CANADIAN RAILWAY OBSERVATIONS Updated Version 05/13/07 _______________________________________________________ By William Baird JUNE 2007 CANADIAN PACIFIC CP Locomotives Retired since last issue: CP SD40-2’s 5498, 5584, 5639, 5646, 5655, 5656, 5666, 5816, 5826, and 5834 were all retired on March 30th. CP RAIL SYSTEM 5498 is a former SD45, one of seven SD45’s rebuilt to SD40M-2’s by MORRISON/KNUDSEN in 1995. CP SD40 5500 was finally moved to Revelstoke, BC, arriving on May 13th. 2007. It is still painted in faded CP RAIL action red (no multi-mark), but the museum is expected to repaint her into the “as delivered” CPR tuscan red and grey “script” livery. In the meantime, the SD40 will be stored inside beside 5468 and car #4. CP is having a sale of SD40-2’s with bids completed on May 9th: The locomotives include: SOO 781, 786, CP 5419, 5566, 5579, 5605, 5652, 5667, 5669, 5699, 5752, 5758, 5768, and 5821. On April 28th, freshly painted CP FP9Au’s 4106 and 4107 were released from NRE, and have been forwarded to Alyth Yard in Calgary AB. Doug Cameron caught (through a hole in the fence), freshly painted CP FP9Au’s 4106 and 4107 outside at the NRE shops in Capreol, ON, on April 29th, 2007. http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w94/sd402f/4107-1.jpg http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w94/sd402f/4106-4107.jpg http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w94/sd402f/4106-1.jpg Chris Wilson’s great shot of the CP 4107/4106 being forwarded on CP 105-04: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v406/CP9102/?action=view&current=CP9775.jpg CP has begun testing a new NATIONAL RAILWAY EQUIPMENT two-engine “N- ViroMotive” switcher called a 2GS-14B, which is an Ultra-Low Emitting “GenSet” locomotive. Painted in the very flashy blue, gold and white NRE paint scheme, the unit has also tested on some US railroads including the PROVIDENCE & WORCHESTER. NORFOLK SOUTHERN are buying three 3GS-21B’s, which are similar to the switcher testing on CP but with 2100-horsepower and with three (not two) engines. NREX 2007 is model 2GS-14B which is a B+B 1400plus-horsepower “GenSet” switcher built from a former GP7 or GP9 and helps reduce fuel consumption about 64% compared with a GP40-2 locomotive. The N-ViroMotive switcher is designed to reduce certain air emissions about 80%, improve tractive effort between 50 and 65%, and cut fuel usage between 35 and 50% compared with a conventional switcher. The GenSet locomotive also features microprocessor-based electronic controls and modularized mechanical platforms to decrease maintenance requirements. 10 of the former SOO LINE SD60’s that were returned to the lessor CEFX, have been repainted into the CEFX paint scheme, which is reminiscent of the BOSTON AND MAINE RR 1970’s livery. 10 of these units are now leased to the BNSF. Photo of CEFX SD60 6019: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=728756 On April 16th UP SD9043AC 8303 was on train 235 (Montreal, QC to Toronto, ON). NOTE: In the list below, there are several units repaying H-P-H to CP, which are now transferred off CP property. The purpose of this list is to show a snapshot example of the foreign units operating on CP during the month of April. This list continues to change weekly. On June 2nd, 2007, CP’s St-Luc Diesel shop will celebrate it’s anniversary. Examples of CP’s and AMT’s locomotive fleet and Miniature HO and N-scale modules will display CP rolling stock and diesels and steam power. There will be CP employees from days gone by enjoying photo’s, memorabilia and other the presentations to showcase the spectacular history of what I like to call it “Hollowed Ground”. It is the work-place of Giulio Capuano, Tony Fusco, Ron Ellison and other great friends of mine. Some of our CRO readers may not be aware but St-Luc yard is famous for the last brick roundhouse built and the first Hump-yard built in Canada. It was also the home base of CP’s eclectic MLW/Alco fleet. A snapshot of foreign power on CP April 27, 2007 (All locomotive traces courtesy of Luc Lanthier) CEFX SD40-2 2812 Arr. Bensenville,Il April 26 CEFX SD40-2 2815 Arr. Inter.NS Unknown,Pa April 12 CEFX SD40-2 3161 Arr. Clearing Yard,Il April 22 CEFX SD40-2 3162 Dep. Dunmore,AB April 27 at 17:25pm CEFX SD40-2 3171 Arr. Unknown,In April 27 at 18:44pm CEFX SD40-2 3180 Arr. Clearing Yard,Il April 27 at 11:18am CEFX SD40-2 7108 Arr. Clearing Yard,Il April 14 CSXT C60-9W 660 Arr. Detroit,Mi April 27 at 02:15am CSXT C60-9W 666 Arr. Unknown April 27 at 14:43pm CSXT SD70ACe 4705 Arr. Windsor,ON April 25 CSXT C40-8 7328 Arr. Bensenville,Il April 27 at 10:27am (ex-CR) CSXT C40-8W 7587 Arr. Winnipeg,MB April 27 at 02:17am CSXT C40-8W 7690 Arr. Sunbury,Pa April 27 at 19:30pm CSXT C40-8W 7740 Arr. Toronto Obico,ON April 27 at 23:22pm CSXT C40-8W 7871 Arr. Unknown,NY April 27 at 15:45pm CSXTSD40-2 8210 Arr. Unknwn,In April 27 at 06:15am UP SD40-2 2928 Arr. St-Paul,Mn April 16 UP SD9043MAC 8303 Arr. Red Wings,Mn April 27 at 06:24am UP C40-8 9073 Dep. Bensenville,Il April 11 UP C40-8 9435 Arr. Clearing Yard,Il April 25 UP C40-8 9505 Arr. Unknown April 27 at 22:34pm UP SD40-2 9943 Arr. Toronto Yard,ON April 27 at 10:53am FURX SD40-2 7252 Arr. St-Paul,Mn April 17 NS SD70M-2 2606 Arr. Clearing Yard,Il April 23 NS C40-8 9405 Arr. Sunbury,Pa April 27 at 19:30pm NS C40-9W 9899 Dep. Taylor,Pa April 27 at 23:22pm KCS SD70ACe 4001 Arr. Interchange UP St-Paul,Mn April 1 BNSF SD40-2 6391 Dep. Windsor,ON April 27 at 23:05pm BNSF SD40-2 6814 Arr. BNSF Minneapolis,Mn April 23 BNSF SD40-2 6843 Dep Portage,Wi April 27 at 22:06pm BNSF SD40-2 6919 Arr. Harvey,ND April 27 at 18:1828am BNSF SD40-2 7001 Arr. Alyth,AB April 26 BNSF SD40-2 7013 Arr. Winnipeg,MB April 27 at 02:19am BNSF SD40-2 7014 Dep. Weyburn,SK April 27 at 21:37pm BNSF SD40-2 7128 Dep. Bensenville,Il April 27 at 21:29pm BNSF SD40-2 8057 Arr. St-Paul,Mn April 27 at 10:49am BNSF SD75M 8204 Arr. Inter.BNSF St-Paul,Mn April 6 On April 26th, a CP train powered by AC4400CW 8644, ES44AC 8814, AC4400CW 9730 derailed near Lethbridge, at Bow Island, AB.. CP ES44AC 8814 was only a few months old. The three wrecked units were forwarded to Calgary’s Alyth Yard and arrived on April 28th for further evaluation and disposition. The family of a CP Rail engineer who stayed at the controls of a racing train say he died a hero, saving his fellow crew members and others from death and injury in the town of Trail, B.C., according to this report by Terri Theodore published by the Canadian Press. CP GP38-2’s 3030 and 3076 hauling 11 freight cars could not slow down and lost it on the curve. Lonnie Plasko, 51, worked for CP rail for almost half of his life and was anticipating the celebration of his 25th anniversary with the company this June. Mr. Plasko's body was found beneath one of the cars of the train wreck Tuesday, a day after the crash. His niece, Lisa Douglas, said the family has learned Mr. Plasko told the two remaining crewmembers to jump from the train as it careened down the steep track towards the Trail. The accident happened April 23rd "Teck Cominco is quite dangerous with pipelines and parking lots and lots of other people there. So he really did do a great, great service to everybody," Ms. Douglas said. “He really was very heroic. It could have ended up so much more tragically than just one person lost." Ms. Douglas said it was clear her uncle stayed with the train to do the best he could to control the situation. Investigators are checking the braking systems of every one of the 10 rail cars and two locomotives involved in the crash. Dan Holbrook with the Transportation Safety Board says it's clear the train was running uncontrolled down the steep track before it derailed on the curve. Anything over 1.8 per cent is considered mountain grade and the track the train charged down Monday afternoon was near four per cent. The track in question has grades from 3.9% to 4.1%. This is by far the steepest track still in regular operation in BC. Not far from this site there is a stretch of track with over 3% grades. In other places around BC and southern Alberta there were many places and even today still are a few places with grades between 2% and 2.4%. "When you're pulling massive tonnages on a steel-on-steel, low-friction-type environment, every part of a percentage of grade is very significant," he said. Mr. Holbrook added such a grade would be one of the steepest tracks in North America. Witnesses reported smoke pouring from the speeding train's brakes before the accident. CP Rail spokesman Mark Seland said the two surviving crew members have been offered critical-stress debriefing and will be interviewed to help determine the cause of Monday's crash.