Canadian Railroads > MLW Monday -- Tempo RS18s at Spadina May 1977

My first contribution to MLW Monday is this shot of three Tempo RS18s in Spadina yard some 40 years ago on May 27, 1977.

For those not familiar with Tempo units, CN modified 6 freight RS18s for Tempo passenger service west of Toronto. Modifications included regearing the units and adding an HEP unit to the nose which extended the nose over the front walkway. A much more visible change is the custom paint scheme.

WP17

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Great RS-18 shots.

KG

A lovely scene of really neat units, with the lengthened short hood and a very sharp livery. If you look closer, beyond the steam generator car, you'll see you landed the quad on these Tempo diesels - well done! I also love S-2 8139, lacking step wells and all, in the background. I remember that forlorn switcher sitting there when I got to Toronto in June of that year.
Fred

Fred/Ken

Thanks for the kind comments.

I do have a question for either of you (or others out there). I ran across this slide as I was preparing another post two days ago: On this Day 40 years ago ( https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15,4303772 ).

I assumed that I had taken the slide on a weekend when the units might be resting from their weekday schedule but the date was May 27, 1977 which google tells me is a Friday. Is there a reason all these RS18s were in Spadina on a busy Friday. I understand the Tempo trains ran until the early 80s.

WP17

WP17 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fred/Ken
>
> Thanks for the kind comments.
>
> I do have a question for either of you (or others
> out there). I ran across this slide as I was
> preparing another post two days ago: On this Day
> 40 years ago (
> https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15
> ,4303772 ).
>
> I assumed that I had taken the slide on a weekend
> when the units might be resting from their weekday
> schedule but the date was May 27, 1977 which
> google tells me is a Friday. Is there a reason all
> these RS18s were in Spadina on a busy Friday. I
> understand the Tempo trains ran until the early
> 80s.
>
> WP17

You'll have to prod me some time to do a little more digging in my collection from trips in 1977 and 1978, to get an idea of what Tempo consists covered what schedules. I do remember seeing mixed power, i.e. a Tempo unit and a passenger-geared GP9 at times. Also solo units on shorter consists.
Fred