Western Railroad Discussion > CP tests BNSF SD70ACe's in Western Canada

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For the last month or so Canadian Pacific has been testing two BNSF SD70ACe's in Western Canada. Mostly these units worked on lines close to Winnipeg.

This week BNSF 9385 and 9337 were sent west to test in the mountains of BC. Assigned to train 401 (Alyth to Coquitlam manifest) the pair worked west from Kamloops on the afternoon of March 11.

1. The first sighting of the BNSF 9385 west was at Cherry Creek along Kamloops Lake.

2. Now in the Thompson River Canyon BNSF 9385 rounds a curve near Martel running on CN track under the co-production arrangement between CP and CN.

3. West of Martel the train peeks around the corner into the sunlight while a CN stack train runs east on CP track.


cp1400

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4. Deep in the Thompson Canyon at the west end of Morris siding.

5. Crossing the Thompson River at Lytton.

6. Crossing the CN bridge over the Fraser River at Cisco.

The testing of these units is supposed to wind up around March 25 so its hoped this pair will make one or two more appearances in BC.

cp1400

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Those are some magnificent shots. I wonder if a good performance will equal a order by CP for some of those units.

Awesome coverage! Thank you for the post!

Interesting to see one of the Olympic units in the consist as well...

Maltby Turn out.

wow, #5 almost looks like your in a helicopter or something, that orange looks pretty sweet on those insanely long units.

Excellent!!! Good to see coverage of the CP/CN...one of my favorite locations to railfan. ACe's would be very compelling in Canadian Pacific paint.

Eric
Sacramento, CA

Wow...now THAT'S a train worth chasing for sure...I recognize those spots having been to the Canyon many times...thanks for sharing your good fortune. upbuddyboy

So..where is the snow?

NH2006 Wrote:
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> So..where is the snow?


Global warming, lol.

Excellent stuff. The orange looks at home out there.

winchester Wrote:
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> NH2006 Wrote:
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> > So..where is the snow?
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>
> Global warming, lol.


This look is typical for the area, winter or not. This is Canada's only warm weather desert and can commonly hit in excess of 40C in the summer. For you Americans still on Frankenstein, that is HOT. What is interesting is some of the photos show the Thompson River (around Martel) with very low water levels. That likely does reflect a low snow melt up stream.

I like the idea of CP buying some ACe's. I wonder if Brian is watching. (Are we allowed to say "Tower 55"?)

Rick

Hey CP1400,

Ya know, feel free to post shots of the BC deserts anytime--wedgepumkins or no wedgepumkins...

Thanks for sharing!

Ted, in Washington

After the SD90MAC-II experience, the fact that CP is even looking at EMD locomotives again is surprising.

Mark
W5MLR
Lebanon, OK