SHORTLINES & REGIONALS

October 2011

WESTERN

In August CN turned over all track south of Delisle (up to Beechy, Eston and Laporte), over  to the newly formed Big Sky Railway.   Mobile Grain owns all of the loading sites on these railway lines.

 CRO Facebook riend and  Carlton Trail guru Mark David Zulkoskey recently caught a SW1200 working the new P&H elevator in Tisdale, SK. 

Following release from the SRY shop, Black River Railway GP9u 1889 (ex-CP 1689, nee-THB 402) was moving to destination to Ringoes, NJ in early September. Peter McLaughlin caught BDRV GP9u 1889 near Alyth Yard, AB on September 12th after arriving on the 7th.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vehicle-images/6142127362/

Mark Perry reported the GE 25 ton that was previously at MB Hydro’s power dam at Pointe du Bois MB has now been moved to Portage La Prairie MB, to be put on display at the restored ex CPR station located there. Earl Roberts added she's affectionately known as Snoopy and was built by GE in 1948, (serial 29236), for Dominion Textiles in  Magog, QC.

ONTARIO

On September 4th, Ontario Southland Railway (OSR) ran a private car special from St Thomas to Ingersoll, ON. Larry Broadbent caught them as they approached Hwy 401 in Putnam Ontario led by a matched pair of GP7's (See also On The Road)

The occasions was Brad Jolliffe's mother who was celebrating her 80th birthday and Brad surprised her with her own train to celebrate the occasion.

When the train arrived in Ingersoll, everyone attended a birthday celebration at the Elmhurst Inn. The train then returned to St Thomas after a wonderful day even if the weather was not the best.

A special thanks to The Joliffe's for allowing us to use these photos and a very Happy Birthday to Mrs. Jolliffe.

Also to Larry Broadbent for these great photos.

In mid-September, Ontario Northland was finalizing a deal for the refurbishment of 10 GO Transit coaches. Paul Goulet, president and chief executive officer of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, confirmed September 13th the deal is 95% complete.

The deal involves both Metrolinx and Canadian Allied Diesel (CADRAIL) — the Quebec-based company which beat out Ontario Northland for a lucrative five-year contract for the refurbishment 127 GO Transit coaches, plus a one-year option for an addition 22 coaches. The Ontario Northland bid was nearly $2 million higher than the one offered by Lachine, Quebec-based CADRAIL.

On Sept 16th James Hoffman photographed ONR GP38-2 1809 at the station in North Bay following major repair and complete repaint. With this new livery, the “ON RAIL” logo has been replaced with “Ontario Northland” on the flanks and ends. Earlier this year, 1809 collided with a dump truck in New Liskeard, Ontario. Seen here proudly wearing the new Ontario Northland livery. James points out that even after repainting if one looks carefully, the chevrons from her previous ONR livery can still be seen on the nose.

The Fall colours are already in full swing in Mike Robins photo of ONR train 421, the northbound “Polar Bear” roars through Mile 1.8 on the Island Falls Subdivision on a drzzly September 23rd.

FEC 709 is in Goderich getting complete wheel change-out before being returned to FEC. RLK 4001 at Goderich is stored as a spare unit and GEXR (SP) 9392 has still not entered service. Railfans referred to this engine as”Barney” while it serrved the Goderich -Exeter (GEXR). Now state side, on September 21st Kevin Burkholder caught the purple engine in Vermont leading New England Central’s (NECR) northbound train 323 destined for St. Albans, VT. Rolloing down the very pronounced downgrade curve at Royalton, VT, behind (“Barney”) NECR GP38 3843, is NECR GP38 3855 and CSOR B39-8E 8530.

 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=375796&nseq=0

QUEBEC

On August 9th André St-Amant clicked Montreal Maine & Atlantic (MMA) Job #2 from Montreal switching Sherbrooke. QC with MMA C30-7 5017, Remote Control Caboose VB-4, and C30-7s 5023, 5026, before departure for Maine. QAS well he caught MMA 610, with unit B23-7 2006 on August 11th backing up towards the MMA yard in Sherbrooke, QC.

Denis Fortier took these photos at Pointe-au-Pic, Quebec as “Le Train Le Massif de Charlevoix” arrived with dignitaries, September 6th, 2011. These two ex-NBEC (nee-CP) RS18u’s were upgraded with microprocessors at Jonquire, QC.

Jean Lacroix clicked the train on one of its first test runs over the Chemin de fer de Charlevoix trackage at La Malbaie, QC on August 26th. Employees were invited to participate and these trial runs were eagerly filled up with passengers.

Video promo (en francais) as one rides aboard the new Train Le Massif de Charlevoix”, with views of the train inside and out, with emphisis on the haute cuisine gastronomy served, and scenery.

http://www.youtube.com/MassifdeCharlevoix

Three other ex-NBEC (nee-CP) RS18u’s (nos. 1819, 1849, and 1856) were upgraded with microprocessors in eastern Quebec, for a new excusion train on the Gaspe Coast.

In August Montreal Maine & Atlantic (MMA) were looking at acquiring Seminole Gulf Railway B39-8E 591 and 592, however the purchase was cancelled in early- September and the units are still in service on the Seminole Gulf RR.

EASTERN

The lease is now up on CEFX 2006 and the other unit CEFX 2015 is expected to come off lease to the Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia (CBNS) sometime in October. Additionally, SD40-2 7869 is currently laid up in Sydney, NS with 7172 likely to be stored as well. These moves are mainly due to a reduction in traffic, closure of the Point Tupper paper mill, and the possibility that one of CBNS major customer’s, the Newpage Paper Mill in Port Hawkesbury, NS may be shutting down. Cliff Holder caught CN train 407 with CN 2558, 2622, and CEFX GP20D 2006 (dead) at the yard in Truro, NS ready to depart for Moncton,NB, Sept 19th destined for Ontario.  CEFX 2006 arrived at (Southern Ontario Railway) SOR Stuart St., Hamilton, Ontario on September 26th.

© CRO Oct 2011