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Date: 01/20/25 07:28
MLW Monday
Author: briancdn

A selection of photos of the big MLW's in and around Montreal in the 1980's. Little did we know then that a regional out of Scranton PA would keep some of these big MLW's active for new generations to enjoy.
But at the time, we were worried about the possible retirement of the big engines as CP continued to buy SD40's in the hundreds.

1) An M-636 leads an eastbound at LaSalle in Montreal. It's about to cross over the St Lawrence river. Mar 1986

2) Another M-636 leads a westbound at Adirondack Jct, about to cross the bridge to Montreal and it's terminus at Cote St Luc yard. Apr 1986

3) M-640 4744 is being used as a test bed for AC traction motors, note the wires out of the cab to collect data from the traction motors. A harbinger of things to come Apr 1986

Brian N.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/25 08:24 by briancdn.








Date: 01/20/25 09:37
Re: MLW Monday
Author: cn6218

Great snapshot in time Brian.  I'm glad you were there.

That first train looks like it might be headed for Saint John, NB with that RS-23 tucked in behind the lead M-636.  The 8000s were used on the New Brunswick branchlines, up along the Saint John River and down to St. Stephen.

The fone in that image is 8036, which ended up being the last operating MLW in Nova Scotia about 20 years later.  Canadian Pacific sold off the Dominion Atlantic in Nova Scotia about 6 months before they sold off the rest of the Eastern lines to Iron Roads.  The DAR had always used SW1200RS units for power, but CP decided to keep those and sold a batch of RS-23s to the new owners instead.  From 1994 to 2005 the MLWs were the only power on the Windsor & Hantsport (DAR successor), until some GP9s arrived that summer.  The RS-23s were mostly retired and scrapped the next spring, but 8036 hung on, usually as the switcher working the dumper in Hantsport for another year or so.

Here is 8036 hauling about 10 loads of gypsum out of the yard in Hantsport towards the dumper on October 17, 2006.  It was scrapped early in 2007.

GTD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/25 09:40 by cn6218.




Date: 01/20/25 13:07
Re: MLW Monday
Author: briancdn

cn6218 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great snapshot in time Brian.  I'm glad you were
> there.
>
> That first train looks like it might be headed for
> Saint John, NB with that RS-23 tucked in behind
> the lead M-636.  The 8000s were used on the New
> Brunswick branchlines, up along the Saint John
> River and down to St. Stephen.
>
> The fone in that image is 8036, which ended up
> being the last operating MLW in Nova Scotia about
> 20 years later.  Canadian Pacific sold off the
> Dominion Atlantic in Nova Scotia about 6 months
> before they sold off the rest of the Eastern lines
> to Iron Roads.  The DAR had always used SW1200RS
> units for power, but CP decided to keep those and
> sold a batch of RS-23s to the new owners
> instead.  From 1994 to 2005 the MLWs were the
> only power on the Windsor & Hantsport (DAR
> successor), until some GP9s arrived that summer. 
> The RS-23s were mostly retired and scrapped the
> next spring, but 8036 hung on, usually as the
> switcher working the dumper in Hantsport for
> another year or so.
>
> Here is 8036 hauling about 10 loads of gypsum out
> of the yard in Hantsport towards the dumper on
> October 17, 2006.  It was scrapped early in
> 2007.
>
> GTD

Great catch, thanks for posting.
Brian N.



Date: 01/20/25 15:29
Re: MLW Monday
Author: E25

#2 is a killer.  Thanks!

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ



Date: 01/20/25 18:36
Re: MLW Monday
Author: NiagaraMike

Great series Geoff!



Date: 01/20/25 20:12
Re: MLW Monday
Author: feclark

4744 had the big wings before they were fashionable, one of its charming elements.
Fred



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