This issue of CRO is dedicated to the memory of my friend Ken Lanovich, who passed away in September 2013. These photos of Ken are courtesy of Mike Garza, with our thanks.

CN GE ES44AC locomotives (A new 2nd Order):

Over the summer, CN placed an second order for thirty more ES44AC locomotives from GE, and cancelled their EMD order for SD70ACe’s. The new GE’s will be numbered CN 2835-2864, and are expected by year end.

Their previous ES44AC order (CN 2800-2834), are in service assigned to trains operating in the west. These are the first AC locomotives on the Canadian National roster. As we went to press, the only unit out of service is CN 2823, completing repairs at Soulanges Industries following a collision with a coal loader a few months ago.

CN Dash 8-40C / C40-8W STATUS:

The first (and ONLY) locomotive of the CREX 9023-9064 to adorn the CN uniform was C40-8 2034, released from Quality Rail July 19th and entered service soon after. In August CRO learned the remainder of this CREX fleet will not be done until 2014.

The 42 C40-8s (4000 hp) will be numbered CN 2000-2041. 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, and then completed at either Centralia Shop, 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.

On July 19th, CN C40-8 2034 (ex-CREX 9057, exx-UP 9057, nee-CNW 8535), became the first of the CREX group to be painted in full CN livery.

Compiled below are all the more recent ex-CREX, and the older 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:

Notes: The very first CN 2000 to 2024 number series were GP9’s from 1955 which became CN 4451-4475 a year later. CN 2000:2 to 2024:2 and CN 2025 to 2043 MLW C-630M, so the ex-UP are 2000:3 to 2024:3 and 2025:2 to 2041:2.(Martin Bauman with thanks),

C40-8W:

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 been repainted, upgraded to CN specifications, and all are in service. As well, 21 units from the 2nd group of 47 EMDX Oakway’s, have been painted at Centralia, IL, and in service.

Painted and in Service:

CN 5400-5442 inclusive (all from the 1st group of Ex-GMTX SD6o’s).

CN 5443, 5445, 5447, 5448, 5449, 5452, 5456, 5459, 5461, 5463, 5465*, 5466*, 5467, 5473, 5474, 5475, 5476, 5479, 5480, 5484, and 5486 (all from the 2ndgroup of ex-EMDX SD60’s). At press time, CN 5465 and 5466 were wearing fresh paint but had not yet entered service. On August 3oth, George Redmond was first to catch CN 5475 in new paint at the CN engine facility at Centralia, Illinois.

Earlier on August 19th, CN 5443 and 5463 were clicked fresh from the shop at the CN engine facility in new paint, Centralia, IL.

The same day CN SD60 5466 was just popping out of the CN paint shop.

On August 1st CN SD60 5456 is seen in fresh paint at the CN engine facility at Centralia, IL on August 1st. . (George Redmond photo) 

CN 5445 was ready to enter service in new paint and ready to go July 23rd, when George shot her in Centralia, IL.

The first day of service since her release for CN 5474, shown heading a cut of cars northbound to the BNSF yard in Centralia, IL. This was the first Centralia switch engine for two days.

Compiled below are the 47 new EMD SD60’s in the EMDX 9000-series that CN recently purchased, along with the previous ex-GMTX units, for a total of 90 EMD SD60’s added to the CN roster.

CN (ex-Oakway) SD60 Roster:

Notes:

• Providence & Worcester leased two of the SD60’s, GMTX 9014 and 9059.  
• Six SD60’s GMTX 9016, 9044, 9061, 9067, 9082 and 9094 are leased to NYSW.
• 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.
• OakwaySD60 9062 was wrecked and scrapped in the 1990’s.

CN 5484 was at the CN engine facility Centralia, IL, June 6th,then departed the shop June 7th and entered service. Photo by George Redmond.

Retired in 2013:

CN GP9RM 7027
CN GP9RM 7211, 7236, and 7269
CN GP9RM 7267 RETIRED IN AUGUST 2013
EJE SW1001 446
WC SW1500 1552 RETIRED IN AUGUST 2013.

CN Locomotives for sale

CN held a locomotive surplus sale disposing of 50 of their smaller units. Some of these on the list below were sold for scrap during July – August at the Woodcrest Shop, specifically the 11 retired EMD IC SW14 switchers and several other units that could not be moved. Locomotives that were sold and left the property included CN GP9RM 7007, now MVPX 7007, CN GP9RM 7076 and 7225 now IBCX 7076 and IBCX 7225. Interestingly, for ex- CN Geeps, Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) GP9u 1310, 1312, and 1313 and CN GP9RM 7007 were all sold to MVPX in August.

CN also sold GMD1 1415, 1418, and GP9RM 7216 to (WRIX) Western Railroad Inc as we went to press on August 25th. Here is their website: http://www.westernrailinc.com/

Below are the locomotives being disposed of by CN and is compiled by railroad and loco number: and includes the model and the year Built/Rebuilt, status if sold, and last known location.

CN 201 SLUG  SOLD TO LETX Markham Yard
CN 202 SLUG Edmonton
CN 233 SLUG 1987 Transcona
CN 251 SLUG Edmonton
CN264 SLUG 1966 Symington
CN 266 SLUG 1966 Vancouver
CN 269 SLUG 1966 Symington
CN 271 SLUG 1993 Edmonton
CN 272 SLUG Prince George, BC
CN 275 SLUG 1993 Melville, SK.
CN 501 SLUG 1978 Symington
CN 508 SLUG 1978 Edmonton
CN 1379 SW1200RS 1960 Edmonton
CN 1375 SW1200RS 1960 Woodcrest
CN1415 GMD1 1989 Woodcrest
CN1406 GMD1 1989 Edmonton
CN 1407 GMD1 1989 Edmonton
CN 1415 GMD1 1989 SOLD TO WRIX Markham Yard
CN 1418 GMD11989 SOLD TO WRIX Markham Yard
CN7007 GP9RM SOLD TO MVPX Markham Yard
CN 7018 GP9RM 1985 Symington
CN 7041 GP9RM 1988 Symington
CN 7045 GP9RM 1992 Transcona
CN 7051 GP9RM 1990 Transcona
CN 7064 GP9RM 1992 Prince George
CN 7076 GP9RM Markham Yard (SOLD to IBCX)
CN 7207 GP9RM 1985 Edmonton
CN 7210 GP9RM 1985 Vancouver
CN7211 GP9RM 1985 Symington
CN 7216 GP9RM SOLD TO WRIX Markham Yard
CN 7225 GP9RM SOLD to IBCX Markham Yard
CN 7235 GP9RM 1987 Edmonton
CN7236 GP9RM 1987 Symington
CN 7244 GP9RM 1988 Prince George
CN 7249 GP9RM 1990 Edmonton
CN 7218 GP9RM 1986 Transcona
CN 7259 GP9RM 1990 Transcona
CN7262 GP9RM 1990 Symington
GTW4618 GP9RB 1989 (SOLD TO IBCX Markham Yard)
IC 1477 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC1484 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC1490 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1491 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1496 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1498 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1500 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1501 SW7 1980 (Scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1505 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1507 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1509 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
IC 1511 SW14 1980 (scrapped at Woodcrest)
WC 1560 SW1500 1970 Woodcrest

In late-August and early-September the following units moved off CN property to their new owners: MVPX 7007, IBCX 4618, WRIX 1415, WRIX 7216 and LETX 201 were seen at ready to depart Markham Yard September 1st. Martin Simane snapped MVPX 7007 in the yard September 2nd.

 

The first two repainted CN business cars were released from the Woodcrest Shop in September. The first two completed were “TAWAW and “CHAMPLAIN”, and are painted in CNR 1950’s inspired colours of yellow CANADIAN NATIONAL lettering below the windows, with olive green and black sides, Note there is no CNR “Maple Leaf” or red “Wafer” logo on the cars and therefore these are not wearing the actual 1950’s livery. The “Champlain” is a brand new name and is a heavyweight clerestory roof car, which we suspect was previously an IC car with an AMTK number. Ian Campbell caught the pair of them at Symington Yard (Winnipeg, MB) on their very first assignment on September 7th.

Illinois Central black GP40R’s 3103, 3106, and 3120 arrived at Centralia Shop in August for CN repaint. On August 4th George Redmond caught IC 3103, and 3120.

CN GP38-2W 4761 looked great in fresh paint at Symington on September 7th. (Ian Campbell photo).

GTW GP38-2 5858 was inside the Centralia Paint shop for CN repaint August 26th and was shot by Matthew Schimmel last month in storage at Centralia.

Locomotives noted in Montreal on August 27th:

On August 27th, your Editor and my good friend John Duncan compiled this Taschereau Yard locomotive round up August 27th. CN SD75I 5642, CN GP38-2 4706, CN GP28-2W 4808, CN Slug 274 (alone), CN C40-8W 2176, and CN 2579. We will have the best photos we shot coming next month. On the evening of September 4th, Eric Aucoin bagged an ex-IC NW2 (RNIX 1001) that later departed Taschereau Yard on the CSX to Selkirk Yard in New York.

On September 2nd, CN U700 was the first Crude Oil unit train for Ultramar - Valero ran that evening toward the St-Romuald plant with CN 5408, 2098 and 8919 . It ran as U70091-01 with 98 cars. (2 of the cars were buffer cars from BNSF). Where it originated is unknown, but once empty it will run as a U70121-xx. On September 1st, CN ran a U78521-01 toward Maitland, ON. Once Ultramar has four 17 cars sets available, they run as a dedicated CN train. (Thanks to Patrick DeLarue)

Francois Jolin shot the first CN crude oil train for Ultramar on September 2nd. CN U700 is seen rolling through Cedars (Dorion, QC) with CN SD60 5403 leading a pair of GE’s.

Canadian National and the Canadian Pacific Railway have begun to strengthen their safety measures in the wake of the Lac-Megantic, Quebec accident. Canada’s entire railway industry had come under scrutiny after the tragedy and both of Canada’s largest railways were quick to respond and take immediate precautions. “The recent situation gave us a chance to thoroughly review our safety procedures, as we do on an ongoing basis,” said CP spokesman Ed Greenberg. These new revisions included: locking unattended locomotives outside terminals, increasing brake-setting procedures and ensuring that cars carrying chemicals or hazardous products are monitored on all main-line trackage he said. Also, Greenberg declined to comment on the cost of these amendments as CP, which is the country’s second-biggest railway, will report quarterly earnings on July 24. Also in July, CN had “commenced a review of all train secure-ment measures after the accident to further strengthen its safety policies,” said CN spokesman Mark Hallman in an e-mail. Sources reported that the changes on both railways come ahead of widely anticipated rule changes by Canadian regulators as the investigation in Lac-Megantic continued. Throughout July, Transport Canada was “gathering evidence to determine if rules and regulations under the Railway Safety Act and the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act had been followed,” said the spokeswoman for the federal agency Maryse Durette.

Since the Montreal Maine & Atlantic (MM&) Lac Megantic, QC disaster July 6th, CN have begun hauling the crude oil trains for Irving Oil in New Brunswick. At Longueuil, QC August 12tgh, Guy Pascal Arcouette caught CN 2223 and BCOL 4818 hauling M30921-12 with cars from the Ultamar Refinery bound for Maitland, ON (Former 785 combined with 309) (Thanks to Patrick Delarue).

A very strange looking car was on a CN train in early September in Markham yard … The engineer took these shots just for CRO. Some believe this may be the prototype for the CN’s new Natural Gas Fuel Tender now being built (See Link):
http://www.westport.com/news/2013/cn-railway-orders-four-lng-tenders-westport-launches-new-product-serve-natgas-needs-railroad-market

In August, CN ES44AC 2806 departed left Montreal on M36821 20 enroute to Garneau, QC the first visit of an AC locomotive this far east. On July 3rd, Tim Stevens photographed CN 2806 in Pedley, Alberta on the Edson Sub with an empty coal train enroute to Tack Coal in Leyland.

Work has been completed on the Canadian National Railway bridge spanning the Fox River in Oshkosh August 19th and 20th as old sections of the bridge were removed and a new span was floated into place with CN Train traffic resuming on the 20th. Video of the 2nd train crossing the bridge:
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20130820/OSH0101/130820030/New-railroad-bridge-span-put-into-place-over-Fox-River-Videos-photos-stories-?nclick_check=1

On August 5th At Mile 22.6 on the CP Parry Sound Sub Wayne D. Shaw photographed this CN stack train crossing over Parry Sound Harbour on the 1, 695-foot CP trestle bridge just south of Parry Sound, ON. Both CN and CP operate directional running here, with north bounds on CP trackage, and south bounds on CN trackage.

On August 3rd, Richard Marchi bagged these ex-AMT RBRX GP9u’s at Taschereau Yard in enroute to their new owners, “MVPX” in Chicago. The trio are now in Chicago

On August 24th, Christopher Bodkin clicked several trains including CN train A432 passing through Carbondale, IL with 5 units; CN SD70M-2 8961, C44-9WL 2516, SD70M-2 8831, C40-8M 2434, and IC GP38-2 9566, which was originally GM&O 746.

At Carbondale the morning of August 24th Chris caught southbound M336 with CN SD70M-2 8898, IC C40-8W 2458 and CN C40-8M 2437.

CN SD70M-2 8941 and Sibling blast westbound out of Montreal in August with the CP’s Vaudreuil Subdivision in the background.

 

CN has now repaired and repainted  IC Caboose 9415 at the CN engine facility at Centralia, IL.  and it will positioned behind the IC 2500 Steam Engine at Fairview Park in Centralia, IL.  This caboose was built in 1972 at the CN car shops in Centralia, IL.  

IC 4-8-2 #2500 was the first of this group to be rebuilt in the IC's Paducah Shops starting in 1937. The Shop was able to save the very first engine from the 55 or so engines in this group and she displayed here and soon with the IC caboose as well.

On July 28th, CN 8892 and CN 2583 are seen rolling a BNSF coal train westbound over CP's Lethbridge Viaduct in Lethbridge, Alberta. CN has been helping CP with coal trains from BNSF since June 2013. Photo by Braedan Dunne

Nicolas Houde caught an unusual visitor on the CN main line at Les Coteaux, QC on August 15th: GE ES44AC CP 8861 leading CN 327 (CSX MTL-SELKIRK, NY), repaying Horse Power Hours to CN (while in Canada) and to CSX (when stateside). It stayed repaying HPH on CSX for several days.

The same CN/CSX train was snapped later crossing the Beauharnois Canal over the Laroque lift bridge at Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC on the CSX Montreal Sub. As the photographer Nicolas Houde mentioned to us, it is extremely rare to have a CP unit on the CN 326/327 consist, especially on the lead!

Jim Booth caught a pair of rare CN SD38-2’s CN 1652 (ex-CN 5709) and 1650 at Lloydminster AB, in August.

CN Train A40121-30 moved three ex-Quebec North Shore and Labrador Dash 8-40CM’s, (QNS&L 401-402-402), and were labeled as AEX 100017-100018-100019, were waybilled to Enola, PA The new owner is The Andersons Inc, The Andersons Inc. always use 6-digit number series on their locomotives. The trio departed Enola on Sept 8th on an NS freight and at press time were headed South on the NS Lurgan Sub between Harrisburg, PA and Hagerstown, MD. The new owner is The Andersons Inc, and the units are destined for possibly Kentucky. The Andersons Inc. always use a 6-digit number series on their locomotives.    Eric Aucoin snapped these in CN Tachereau on August 30th. 

CN Vignettes:

Canadian National Railways 2-6-0 #90 works hard in Trenton, ON. July 17-1956. (Ron Visockis collection).

Canadian National Railways 4-6-2 # 5503 at Fredericton, NB July 27-1955. (Ron Visockis collection)

For some reason, CN C424’s were very elusive to your Editor, in fact I never saw one in service on CN in the 1970’s, or 1980’s. On a guided tour of CN Taschereau yard in 1987, I did finally photograph three of them in the dead line already stripped of parts. My friend, Pierre Fournier was fortunate to capture them (CN 3208/3223) in their glory leading CN 529 on a switching move, and passing the cemetery in St-Lambert, QC at St-Georges Street on May 27th, 1985.

CN train 311 barrels through town with M630 2028. Pierre Fournier shot the Big M’s passing 40-Fooot Box Cars in St-Leonard QC June 5th, 1988.

© CRO September 2013