Thursday Proto Photo, Apr 30/20

[Lenny53]

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[NYNE]

Taken minutes ago at Canton Junction in Massachusetts. (April 30, 2020) CSX local with two lumber loads moves onto the Stoughton Branch, while Amtrak's Northeast Regional 171 powers through on the mainline for New York and Washington.

[lock4244]

Sunrise on April 15 greets one of the still operating (at time of photo) C40-8M's of the original order. On arrival in Montreal it was placed in long term storage. Crew was having issues with the #4 traction motor. A mass retirement of these occurred a few days later, with around 30-35 being officially stricken from the roster, including a number of BC Rail units. With several hundred new GE's on the roster in the past year, and traffic levels dropping thanks to shutdown of economy, the draper taper era on CN inches closer to its close.

A few token ex CNW C40-8 and ex ATSF C40-8W were also retired.

[wes_sutton]

Back in July 1994 - an Alco 'World' waits in the quarry at Penrice, South Australia

Exploring the quarry by Bingley Hall, on Flickr

[Tom L]

There were a few posts/thread in the modeling forums somewhat recently about Foob BL 2 paint schemes and a fictional BL 3 loco, so in that spirit I present the following that came across my FB feed (no photo credit given).

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Kind of makes me want to do one thing of these is N scale

Tom L
Wellington CO

[C855B]

... A mass retirement of these occurred a few days later, with around 30-35 being officially stricken from the roster, including a number of BC Rail units. With several hundred new GE's on the roster in the past year, and traffic levels dropping thanks to shutdown of economy, the draper taper era on CN inches closer to its close. ...

Say it ain't so!    I was appreciating one of the BC Rail units just a couple of weeks ago as it passed through town. I guess I need to make a run over to the roundhouse (Centralia) and see if that dead line with a whole bunch of 'em is still here. If so, probably should enable recording on the railcam in the instance of a funeral train.

[Lenny53]

Sunrise on April 15 greets one of the still operating (at time of photo) C40-8M's of the original order. On arrival in Montreal it was placed in long term storage. Crew was having issues with the #4 traction motor. A mass retirement of these occurred a few days later, with around 30-35 being officially stricken from the roster, including a number of BC Rail units. With several hundred new GE's on the roster in the past year, and traffic levels dropping thanks to shutdown of economy, the draper taper era on CN inches closer to its close.

A few token ex CNW C40-8 and ex ATSF C40-8W were also retired.

CN is putting 30 units up for sale;  18 C40-8Ms all in the 2400 series,  5 exCNW C40-8s and 7 exATSF C40-8Ws. I have not heard of any of the BCOL units being set aside and not even sure if CN has title on the BC units.

[lock4244]

BCOL 4606, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 24 listed in CN system as retired. 4610 Markham, 4613 Kirk, all others Centrailia. BCOL are in their 30th year, so if still owned by lessor, that's one long lease. Owned by province?

2400, 01, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 26, 28, 29, 35, 42, 45, 53 listed in CN system as retired various locations, majority in Centralia. Interestingly no 2421's first time... was retired in 2019 and then reinstated not long after. ALso of note 2421 was DP equipped. There may be one other so equipped, but cannot confirm. in 2014 I shot 372 on Kingston Sub CN 2421, 5469, 1412, 4131, DPU BCOL 4645.

2106, 14, 21, 27, 54, 58, 61, 69, 73, 87, 97  listed in CN system as retired various locations, majority in Centralia.

Noteworthy none of the ex LMS units included (yet), nor any of the 2000 series. Wonder if the units on DMIR are on the hit list? Was a collection of 2000 and 2100 series units in autumn 2018 when I was there, mostly standard cabs, but a few -8W's (and a single -8M). They were testing ES44AC's on the Two Harbors runs a that tim (at night, thank God), but current ops are 3 x SD40's on Duluth ore, 3 x C40-8's on TH ore.

[lock4244]

Say it ain't so!    I was appreciating one of the BC Rail units just a couple of weeks ago as it passed through town. I guess I need to make a run over to the roundhouse (Centralia) and see if that dead line with a whole bunch of 'em is still here. If so, probably should enable recording on the railcam in the instance of a funeral train.

CN's fleet has gotten boring pretty fast. Still around 100 GP9's operating (incl GTW units), but their days are numbered too. And the remaining GMD-1's.

CN has also pushed the SD70ACC rebuilds back to 2021 (SD70I/75I fleet... unaware if IC SD70 included).

[Lenny53]

BCOL 4606, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 24 listed in CN system as retired. 4610 Markham, 4613 Kirk, all others Centrailia. BCOL are in their 30th year, so if still owned by lessor, that's one long lease. Owned by province?

2400, 01, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 26, 28, 29, 35, 42, 45, 53 listed in CN system as retired various locations, majority in Centralia. Interestingly no 2421's first time... was retired in 2019 and then reinstated not long after. ALso of note 2421 was DP equipped. There may be one other so equipped, but cannot confirm. in 2014 I shot 372 on Kingston Sub CN 2421, 5469, 1412, 4131, DPU BCOL 4645.

2106, 14, 21, 27, 54, 58, 61, 69, 73, 87, 97  listed in CN system as retired various locations, majority in Centralia.

Noteworthy none of the ex LMS units included (yet), nor any of the 2000 series. Wonder if the units on DMIR are on the hit list? Was a collection of 2000 and 2100 series units in autumn 2018 when I was there, mostly standard cabs, but a few -8W's (and a single -8M). They were testing ES44AC's on the Two Harbors runs a that tim (at night, thank God), but current ops are 3 x SD40's on Duluth ore, 3 x C40-8's on TH ore.

For sale; 2400, 01, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 21, 26, 28, 29, 42, 45, 53, 2106, 14, 21, 25, 27, 2154, 58, 61, 69, 73, 87, 89.  All remaining WC and IC switchers are supposed to be pulled from service.   

[mu26aeh]

How about proto video ?  Weekend D795 leaving Gettysburg

[Missaberoad]

Wonder if the units on DMIR are on the hit list? Was a collection of 2000 and 2100 series units in autumn 2018 when I was there, mostly standard cabs, but a few -8W's (and a single -8M). They were testing ES44AC's on the Two Harbors runs a that tim (at night, thank God), but current ops are 3 x SD40's on Duluth ore, 3 x C40-8's on TH ore.

Do the ore trains still use the Orinoco brakes? Perhaps the requirement for Straight Air will keep some equipment "safe"...

[lock4244]

Do the ore trains still use the Orinoco brakes? Perhaps the requirement for Straight Air will keep some equipment "safe"...

Afaik they still operate with the Orinoco setup. The SD's and -8's are safe for now... can't just replace on a whim, anything sent there has to be modified. Granted, not a huge task as far as railroads go, but still more work than just routing GEVO's to Proctor.