Updated 09/29/08 www.canadianrailwayobservations.com CANADIAN NATIONAL CN Locomotives retired since last issue: (Previous retirement July 18th) CN SD50F 5432 on Aug 16th CN SD50F 5441 on Aug 25th (Note: Only 22 out of 60 CN SD50F models remain in service on CN). On August 24th, Karen Buckarma caught dead DM&IR SD38-2 212 going through Neenah, Wisconsin on a CN freight. In September, the locomotive was undergoing repairs at METRO EAST INDUSTRIES in East St. Louis. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/10/dmir212.jpg Last month’s IC SD70 venturing out to Western Canada provided lots of mail. When the unit was in Jasper, Alberta, Tim Steven’s took this great shot of the unit on CN Train A416 which had just cut off from its train at the east end of Jasper in preparation for a lift. So far, IC 1039 is the only IC SD70 to be repainted into CN livery. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=243066&nseq=55 Brandon Kilgore clicked freshly painted CN GP40-2LW 9549 with GTW GP38-2 5844 at CN’s Markham Yard in Homewood, lL on May 21st. (Via Froth) http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=249404&nseq=67 After returning from two days in the Thompson Canyon as well as trips to Alaska, Chicago and UK all this month! Deane Motis found time to send CRO this great shot of CN SD70M-2 8827 leading sister 8810 and ES44DC 2280 meandering the Thompson River and a WHITE PASS & YUKON Vignette! http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/10/8827.jpg http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/10/whitepass.jpg Joe Zika’s CN MacMillan Yard Report: On August 30th, I shot the following units at the Toronto Shop: CN GMD1u 1422, CN SD75I 5666, IC 9-44CW 2708, IC SD40-2R 6054, and a UP SD70M. Aug 31st had BNSF units C44-9W 5417 and AC4400CW 5715, both victims of shadows from the gorgeous sunny weather, the other sunny side was blocked with parked CN units, so these two shots were more for the record that they visited rather than “keepers”. Then on Sept 1st, we had a lot of power, mostly CN units and a pair of BNSF/ATSF C41-8W/C44-9W's in the 900 series, one in a silver- red Warbonnet, and the other in a heritage pumpkin scheme of which I didn't record the numbers of as I couldn't get access to them. They both went west on CN 395-01. After seeing Phil Hall's photo's of CN SD40-2W 5322, on Sept 1st there was another SD40- 2W at the shops, CN 5358, if you look closely at the front of the unit, you'll notice the front handrails and stanchions are missing as well as the shock absorbers (dampners) on the center axles on both trucks, another victim of a side swipe, or a collision somewhere. Also in town were CN GP9RM 4131, a worn CN SD40-2W 5245, CN SD40u 6006, another CN GP9RM 7248, with this photo a bit better than the one posted a few months ago in CRO which was a bit distant of a shot. IC SD40-2 6114 (ex-BN), as well as that pain in the rear CN SD70M-2 8818, they've had her strategically parked there for the last three days ( probably on purpose ) so i couldn't get a shot of those three GP 38's GEXR 3835, GEXR 3856 and NECR 3852. GEXR 3835 and GEXR 3856 are both waybilled to the SOUTHERN ONTARIO RAILWAY in Hamilton, ON. The SOR is both the shipper and consignee for both units, according to the car reports. NECR 3852 is still billed to the HURON & EASTERN in Saginaw, MI via Durand. (NECR 3852 was 3rd unit on CN 399 as it arrived in Toronto 9-03-2008-Ed). http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/10/m.htm Also in town was a train load of Canadian Army equipment billed from Allenby, QC to Wainwright, AB, Shipper and consignee being the Department of National Defense, the Equipment left town and went northwest on 303-01 at 1613-01. With a heads up and update from Don McQueen that the GEXR was bringing in a huge 17 unit export train on September 7th. (A detailed summary of the train appears in Don McQueen’s EMCC Diary-Ed) The Export train departed Mac Yard on Sept 9th 2008 at 0600 as a extra X43631 09 with CN 2250 on the lead with a total of 19-0 1865 tons and 1468 Ft. The first 6 units EMDX 3001 thru to EMDX 3006 are destined for Industrial Rail Services in Moncton, NB, while the balance of the 11 units EMDX 3007 thru to EMDX 3017 are all billed to Logistec Stevedoring, via Halifax, NS. after setting off those 6 units, 436 also lifted another 4 units from IRS in Moncton before continuing on to Halifax. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/10/export.htm After about almost a year, MITTAL STEEL's SW 1500 AARX 304 has at last emerged from Moncton's Industrial Rail Services as a Remote Control - Belt Pack unit, Billing shows the shipper being Industrial Rail Services, Moncton, NB and the consignee being Arcelor Mittal in Indiana, destined Chicago, IL. I included a shot of her taken at CN’s Mac Yard on Nov 23rd 2007 for comparison, Hopefully now that they have the prototype completed, the rest of the SW 1500's should follow shortly. CN GP38-2 7514 has been barely 3 to 4 months out of the paint booth, and she already has a shiner on the left front due to a altercation in the yard in the last week or so, note the reconstructive surgery on the front corner. Spotted at the shop September 11th were C44-9W's BNSF 739 and 740, along with two or three UP's on the inbound tracks but were not accessible. Earlier this week, Sept 7th we had MM&A 758 (an ex- BCOL SD40-2) at Mac yard/ Billing showed her as follows: Shipper: Rail World Locomotive - origin Homewood, IL and Consignee is the Montreal Maine & Atlantic destined Derby, ME. On a related note Phil Hall reported M 36231 27 departing Mac yard Aug 27th 2008 at 2256 with CN 5700 CN 5509 and ( Ex CN SD 40-2's ) MMA 5387, MMA 5374, MMA 5364 and MMA 5382, all four were interchanged and delivered at St. Jean, P.Q. on Sept 1st 2008. Sept 4th had CN SD40u 6016 and UP SD70M 4270 in town on an overcast day. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/10/r1.htm The remnants of Hurricane Ike blew through Southwestern Ontario the week of September 14th. But the CN Strathroy and Dundas subs were relatively unscathed but there was a tree that toppled down across both tracks east of Blain around the Princeton Hot Box detector, Train 144 encountered that one first hand, and damaged the ditch lights and handrails, but the crew was ok, and so was the rest of the train of Road-Railer equipment. I believe CN 5603 was the lone unit. Sept 12th had NS Dash9-40CW 8975, BNSF C44-9W 4124 and UP C45ACCTE 5316, all visitingToronto. Sept 13th had an ex-CN GP9RM lettered FAIX 0801, they did a real good job of concealling her identity with paint and even including the removal of the numbers from her number boards and reprogramming of her AEI tag as well ! Waybill showed her going from Memphis, TN to Pointe St Charles, P.Q. Shipper and Consignee is American Motive Power. (See Canadian Locomotive Shops-ed) http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/10/mm.htm Also in town on the 13th was MPEX 607 a new GO TRANSIT MP40PH-3C, she ended up at Lambton Diesel Services in Sarnia, ON. It was a very snug fit stuffing that Winnebago into the shop stall, as she's a bit wider and possibly taller than a normal unit. Also a quick note on CN's Family Day at MacMillan Yard this past weekend Sept 14th, at first looked like it was gonna get rained out, but sun prevailed at the last minute and they had a very good turnout visitor-wise. However, Motive Power- wise it was a disappointment, No CN or IC business train in town, No special power brought in to be shown off at the shop, the best that they could muster was CN 9618 and the CN 2298 hidden behind concrete road barricades, I didn't get a chance to attend and take a bus tour of the LRC - Diesel shop due to other previous family commitments, but i don't think i missed much from what I was able to see from the outside on the way into work. Also CN’s handout to employees at the entrance included a CN tote bag, some tokens for a free prize draw, and a burger and pop at the BBQ. Colin Tytler clicked CN 451 on September 10th, with NS 8785 as foreign power on the Newmarket subdivision. CN A45131, CN 2282, NS 8785, CN 5548, at Mile 123.73.with 75 cars http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll39/MuskokaMoFo/DSC13487.jpg http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll39/MuskokaMoFo/DSC13488.jpg On September 8th, Mike Harting took these great shots from his recent visit to iron ore country in Upper Minnesota, in order to record some of the final movements of the storied ERIE MINING Co. (ex-LTV) F-unit's.