-BNSF C40-8W’s acquired by CN arranged by locomotive model, and their new CN number.  (Our thanks to Earl Roberts for his help)

 Dash 8-40C: 


    NEW        FORMER NUMBERS                            SERIAL    NEW    FORMER NUMBERS     SERIAL

    2000:2    CREX 9023;  UP 9023;  CNW 8501    46085        2100:2    UP 9065;  CNW 8553    46781
    2001:2    CREX 9024;  UP 9024;  CNW 8502    46086        2101:2    UP 9066;  CNW 8554     46782
    2002:2    CREX 9025;  UP 9025;  CNW 8503    46087        2102:2    UP 9067;  CNW 8555    46783
    2003:2    CREX 9026;  UP 9026;  CNW 8514    46098        2103:2    UP 9068;  CNW 8556    46784
    2004:2    CREX 9027;  UP 9027;  CNW 8505    46089        2104:2    UP 9069;  CNW 8557    46785
    2005:2    CREX 9028;  UP 9028;  CNW 8506    46090        2105:2    UP 9070;  CNW 8558    46786
    2006:2    CREX 9029;  UP 9029;  CNW 8507    46091        2106:2    UP 9071;  CNW 8559    46787
    2007:2    CREX 9030;  UP 9030;  CNW 8508    46092        2107:2    UP 9072;  CNW 8560    46788
    2008:2    CREX 9031;  UP 9031;  CNW 8509    46093        2108:2    UP 9073;  CNW 8561    46789
    2009:2    CREX 9032;  UP 9032;  CNW 8510    46094        2109:2    UP 9074;  CNW 8562    46790
    2010:2    CREX 9033;  UP 9033;  CNW 8511    46095        2110:2    UP 9075;  CNW 8563    46791
    2011:2    CREX 9034;  UP 9034;  CNW 8513    46088        2111:2    UP 9076;  CNW 8564    46792
    2012:2    CREX 9035;  UP 9035;  CNW 8504    46097        2112:2    UP 9077;  CNW 8565    46793
    2013:2    CREX 9036;  UP 9036;  CNW 8520    46104        2113:2    UP 9078;  CNW 8566    46794
    2014:2    CREX 9037;  UP 9037;  CNW 8515    46099        2114:2    UP 9079;  CNW 8567    46795
    2015:2    CREX 9038;  UP 9038;  CNW 8516    46100        2115:2    UP 9080;  CNW 8568    46796
    2016:2    CREX 9039;  UP 9039;  CNW 8512    46096        2116:2    UP 9081;  CNW 8569    46797
    2017:2    CREX 9040;  UP 9040;  CNW 8518    46102        2117:2    UP 9082;  CNW 8570    46798
    2018:2    CREX 9041;  UP 9041;  CNW 8519    46103        2118:2    UP 9083;  CNW 8571    46799
    2019:2    CREX 9042;  UP 9042;  CNW 8523    46107        2119:2    UP 9084;  CNW 8572    46800
    2020:2    CREX 9043;  UP 9043;  CNW 8521    46105        2120       UP 9085;  CNW 8573    46801
    2021:2    CREX 9044;  UP 9044;  CNW 8522    46106        2121       UP 9086;  CNW 8574    46802
    2022:2    CREX 9045;  UP 9045;  CNW 8525    46109        2122       UP 9087;  CNW 8575    46803
    2023:2    CREX 9046;  UP 9046;  CNW 8524    46108        2123       UP 9088;  CNW 8576    46804
    2024:2    CREX 9047;  UP 9047;  CNW 8526    46110        2124       UP 9089;  CNW 8577    46805
    2025:2    CREX 9048;  UP 9048;  CNW 8517    46101        2125       UP 9090;  CNW 8549    46777
    2026:2    CREX 9049;  UP 9049;  CNW 8527    46111        2126       UP 9091;  CNW 8543    46771
    2027:2    CREX 9050;  UP 9050;  CNW 8528    46112        2127       UP 9092;  CNW 8544    46772
    2028:2    CREX 9051;  UP 9051;  CNW 8529    46113        2128       UP 9093;  CNW 8545    46773
    2029:2    CREX 9052;  UP 9052;  CNW 8530    46114        2129       UP 9094;  CNW 8546    46774
    2030:2    CREX 9053;  UP 9053;  CNW 8531    46371        2130       UP 9095;  CNW 8547    46775
    2031:2    CREX 9054;  UP 9054;  CNW 8532    46372        2131       UP 9096;  CNW 8548    46776
    2032:2    CREX 9055;  UP 9055;  CNW 8533    46373        2132       UP 9097;  CNW 8550    46778
    2033:2    CREX 9056;  UP 9056;  CNW 8534    46374        2133       UP 9098;  CNW 8551    46779
    2034:2    CREX 9057;  UP 9057;  CNW 8535    46375        2134       UP 9099;  CNW 8552    46780
    2035:2    CREX 9058;  UP 9058;  CNW 8536    46376                             
    2036:2    CREX 9059;  UP 9059;  CNW 8537    46377    
    2037:2    CREX 9060;  UP 9060;  CNW 8538    46378    
    2038:2    CREX 9061;  UP 9061;  CNW 8539    46379    
    2039:2    CREX 9062;  UP 9062;  CNW 8540    46380
    2040:2    CREX 9063:  UP 9063;  CNW 8541    46381
    2041:2    CREX 9064;  UP 9064;  CNW 8542    46382 


C40-8W:  

    NEW        FORMER NUMBERS    SERIAL    NEW    FORMER NUMBERS    SERIAL

    2098        BNSF 865;  ATSF 865    46994        2167    BNSF 811;  ATSF 811    46940
    2099        BNSF 866   ATSF 866    46995        2168    BNSF 813;  ATSF 813    46942
    2135        BNSF 800;  ATSF 800    46929        2169    BNSF 815;  ATSF 815    46944
    2136        BNSF 802;  ATSF 802    46931        2170    BNSF 817;  ATSF 817    46946
    2137        BNSF 804;  ATSF 804    46933        2171    BNSF 819;  ATSF 819    46948
    2138        BNSF 806;  ATSF 806    46935        2172    BNSF 821;  ATSF 821    46950
    2139        BNSF 808;  ATSF 808    46937        2173    BNSF 823;  ATSF 823    46952
    2140        BNSF 810;  ATSF 810    46939        2174    BNSF 825;  ATSF 825    46954
    2141        BNSF 812;  ATSF 812    46941        2175    BNSF 827;  ATSF 827    46956
    2142        BNSF 814;  ATSF 814    46943        2176    BNSF 829;  ATSF 829    46958
    2143        BNSF 816;  ATSF 816    46945        2177    BNSF 831;  ATSF 831    46960
    2144        BNSF 818;  ATSF 818    46947        2178    BNSF 833;  ATSF 833    46962
    2145        BNSF 820;  ATSF 820    46949        2179    BNSF 835;  ATSF 835    46964
    2146        BNSF 822;  ATSF 822    46951        2180    BNSF 837;  ATSF 837    46966
    2147        BNSF 824;  ATSF 824    46953        2181    BNSF 839;  ATSF 839    46968
    2148        BNSF 826;  ATSF 826    46955        2182    BNSF 841;  ATSF 841    46970
    2149        BNSF 828;  ATSF 828    46957        2183    BNSF 843;  ATSF 843    46972
    2150        BNSF 830;  ATSF 830    46959        2184    BNSF 845;  ATSF 845    46974
    2151        BNSF 832;  ATSF 832    46961        2185    BNSF 847;  ATSF 847    46976
    2152        BNSF 834;  ATSF 834    46963        2186    BNSF 849;  ATSF 849    46978
    2153        BNSF 836;  ATSF 836    46965        2187    BNSF 851;  ATSF 851    46980
    2154        BNSF 838;  ATSF 838    46967        2188    BNSF 853;  ATSF 853    46982
    2155        BNSF 840;  ATSF 840    46969        2189    BNSF 854;  ATSF 854    46983
    2156        BNSF 842;  ATSF 842    46971        2190    BNSF 855;  ATSF 855    46984
    2157        BNSF 844;  ATSF 844    46973        2191    BNSF 856;  ATSF 856    46985
    2158        BNSF 846;  ATSF 846    46975        2192    BNSF 857;  ATSF 857    46986
    2159        BNSF 848;  ATSF 848    46977        2193    BNSF 858;  ATSF 858    46987
    2160        BNSF 850;  ATSF 850    46979        2194    BNSF 859;  ATSF 859    46988
    2161        BNSF 852;  ATSF 852    46981        2195    BNSF 860;  ATSF 860    46989
    2162        BNSF 801;  ATSF 801    46930        2196     BNSF 861;  ATSF 861    46990
    2163        BNSF 803;  ATSF 803    46932        2197    BNSF 862;  ATSF 862    46991
    2164        BNSF 805;  ATSF 805    46934        2198    BNSF 863;  ATSF 863    46992
    2165        BNSF 807;  ATSF 807    46936        2199    BNSF 864;  ATSF 864    46993
    2166        BNSF 809;  ATSF 809    46938

George Redmond snapped this ex-CREX C40-8 lineup including CN 2030 in the CN “B yard” at Centralia, IL in February.

On March 21st, CN C40-8W 2196 leads southbound A432 out of Centralia, Il.

CN (ex-GMTX/ex-EMDX) SD60 STATUS

All 43 second-hand EMD SD60 (3,800 hp) locomotives that CN acquired from GMTX last year, have now been repainted, upgraded to CN specifications, and in service.   As well, this newest group of 47 EMDX Oakway’s have been gathering at Centralia, IL and since early March, power short CN has begun preparing them and placing many of them in service with CN patches.    In March CN 5457 was moved to Woodcrest, presumably for shopping there.

Patched and in Service: (From the second group of Ex-EMDX SD60's):

5445, 5456, 5461, 5476, 5479 and 5484. 

 

Painted and in service:


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

George Redmond was first to catch CN 5414 In new paint on March 27th at the CN engine facility at Centralia, IL.

Compiled below are the 47 new EMD SD60’s in the EMDX 9000-series that CN has now purchased, and have included the previous GMTX units for a total of 90 SD60s added to the CN roster.

CN  (ex-Oakway) SD60 Roster:

     NEW        FORMER NUMBERS               SERIAL                 NEW           FORMER NUMBERS        SERIAL

    5400:2    GMTX 9013; OKAY 9013    867150-14            5445:2    EMDX 9002; OKAY 9002    867150-03
    5401:2    GMTX 9020; OKAY 9020    867150-21            5446:2    EMDX 9003; OKAY 9003    867150-04
    5402:2    GMTX 9023; OKAY 9023    867150-24            5447:2    EMDX 9004; OKAY 9004    867150-05
    5403:2    GMTX 9027; OKAY 9027    867150-28            5448:2    EMDX 9005; OKAY 9005    867150-06
    5404:2    GMTX 9030; OKAY 9030    867150-31            5449:2    EMDX 9006; OKAY 9006    867150-07
    5405:2    GMTX 9033; OKAY 9033    867150-34            5450:2    EMDX 9007; OKAY 9007    867150-08
    5406:2    GMTX 9034; OKAY 9034    867150-35            5451:2    EMDX 9008; OKAY 9008    867150-09
    5407:2    GMTX 9035; OKAY 9035    867150-36            5452:2    EMDX 9009; OKAY 9009    867150-10
    5408:2    GMTX 9036; OKAY 9036    867150-37            5453:2    EMDX 9010; OKAY 9010    867150-11
    5409:2    GMTX 9037; OKAY 9037    867150-38            5454:2    EMDX 9011; OKAY 9011    867150-12
    5410:2    GMTX 9040; OKAY 9040    867150-41            5455:2    EMDX 9012; OKAY 9012    867150-13
    5411:2    GMTX 9042; OKAY 9042    867150-43            5456:2   EMDX 9015; OKAY 9015    867150-16
    5412:2    GMTX 9043; OKAY 9043    867150-44            5457:2    EMDX 9017; OKAY 9017    867150-18
    5413:2    GMTX 9045; OKAY 9045    867150-46            5458:2    EMDX 9018; OKAY 9018    867150-19
    5414:2    GMTX 9046; OKAY 9046    867150-47            5459:2    EMDX 9019; OKAY 9019    867150-20
    5415:2    GMTX 9050; OKAY 9050    867150-51            5460       EMDX 9021; OKAY 9021    867150-22
    5416:2    GMTX 9051; OKAY 9051    867150-52            5461       EMDX 9022; OKAY 9022    867150-23
    5417:2    GMTX 9053; OKAY 9053    867150-54            5462       EMDX 9024; OKAY 9024    867150-25
    5418:2    GMTX 9054; OKAY 9054    867150-55            5463       EMDX 9025; OKAY 9025    867150-26
    5419:2    GMTX 9055; OKAY 9055    867150-56            5464       EMDX 9026; OKAY 9026    867150-27
    5420:2    GMTX 9056; OKAY 9056    867150-57            5465       EMDX 9028; OKAY 9028    867150-29
    5421:2    GMTX 9057; OKAY 9057    867150-58            5466       EMDX 9029; OKAY 9029     867150-30
    5422:2    GMTX 9058; OKAY 9058    867150-59            5467       EMDX 9031; OKAY 9031    867150-32
    5423:2    GMTX 9060; OKAY 9060    867150-61            5468       EMDX 9032; OKAY 9032    867150-33
    5424:2    GMTX 9064; OKAY 9064    867150-65            5469       EMDX 9038; OKAY 9038    867150-39
    5425:2    GMTX 9066; OKAY 9066    867150-67            5470       EMDX 9039; OKAY 9039    867150-40
    5426:2    GMTX 9069; OKAY 9069    867150-70            5471       EMDX 9047; OKAY 9047    867150-48
    5427:2    GMTX 9071; OKAY 9071    867150-72            5472       EMDX 9048; OKAY 9048    867150-49
    5428:2    GMTX 9073; OKAY 9073    867150-74            5473       EMDX 9049; OKAY 9049    867150-50
    5429:2    GMTX 9074; OKAY 9074    867150-75            5474       EMDX 9052; OKAY 9052    867150-53
    5430:2    GMTX 9075; OKAY 9075    867150-76            5475       EMDX 9063; OKAY 9063    867150-64
    5431:2    GMTX 9076; OKAY 9076    867150-77            5476       EMDX 9065; OKAY 9065    867150-66
    5432:2    GMTX 9078; OKAY 9078    867150-79            5477       EMDX 9068; OKAY 9068    867150-69
    5433:2    GMTX 9079; OKAY 9079    867150-80            5478       EMDX 9070; OKAY 9070    867150-71
    5434:2    GMTX 9080; OKAY 9080    867150-81            5479       EMDX 9072; OKAY 9072    867150-73
    5435:2    GMTX 9085; OKAY 9085    867150-86            5480       EMDX 9077; OKAY 9077    867150-78
    5436:2    GMTX 9086; OKAY 9086    867150-87            5481       EMDX 9081; OKAY 9081    867150-82
    5437:2    GMTX 9087; OKAY 9087    867150-88            5482       EMDX 9083; OKAY 9083    867150-84
    5438:2    GMTX 9089; OKAY 9089    867150-90            5483       EMDX 9084; OKAY 9084    867150-85
    5439:2    GMTX 9092; OKAY 9092    867150-93            5484       EMDX 9088; OKAY 9088    867150-89
    5440:2    GMTX 9095; OKAY 9095    867150-96            5485       EMDX 9090; OKAY 9090    867150-91
    5441:2    GMTX 9097; OKAY 9097    867150-98            5486       EMDX 9091; OKAY 9091    867150-92
    5442:2    GMTX 9099; OKAY 9099   867150-100           5487       EMDX 9093; OKAY 9093    867150-94
    5443:2    EMDX 9000; OKAY 9000    867150-01            5488      EMDX 9096; OKAY 9096     867150-97
    5444:2    EMDX 9001; OKAY 9001    867150-02            5489      EMDX 9098; OKAY 9098     867150-99

 Notes: 

 ·         Providence & Worcester leased two of the SD60’s, GMTX 9014 and 9059.  

·          ·         Six GMTX SD60’s were leased to NYSW:  GMTX 9016, 9044, 9061, 9067, 9082 and 9094.  

·          ·         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

On February 12th George Redmond snapped CN 5445 at the CN engine facility at Centralia, IL.  

 

Dave Burroughs caught a pair of SD60’s; CN 5403 and BCOL 4601  on train #148 at Copetown, ON, March 20th and patched CN 5461 in Oakway paint as trailing power on an unknown CN train on the Halton Sub in Burlington, ON. March 21st.

 

 

CN 5473 was still littered EMDX 9049 March 20th, but will shortly be repainted at  the CN engine facility.  Following her prep work note the rebuilt trucks, CN 5463 sticker  and her new wheels, CN is taking good care of these SD60’s.

 

Mark Perry snapped CN 5476 at Symington March 25th.

 

On March 13th Joe Ferguson at Effingham, IL, these new patched SD60’s (CN 5445, 5454, and 5476) were  moved north D-I-T, to be put into service. 

 

LATE NEWS:  CN SD60 5467 was photographed in new paint and being completed for service March 28th.  5467 is the first  locomotive of the 2nd group of ex-EMDX SD60’s to be painted. At the Centralia. IL paint shop.

 

CN Locos Sold or Retired

 

Retired in 2013:

 

CN Hump Slug 508  

CN GP9RM 7024, and 7051.

 

Sold in 2013

 

In mid-March, Canadian National Railway sold track inspection theatre car  car CN 1060 “Sanford Fleming” and CN heavyweight platform observation car 1058  to the Canadian Pacific Railway where they will be numbered CP 2 and CP 1. In mid-march they were enroute from CN Woodcrest Shop to Quality Rail in East St. Louis, IL for repaint. 

 

 

 George Redmond caught the cars after departing Chicago and  arriving at the CN yard in Du Quoin, IL  March 18th  with  IC 3102, GTW 5944, and business cars CP2 and CP1.    

 

 

BCOL B39-8E 1700, 3901-3911 (inclusive), were all retired back in 2011 with 3911  retired in December 2009  and stored in the former IC yard at Centralia, IL.  The ex-BC Rail B39-8Es were shipped out the second week of February 2013, some destined to Mobile, AL, and others billed to Baton Rouge, LA.  A few are being prepared for export, with reports suggesting they are destined to FIT in Mexico.

    

CN Shop Repairs & Repaints

Released from the CN Transcona shop early in the month, freshly painted GTW SD40-3 5949 was snapped on March 15th by Ron Visockis in Belleville ON  

 

 

On March 21st George Redmond snapped  CN 9455, and repainted IC 3102 on a southbound switch engine move at Centralia, IL.

 

Three days later, Richard Marchi snapped the same unit CN Tacshereau Yard in Montreal, QC March 17th.  Note she sports a new electronic bell.

 

 

RDC Track Evaluation Car CN 1501 is ready to depart Woodcrest for its next assignment January 31, 2013.

 

 

CN Hump GP38-2 7500 freshly overhauled, and repainted at Woodcrest shop arch 2, 2013, the unit has been returned to Toronto.
 

Freshly repainted CN/WC GP40-2 3027 was seen moving west through Ontario and arrived in Symington Yard (Winnipeg, MB) March 11th.    On March 9th, Dave Schauer  (AKA Missabe Road) clicked WC 3027  on Q119 near Duluth, MN.   It was painted at the Transcona Shop.  Sibling WC 3026 has also been repainted into CN uniform.      

On a dull March 1st in Centralia IL, George Redmond snapped two colourful units EJ&E 674 and GTW 5944.  

Back on February 19th, 1988, Pierre Fournier was walking the deadline at the CN Pointe St Charles Shop in Montreal, and shot wreck damaged CN SD40 5170.  One year earlier, the SD40 was sideswiped by a load that got loose from a passing freight.

 

CN Locomotives in the 15-year anniversary scheme:

 C40-8:  2107, 2112, 2113, 2115, 2124, 2128

GP9RM:  7258

GP38-2:  7505

CN News

 

CN is attempting to compete for movement of Bakken crude oil traffic from North Dakota, to the Irving oil refinery in St John, NB.  As CRO went to press, there had been four trains in as many months.  CN Train 700 is shown on March 29th departing Montreal eastbound with a heavy train and nice mix of six-axle CN power.

 

 

 

Hot off the press! CN SPOTLIGHT  February 27, 2013 edition 

http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/cnspot0313.pdf

 

 Numéro du 27 février 2013 FRE n primeur!  PLEINS FEUX CN Link

http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/cnspot0313f.pdf

History of the CN “Noodle”:    http://cprailmmsub.blogspot.ca/2011/03/happy-birthday-cn-wet-noodle.html

 

CN Photos

GREAT SHOT! Eric Bitton photographed CN C40-8 2107 (Ex –UP/nee-CNW) and SD40u 6017 on a raw ore train at Iron Jct. on 8/13/2012.


 

Eric also  snapped DMIR SD40 - 3 407 (Ex - SP SD45T - 2) leading IC SD40-3  6253 and 6263 on an iron ore empty passing over the NSSR Line which is also Ex-Missabe in Two Harbors, MN on 6/30/2012. 407's Nathan P5 was awesome.

 

 

Under light drizzle and  dark skies, Dave Burroughs caught 422 on  March  7th passing through Bayview, ON  just after 10:00 am.  The units are CN 8938, IC 1016, IC1000, CN 2832 (being delivered).

 

 

 

CN action at Bayview, ON:   

 

On March 1oth, Walter Pfefferle videoed VIA 72 and CN 148  passing through at restricted speed while work is done on the Mille Street Bridge in Woodstock ON.  New beams are being installed to allow for increased track speed now that the new diamond has been installed. The track speed is to be increased to 60 for freight, and 80 for VIA trains.  The video also includes CP Oil and Ethanol tank trains at Zorra on the Galt Sub mile 94.7).

A pair of former DM&IR SD38-2s switch freight traffic at Proctor Yard on March 10 as an empty ore train bound for U.S. Steel’s Minntac plant prepares to depart behind SD40u 6024. DM&IR 215 is one of only two Missabe-painted units still on the roster (DM&IR SD40-3 403 is the other).

A loaded ore train from United Taconite rolls south towards Proctor (MN) after a fresh snow on March 10. Recently repainted SD40-2W 5244 is leading. CN continues to use a combination of older DM&IR ore cars and newer CN-purchase cars.  

 

A loaded limestone train ascends the 2.2% of Proctor Hill in Duluth, Minnesota on March 10 behind an interesting combination of power. The limestone is used as an additive in the taconite (iron ore) pelletizing process. 

 

Pierre Fournier submitted these cab shots aboard Train 121, CN 2221 meeting CN Train 310 19/12/06.  

 

The engineer’s view from Train 121, aboard CN 2221.

 

CN Vignettes

Jim Parker kindly submitted these terrific CN "Vignette" scenes from the Toronto area: 

CN FP9A 6518 in Toronto October 1967.

 

CNR FP9A 6519 in the green, black, and gold (Date Unknown).


 CN FP9A 6504 and RS18 3126 at the Spadina Diesel Shop in October 1965

An FP9A (CN 6523) an FPB4 and FPA4 pass through Oshawa, ON in September 1968. 

  
 

EMD CN FP9A 6519 and MLW passenger power at Spadina in 1971.  PHOTO

 

CN FP9A 6520 surrounded by classic power at Spadina in 1974.  PHOTO

 

CN FP9A 6537 and siblings in Toronto in April 1967, not the Alco switchers in the background still in CNR black and gold paint. PHOTO

 

Under the watchful eye of the “Covers Canada and Spans the world” Bank of Montreal billboard, CN FP9A 6532 leads a Rapido train into Toronto Union Station in the late 1960’s.  PHOTO

 

CN 6532 looks immaculate after repaint in Toronto in 1967.  PHOTO

 

CN FP9A 6525 sits at the Spadina Fuel rack in May 1967.   PHOTO

CNR F9B 6625 in Toronto in 1973 with a pair of GP9’s.

CNR  F7A 9046 sports the early Canadian National Railways green and gold paint scheme.   No info on the photo but the four track main line and groomed grass hillside suggest this could be Sunnyside, ON, located  just west of Toronto sometime in the late 1950’s.

Fairbanks-Morse road switcher CN 2201 leads a spectacular lash up of three builders (CLC H-16-44, GMDD GP9 and MLW RS18) as they pass through Oshawa Station in 1963. (Jim Parker).

CN FM-built CFA-16-4 9300 and sibling at Toronto in September 1956.  

©CRO April 2013