Canadian Railroads > More EMDX 1606 Testing

One of the newest offerings from Progress Rail is currently testing in coal train service for CP in Western Canada. Model designation SD70ACe-T4 (or is it SD70AH?) EMDX 1606 is currently the only locomotive of its type in Canada. There has been good coverage of this unit running on the Shuswap Sub from greshe3 and Train 611 and earlier pictures of the 1606 on its maiden trip to the coast from Marcus at

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15,4220261

Here's a few pictures in the Vancouver area from Feb 11 near Roberts Bank where this train gets unloaded.

1 & 2. Climbing the Rawlison Hill on CN which is the connecting track from the CN Yale Sub to the CP Page Sub at Livingstone.

3. Approaching Gulf which is the east end of the Roberts Bank port trackage.


cp1400



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/17 09:26 by cp1400.

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4. A look at the roof detail on 1606 as the train approaches Gulf.

5. Passing CP train 199 that has tied down at 41B St

6. With EMDX 1606 rolled into the port CN train 102 makes its way out for a road crew to pick up and proceed eastward. In the background is the sprawling Roberts Bank superport.

cp1400

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One really has to wonder how much CP is actually "testing" this unit.  In none of the photos do we see a rider on the locomotive.  Perhaps somewhere along the way CP is downloading info from the unit's onboard computer.  Or not.  This "test" looks like little more than the use of a free locomotive.  With hundreds of units in storage and not having bought any big power other than GEs in decades who is CP kidding with this "test"?

KG

kgmontreal Wrote:
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> One really has to wonder how much CP is actually
> "testing" this unit.  In none of the photos do we
> see a rider on the locomotive.  Perhaps somewhere
> along the way CP is downloading info from the
> unit's onboard computer.  Or not.  This "test"
> looks like little more than the use of a free
> locomotive.  With hundreds of units in storage
> and not having bought any big power other than GEs
> in decades who is CP kidding with this "test"?
>
> KG

With it being a new product, it's all testing.  EMD needs to get some "field time" on the locomotives regardless of who may or may not buy them in the future.  CP hasn't bought any GE's in a long time either for that matter.  Soon or later they will have buy something.

Image #3 is an excellent shot of the train.
Nice work on the other locations.

611

Posted from iPhone

I saw this train yesterday (12th) going through the Chase area around 3.30pm.

I couldn't photograph as I was travelling with my non-railfanning sister.

Rick

kgmontreal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One really has to wonder how much CP is actually
> "testing" this unit.  In none of the photos do we
> see a rider on the locomotive.  Perhaps somewhere
> along the way CP is downloading info from the
> unit's onboard computer.  Or not.  This "test"
> looks like little more than the use of a free
> locomotive.  With hundreds of units in storage
> and not having bought any big power other than GEs
> in decades who is CP kidding with this "test"?
>
CP issued a five-page internal bulletin on December 7 detailing the features of these units and the do's and don'ts of operating them. I doubt it would have gone through the trouble if the units were simply going to be used as free power in trailing mode.

As the bulletin states: "The demonstration is to be focused on the Individual Axle Control System and Adhesion Performance on trains in coal, potash and grain service."

The EMDX 1606  was running / isolated on its latest eastward trip. Greg



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/17 00:09 by greshe3.

Last photo is awesome....