Canadian Railroads > Miserable Mondays - VIA E8A 1800 in Calgary's Cold

I decided to take up the torch from Richard with a Miserable Monday post. I grew up in Ottawa, started shooting in 1975, but didn't drive until I had moved to Calgary in 1979. So I never saw CP's E8As on the Atlantic Limited out of Montreal. Around the close of that year, word came that the remaining pair, 1800 and 1802, were going to be regulars on the Canadian between Calgary and Winnipeg. If I recall correctly, the rationale was that without dynamic brakes, they were suited to the territory, but nowhere west. January 5, 1980, I went with an old family friend of my wife's to shoot for the day, which dawned [?] cloudy, with howling wind blowing fresh snow, and temperatures in the -20 range. We were going regardless, so our trip to Alyth showed us this power being moved out of the shop to take the head end of #2, arriving from the west. We hustled up to the station and were there when the switcher cut off, and the power backed down to its train. It was to be the trailer, but we got it uncoupled; the other units are CP 8522 and 1425. These things were longggg.
Fred 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/19 22:21 by feclark.

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Truely great lashup.
Bob

Do any of them still exist ?

Posted from Android

Glad you braved the cold to get that snow scene with VIA #1800.
Thanks for posting your awesome photo.
ALLEN

All long gone. 1801 was wrecked, circa 1969 and scrapped. 1800, 1802 lasted till the 1980's. Others can update this.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Do any of them still exist ?
>
> Posted from Android

Great photo and story--wow, VIA was certainly colorful back in those days!  Always wanted to know the story behind those E's, too-- excellent catch before they coupled on, too!