SHORTLINES & REGIONALS

The old Manitoba Sugar Plant in the southern Winnipeg, which closed over 15 years ago, was once home to ex GWWD 2-6-0’s and a brand new yellow GE 45 tonner [B/N 33440]. The property taken over by Harris Transport, which uses it as a reload and storage facility. When they started operations, Harris purchased a somewhat rare 1955 built red unnumbered GE 15 ton [B/N 32325] from the nearby Canada Cement plant in Ft. Whyte to move cars . The long dormant unit had not run since the recession of 1982 the closed Fort Whyte clay pit. Brought over by a CP yard goat, Harris’ mechanics finally got the unit running, using it to switch and spot cars around the plant. About 6 years ago it finally gave up the ghost. Harris rented a trackmobile from CPR for a time to move cars around. Harris bought an even older 1947 built yellow GE 45 tonner [B/N 28365] from Canada Cement (now called LaFarge), numbered #1 and #641. Whether or not Harris ever got this relic running is a mystery - I think they bought it for parts to help out the ailing GE 15T but in the end both we stored behind the plant. A front end loader now moves the cars around the plant.

Mark Perry took several photos of this equipment, many of which  have  been favourites of his for some time,  Mark first shot both of these locomotives over at the cement plant at Ft. Whyte, MB  in the fall of 1978.  I’m pretty sure they both are still wearing their original birthday dress, applied by GE painters at Erie, PA all those years ago.

Mark Forseille shot Railink (Southern Railway of BC) SRY GP9 cab control unit #121, taken August 11^th 2111; SRY GMD-1 #1202, SRY GP9 #122,taken November 30^th 2011 (This unit has recently been partially repainted with the red circle logo); and SRY Slug #002 (former CN #226) taken on October 17^th 2011 in New Westminster, BC.

Mark also shot SRY SW900 #900 in Huntingdon, BC Aug 13^th 2011; SRY SW900 #906 New Westminster, BC Sep 2011;  SRY MP15DC #151 New Westminster, BC Oct 17 2011; and SRY SW900 #907 New Westminster, BC Nov 30 2011.

In mid February, N.M. Paterson Grain SD40-3 (DLCX 6915) was redirected from the NMP grain elevator at Gleichen, AB to their grain elevator in Lilyfield, MB. This unit will eventually go to Gleichen according to our source at CP. Mike Garza shot her in fresh paint at NRE Dixmoor, IL back on October 8th 2011. This is former CN SD40 5212 rebuilt at Alstom-Montreal, QC around 1997. It will be stored for a short time on the Prairie Dog Central tourist railway, which happens to be located right next to the Norman McLeod Paterson & Sons Grain Company elevator in Lilyfield, MB.   

Jeff Keddy clicked photos of the Prairie Dog Central Railway's BNSF GP9 1685 and N.M. Paterson Grain SD40-3 6915 along the CN Oak Point Sub, Feb. 15th and 18^th.

Also in February, Boundary Trails Railway at Morden, MB (About 80 miles southwest of Winnipeg) received  DLCX GP9RB 4625, a former GTW rebuild. Larry Amaloo shot her in Riverdale. IL February 12^th 2011.

The writing may be on the wall for North Central Railway of Saskatchewan. April 1, 2009 was the end of service on the Carlton Trail Railway western line. Carlton Trail Railway took control in 1997 of the former CN line (Debden to Meadow Lake was CPR up until a mid 90s track swap with CN). The only customers at the time were located located in Meadow Lake, 320km away from the transition point with CN. After several derailments in 2008, OmniTrax put the line up for abandonment (under provincial law they can give as little as 60 days notice). After years of negotiations NCR has come to a payment agreement with OmniTrax and is waiting on the Federal government for a loan. However, CN retains a small 30-mile spur that can legally be abandoned as of February 2012. If NCR cannot reach an agreement with CN, CN has announced they will pull the track and isolate the line from the North American rail network. Picture taken July 26, 2010 Canwood Sask.  (Mark David Zulkoskey)

Ken McCutcheon snapped deer playing “chicken” with Great Western Railway M42oW 2001  rolling westbound at Meyronne, SK  on the Shaunavon Sub on June 19^th, 2006.  The second shot shows GWR M420W 2003 and 2004 moving southbound at Mile 18 on the Fife Lake Sub, and still wearing their former Lake States RR paint scheme on March 14^th, 2008.

On a beautiful July afternoon in 2011, Mike Robin caught northbound 213 led by ONR SD75I 2105, arrives at the south end of Cochrane Yard from Englehart, ON with a mixed freight.

With some clear character scars from rolling over still showing on her conductor's side from a derailment August 28, 2011 on the Kapuskasing Subdivision, GP38-2 1804 was released and returned to service at Cochrane January 16th, 2012. Some of the noticeable changes made at North Bay Shops to the unit include a patch up paint job and removal of the sun shade (damaged by the rollover) from the conductor's side of the unit, the installation of an electronic bell, and the application of Ontario Northland's new style of blue numbering on both sides. Mike Robin caught 1804 after wrapping up a trip on 620 February 4th.

Wayne D. Shaw caught “domes” on the “NORTHLANDER” on February 5^th as ONR train #697 ferried two Rocky Mountaineer domes (RM 9506 and RM 9521) from Toronto, destined for the ONR North Bay Shop for refurbishing work. Wayne joked that they could have called this train “The Northland Mountaineer”, except the fact there are no mountains nearby!  Therefore he dubbed it "The Rocky Northlander" as there are  certainly a fair share of rocks on this line!

James Lalande snapped ONR 1733 on the head end of train #113 departing North Bay on February 5^th, passing Hydro Station Rd just south of Mile 5 on the Temagami Sub.

The ONR sent 1805/1809 south at 00:03 to Washago to return with an army special, as they did last year. They departed Washago at 04:45 and North Bay at 08:00, and had freight #113 hot on its tail.  The ONR passenger consist was 1809, 1805, boxcar 7791, Baggage 413, Apu203 and coaches  614, 600, 612, 606, 700,and 609.   Train #113 was led by ONR 2105/2103/1735.  James Lalande’s photo shows the train departing North Bay in the early morning light at Mile 4.87 Hydro Station Road. 

Joseph Bishop clicked CEFX GG20D 2006 leading CEFX 2019 and  2015 at Garnet Ontario on January 31, 2012.  The trio of units are in the Southern Ontario Railway’s Garnet Yard and building their train for the ESSO plant at Nanticoke Ontario and are three of  SOR's four leased CEFX GP20D's.

GEXR SD45T-2 9392 is currently in service on the Goderich-Exeter wearing the Southern Pacific “Speed Lettering”, but without cab numbers and number-boards. On February 20th Carson L. McGuiness photographed the GEXR snowplow in the siding at the GEXR Stratford Yard next to ex-SP SD45T-2 resting between assignments on a warm Family Day holiday.

As Tim Ball drove down Edinburgh Road, he saw the GEXR way freight #580 with GP38 3821 running south of the Guelph North Spur, which proceeded down to the west end of the yard at Guelph and stopped.  A few minutes later, train #431 passed the local with a pair of SD40-2’s lead by 7362. When #431 was a respectable distance down the track, it was time for 580 to go home to Kitchener, ON. 

On February 13^th Brian Thompson caught Trillium Railway S13m #110 lifting loads at Lakeside Steel Corp. in Welland, ON. The locomotive is former CANX 110, nee- CN 8618.

Peter Cox took took this shot of Essex Terminal Alco S1 #101 at Windsor, ON September 25^th 1966, proving that even a yard engine can look spiffy if nicely painted, well maintained, and kept clean.

CAN YOU HELP SAVE THIS MLW?   Ex-Roberval Saguenay M420TR #27 owned by the CNY Chapter - NRHS in Syracuse, NY will not be scrapped at least for now.  The owners have asked CRO to assist in finding a buyer, and as there were only two ever built by Montreal Locomotive Works this is important locomotive for preservation.  Do any of our readers know a Railway Group or Museum might be interested in this very rare locomotive?  His asking price is $ 40,000 U.S.  The owner is trying to recoup his investment and therefore is interested in donations.  We suggest anyone who wishes to inquire about the MLW contact the CNY group directly, or contact our CRO Editor.   Alco Guru John Mech photographed #27 sitting  in Jamesville, NY in 2008. 

Transport Ferroviaire Tshiuetin (Tshiuetin Rail Transportation) will be acquiring another coach for their TSH passenger train. The  Heritage is: MRLX7611, previously AMTK 7611 (named “New York City”) , nee-PRR 1591.  This coach is currently receiving some work and clean up in Madison, Illinois before coming up to Quebec.  

Tshiuetin Rail EMD Locomotive Roster   

TSH  600 F40-PHR, nee-AMTK 265

TSH  601 F40-PHR,  nee-AMTK 291

TSH  701  GP38-2W, ex- GP40-2W CN 9663

TSH  702  GP38-2W, ex- GP40-2W CN9667

Tshiuetin Rail Passenger Cars

TSH-1000- Resto Buffer car, Ex Amtrak 8712, nee CB&Q Silver Rein

TSH-1001 - Coach Budd Heritage series, amtk 7606, Prr1585

TSH-1002 - CoachBudd Heritage series, amtk 7617, Prr 1598

TSH-1003 - Coach  Budd Heritage series, AMTK 7614, Prr 1595

TSH-1004 - Coach  Budd Heritage series, AMTK 7001, PRR 1570

TSH-13510 - Dome Car Ex QNSL13510 - to refurbish

TSH 1401  - Baggage Ex Amtrak Mail Handler car

TSH-1422 - Generator Car Baggage Ex Amtrak Mail RPO  car

TSH-1445  - Baggage & Reefer  Ex Amtrak Mail RPO car

TSH-1455  -  Baggage Car Ex Amtrak Mail  RPO car

Still To Come

TSH-1005 - Coach Budd Heritage series, AMTK 7611, PRR 1591

CLICK HERE TO VISIT TSHIUETIN RAIL SERVICES' HOME PAGE

Montreal, Maine and Atlantic (MMA) train #2 has just departed Farnham as it races through Brookport, QC on February  26^th (Francois Jolin)

On February 28^th Francois snapped this rainbow lash-up leading Montreal Maine & Atlantic train #2, rumbling over the bridge span across the Richelieu River at Saint-Jean sur Richelieu, QC.

New Brunswick Southern Railway is leasing SD40-2s from Helm, HLCX 6200 and 6318 and are now both repainted into full NBSR green.  NBSR has also four ex-UP GP38-3's on lease, HLCX 906, 911, 913, and 917, all of which are painted UP Armor yellow and Harbor Mist grey with HLCX patches. (Steve Boyko photos)

In February the NBSR schedule had changed: Monday-Friday two trains will leave, one from Brownville Junction, ME heading east, and one from Saint John, NB, at noon heading west. They will meet in McAdam, do some switching, exchange crews, and then continue on to the other terminal to avoid crew lay over in McAdam, NB. The Estimated arrival time in Saint John is 8:30 PM.

On February 14^th at Wirral Station, NB on the McAdam subdivision, Matt Landry videoed HLCX GP38-3 906, NBSR GP38-2 2318, HLCX SD40-2 6200 (in NB Southern green), and MEC GP40 381 (Pan Am Railway Unit) on this westbound New Brunswick Southern Railway freight.  This is a the regular westbound mainline freight … no train number. NBSR and PAN AM signed an agreement back on November 23, 2010 to pool power between NB Southern’s home base of Saint John, NB, and Pan Am’s home of Waterville, Maine. You can read on Steve Boyko’s blog HERE, The agreement hasn’t been used much on the NB side, as  it is rare to see “foreign power” here. Two MEC units (MEC 380 and 381) showed up in Mid-February and soon return south. Matt Landry also shot MEC 380 a high hood GP40 here in February.

Ivan Smith posted photos of the removal of the former Dominion and Atlantic (DAR) bridge at Weymouth, NS.  

© CRO March 2012