Canadian Railroads > Another "New" GP38-2 for CN

CN finally bit the bullet and bought some "previously enjoyed" 4-axle power earlier this year to perform switching duties and to work on trackage where 6-axle units are prohibited.  13 GP38-2s joined the fleet, although the irony is that some of them were once owned by CN subsidiaries, and then sold off to a leasing company in the late '90s.  4903 is one of those, having been built in late 1971 as GTW GP38AC 5809, just before Dash-2 production started in January, 1972.  Since it already had an alternator rather than generator, I assume it was a relatively minor process to upgrade it to Dash-2 specs when it was sold to LLPX.

On October 29, 4903 and GP38-2 4707 (only one year newer), working as Local 522, were hauling some empties out of the "new" Bedford Quarry, near mile 13 of the Bedford Sub.  The fly ash cars behind the power are from a new customer here, and there were some asphalt tankers behind them, which is the principle commodity at the "old" Quarry.  The spurs here are two of the places 6-axle locomotives can't work in the Halifax area (although they weren't always that way)

A quarter mile to the east is the "old" Bedford Quarry, home to a cement transload facility and propane distribution center.  522 backed in to pick up some empty cement hoppers, and then farther to grab some empty propane tanks, barely visible behind those poles.

While they were in the spur, the crew gave up their track warrant, locking the main line switch normal, and Q123 charged up the hill from Rockingham with a mile or so of export containers.  After a very dry summer, recent rain has raised the level Rocky Lake again as SD70M-2 8962 and ET44AC 3138 led the train over the causeway.

GTD

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With Q123 out of the way, it was time for L522's crew to get a new track warrant and enter the main line again.  They're shown here pulling down track DF31 and past the station sign, which although neglected, is still upright.

GTD

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My favorite of these ex-GATX patch jobs is where they painted over every letter on the side except for most of the second o and half the m in Locomotive to make a tiny "cn"

Edit: Had to look. It's CN 4908.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/22 18:40 by djd83.

Love the second and fourth shots; the station sign looks so oversized.
Fred

Nice shots!!