SHORTLINES & REGIONALS
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Greg Shevchenko submitted these SRY shots taken in New Westminster, BC February 5th, In the yard he clicked Chemistry Industry Association of Canada safety tank car CCPX 901, and later the “Valley Job” with SRY SD38 381, 382 and caboose A3.
During February, J&L Consulting was focused on prepping and receiving the first two units for the CP GP9u (EMD GP20CECO) remanufacturing program. Transferred from Coquitlam, BC were JLCX 1612 1618 1691 1530 1652. Two of them were inside the SRY shop for Fluid drains and then delivery this week to our spur track for start of dismantle. JLCX SW1200RS 1256 (ex-CN 1256) departed New Westminster , BC on BNSF last month and arrived at the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad (POVA) shops in Washington to complete her qualification, as the SRY shop was too busy. JLCX GP9’s 1315, 1604, 1757, and GP16 1823 are at the Railserve shops in Longview, TX for qualification and rebuilds, and JLCX GP38-2 2886 has arrived at Evraz Steel in Oregon. In the January 2013 CRO Mark Zulkosky made the assumption that the GMD1 operating at the Parish & Heimbecker terminal in Tisdale, SK had left the property. On Feb 2, 2013 I was in the area and caught the unit tucked closely to the elevator. This unit holds some significant history. Former passenger GMD1 1901, this unit was also one of the few GMD1s to apparently never go through the CN rebuilding program. It is still given the designation GMD1 while most others were known as GMD1u or GMD1m. It never had A1A trucks and still sports the spark arrestors! GMD1 1900 is currently at the Winnipeg museum that is located inside the VIA rail station.
On February 7th, Mark got a ride on the Torch River Rail, a small shortline on former CP trackage between Choiceland and Nipawin, Saskatchewan. In 2008 TRR purchased the track from CP, and acquired the 2007 retired ex-CN GMD1u 1432. It was a particularly long train of 30 cars for three producer sites. Due to its small footprint, the train only makes infrequent per season. This picture was taken in White Fox, SK while the crew made to cuts of cars.
The Great Western Railway (GWRS) in Southern Saskatchewan has purchased Arkansas and Oklahoma ( AOK ) B23-7’s 4062 and 4064. These are ex-NS 4062 and 4064, nee-CR 1974 and 1976 and join two B40-8W’s and five M420W’s already on the GWRS roster. Mark Perry snapped DLCX SW9 143 visiting the Symington Shop February 25th. DLCX SW9 143 is billed to ILS in Edson, AB (c/o Sand Sources Services).
We have an update to our February post concerning the demise of rail service on Vancouver Island: The two bridges in question were tested in January and have passed safety inspections. A statement from SVI on January 9th, 2013 says that freight service will continue, and were waiting to see if VIA will sign on. The trains are again operating as before, with freight traffic ferried to and from the mainland.
After the heavy snow fall on February 8th, Walter Pfefferle ventured out and snapped this Ontario Southland train smashing the way through fresh powder at Beachville, ON with OSR SW1200RS 1249 and 1244.
One month earlier at Beachville, Walter bagged (former BC Rail) OSR M420W 644 and RS18u 182 with a fair sized train.
OSR VIGNETTE: On January 15th, 2009, James Gardiner took this great shot in February of Ontario Southland power lined up at Salford Shop with consisting of OSRX 51, OSRX 500, OSRX 183, OSRX 184 and OSRX 641 Photo taken with permission.
Following major repairs, Ontario Northland ONR SD75I 2101 has now returned to Active Service. James caught 2101 Parked behind the Diesel Shops at North Bay on a frosty, snowy afternoon in February. A Big Thank You to Chris Mong and Chris Wilson for taking James on a guided tour of the complex. ON 2101 performed 2 test runs between North Bay and Englehart after successful testing between North Bay and Feronia. 2101 has been out of service since winter of 2009 after a collision with a snowplow which derailed the unit.
Mike Robin snapped SD40-2 1733 sporting the Ontario Northand Railways new image at Englehart February 8th after repairs and repaint were ompleted at North Bay following a grade crossing collision in December 2012. The unit had it's class lights removed since they were damaged and Canadian railroads no longer use them. The unit is seen here teamed up with SD75I 2103 and SD40-2 1730 as the yard crew utilizes the lash up as yard power. Due to a noticeable lack of power, Englehart yard often utilizes the power from 113 or 214 to handle switching.
ONR GP9 1601 poses on the #3 track, at the south end of Cochrane Shop on February 6th.
On August 4th, 2009, Wayne D. Shaw photographed the “Polar Bear Express” passing over the Store Creek Bridge as it departs for Cochrane on a hot blackfly-season summer day in Moosonee, ON.
Goderich-Exeter (GEXR) had lots of freight traffic moving on the first weekend in February with two eastbound trains each day. On February 3rd, Tim Ball caught the second #432 led by LLPX GP38-2 2236 and sibling. #432 encountered a problem east of Kitchener, and set off the bad order cars at Paris & Heimbecker. This move delayed VIA #84, which followed behind the GEXR local all the way to Georgetown.
Agrium (phosphate) Kapuskasing, Ontario mining operations are ending in six months, and are looking to sell their two locomotives. AGRX EMD SW8u 7732 and AGRX EMD SW8 7731. They also have BMMX GMD1 1910 which is leased from NRE in Capreol, ON.
It now seems
CN has opting out, and Champion is willing to build the new rail
line between Labrador and Pointe Noire, QC. The ten new EMD SD70ACe’s built in Mexico by Bombardier Transportation, for QUEBEC NORTH SHORE & LABRADOR RAILWAY (QNSL 514-523) arrived in Canada January 10th, 2013 and have entered service. The Canadian Transportation Safety Board have released their report on QNSL runaway freight train LIM-55 that derailed at Mile 67.20 on the , Wacouna Subdivision at Dorée, Quebec on December 11th, 2012. Full report here: http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/rail/2011/r11q0056/r11q0056.asp Transport FerroviaireTshiuetin (TSH) Freight 701n got stuck in the deep snow at Mile 306.1 on February 7th. This following a series of consecutive snow storms in the region. The train crew were air evacuated by helicopter, and the locomotive was rescued two days later after snow equipment cleared the way.
In mid-February, TSH F40PHR 600 was stored unserviceable following severe frost damage. Tshiuetin Rail Transportation is considering rebuild and upgrade of both of their F40PHR's at EMD /Progress rail. Last month, Tshiuetin received approval for Capital appropriation funds from Transport Canada for the passenger train locomotives overhaul program. RFP's were sent to the known market players in this domain to submit their proposals and results should be known shortly. As well, HLCX SD40-2 7205, and 8176 are now at he QNSL diesel shop, and have had their PDD (Proximity Detection Device), new seats, and sat phones installed and continue to be activation to service. The HELM 6-axle pair sport Tshiuetin Rail Transportation logos on the long hoods. Michel Daoust shot HLCX 7205 last year after the logos were applied at MEI.
VIA MMC completed wheel work on ex- Falconbridge 506 a former TH&B SW9u 55 most recently owned by Xstrata in Belldune, NB It was moved to Montreal several months ago, and stored at CN Taschereau yard ever since.
A POM (Port of Montreal) crew was pushing eight cars into a siding a 4-mph at one of the container terminals on the island. Due to a radio problem, the brakeman was unable to give the remaining distance in the siding and was unable to reach the engineer. When he did get through, the engineer placed the train into emergency, but had already passed “end of track”, and derailed several cars. As can be seen, the well cars all remained upright and damage was minimal.
On February 5th, Francois Jolin snapped a Montreal Maine & Atlantic oil train charges east through Brookport bound for Saint John N.B, on a cold and crisp morning, The amazing lashup included CP SD60M 6260, MM&A 5018 CP 6066 MM&A 3000 3614.
Eastbound EMRY/NBSR crude oil train of February 2, 2013 rounds the curve at Bancroft, Maine, with HLCX SD40-2 (ex-BN) head out, trailed by shiny ES44DC BNSF 7286, and ancient CSX (ex-Conrail) CW40-8. This train arrived at Brownville Junction, Maine over MM&A before being handed over to EMRY/NBSR.
BNSF ES44DC 7286 trails former BN 8144 at Bancroft, Maine, February 3, 2013, on another eastbound EMRY/NBSR crude oil train.
Old soldier (and former Conrail unit) CSX CW40-8 is the trailing unit on the February 2, 2013 EMRY/NBSR eastbound crude-oil train bound for St. John, NB, seen crossing the Bancroft Road crossing at Bancroft, Maine.
BNSF AC4400CW 5643 and DASH9-44CW 5364 idle near the former Canadian Pacific Railway station at McAdam, NB, after arriving on a St. John bound oil train Sunday, February 3rd. These BNSF units came in over MM&A from Montreal, though now the crude oil trains arriving at Mattawamkeag from Pan Am Railways also frequently are led by up to three BNSF GE's and EMD's running through on EMRY/NBSR
In freshly paint and running, GATX leaser GMTX MP15DC 209 (ex-Manufacturers Railway 254) was delivered to Eastern Maine Railway/New Brunswick Southern at Mattawamkeag in the eastbound drop off Pan Am Railway on 14 February. The unit was at Pan Am Railway's Waterville Shop in December, and was apparently painted during its time in the shop. The unit may be destined to the pulp mill at Baileyville, Maine, which is served by New Brunswick Southern Railway off its St. Stephen, NB branch. The mill purchased the disconnected Pan Am branch in Maine in late December and is served directly by NBSR out of McAdam, NB.
Eastern Maine Railway/New Brunswick Southern Railway HLCX 6318 East is tied up on the mainline at Mattawamkeag, Maine February 23rd, after orders to depart Brownville Junction early. The Pan Am Railway drop was also held at Mattawamkeag due to congestion at BJCT. Departing was HLCX SD40-2 6318 ex- Chessie System SD40 878, then Pan Am SD40-2 606 (former Kansas City Southern "Snoot" SD40-2 681) and GMTX GP38-2 2666 trailing. The GMTX GP38-2, began its railroad career as a Louisville and Nashville GP38AC. The Pan Am Railway six-axle units, banned north of Waterville, Maine for many years, are now regulars on the Waterville -- Mattawamkeag run. This is because much of the Pan Am Railway Waterville -- Mattawamkeag line was upgraded last year, in anticipation of the crude oil traffic to St. John, NB. Snoot 606, arrived earlier on the daily EMRY/NBSR Brownville Junction -- St. John, NB train, not off Pan Am.
A last look at the Dominion Atlantic Railway (DAR): The monumental task of demolishing the last three Nova Scotia railroad bridges still spanning the western end of the former Dominion Atlantic Railway (DAR) has been completed in the land of the “Evangeline”. This web site not only has chronological photos showing the project over the last few years. But also video links showing the final blasting and teardown. http://ns1758.ca/rail/dar-bridge-sissiboo.html
©CRO March 2013 |
