Canada Calling
September 1998

by Bryce Lee

Canadian National Railway

The last nine cars of an east-bound Canadian National Railway train jackknifed a kilometre from the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 16, about 12 kilometres west of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba about 2 p.m. on July 3, 1998 spilling 60,000 litres of glycol into a creek and forcing area residents to flee. The train's two crew members were not injured. The RCMP evacuated farms in the immediate vicinity and closed down sections of Manitoba's two largest highways. Two of the rail cars were carrying liquid petroleum gas and six had glycol or antifreeze. Fearing an explosion, police closed a section of the Trans-Canada that runs over the creek bed. They also closed Provincial Highway 16 to the north. The line was reopened by the following Tuesday, CN trains detoured over nearby CN tracks.

Canadian National reported July 20, 1998 second-quarter 1998 net income of C$143 million, compared with net income of C$152 million for the comparable period of 1997. The Company reduced operating expenses for the most recent quarter by 12 per cent in response to softer markets for grain, automotive and coal, sulphur, and fertilizers. Basic earnings per share were C$1.61 for the latest quarter, compared with C$1.79 for the year-earlier period. CN's operating ratio was 73.5 per cent for the most recent quarter, an improvement of 3.3 points over the year-earlier performance of 76.8 per cent.

Canadian National Railway Co. plans to reap US$216.2 million annually from its acquisition of Illinois Central Corp., according to documents filed with a U.S. regulator. The two companies estimate that within the first three years of the US$3.7-billion merger, it will have annual operating costs of US$126.9 million and an increase in revenue of US$90.3 million, the result of luring customers from other railways. The net benefit to the new company is expected to be US$216.2 million a year. By comparison, CN had 1997 profit of US$336 million and Illinois Central had a profit of US$141 million. In 1997, CN had revenue of US$3 billion; Illinois Central had revenue of US$700 million. A joint statement July 15, 1998 to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, which must approve the merger, said the new company won't expect to have service reductions or interruptions, or adverse labor, safety or environmental effects. It also allows the historic Illinois Central to retain its logo, corporate identity and a significant corporate presence in Chicago; The applicants also seek the imposition of terminal trackage rights in Springfield, IL. This is necessary to enable CN/IC and Kansas City Southern Railway, to operate an efficient Chicago Kansas-City service that the CN/IC transaction will make possible. CN, IC and KCS began a 15-year marketing agreement in April 1998; and at the same time, CN and KCS also reached agreement on certain trackage and haulage rights and future terminal investments.

CN/IC will gain efficiencies from integrating their operations by consolidating repair and scheduled inspections of GTW locomotives from GTW's Battle Creek, MI, shops to IC's Woodcrest shop at Homewood, IL; IC's Memphis and GTW's Battle Creek shops will retain responsibility for fuelling and servicing local yard locomotives, terminating trains and foreign-line locomotives. This will permit the closing of the less-efficient Battle Creek locomotive shops. GTW employees at Battle Creek will be offered positions at Woodcrest, Memphis and Flint; consolidating GTW and CN's Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific (DW&P) division train dispatching, crew calling and time-keeping operations at IC's Homewood facility; merging CN's Gateway and IC's Moyers intermodal facilities at Harvey IL, south of Chicago; consolidating certain CN/IC general and administrative functions.

Canadian National Railways stands to gain in a big way if its partner Halifax Ports Corp. wins the bid for a mega-container terminal for the new generation of massive ships. A decision is expected within weeks on whether Halifax will win a bidding war against five U.S. city ports, including New York and Baltimore, to build the terminal for Maersk Shipping Line and Sea-Land Service Inc. Montreal-based CN is watching closely because it is the only rail link to the port. CN expects to handle more than 300,000 containers this year out of Halifax, and the volumes have grown faster than the market in recent years. The stakes are also huge for Halifax, which submitted its initial bid July 1, 1998. Maersk and Sea-Land, which share ships through an alliance, are seeking one large terminal to consolidate all cargo going through the East Coast. It will accommodate the new post-panamax ships, too wide for the Panama Canal. They can carry about 6,000 containers compared with 4,000 for the largest previous generation. Halifax Port Corp. is proposing to build a berth 1,350 metres long and install six gantry cranes. The addition would be worth C$456 million a year to the Nova Scotia economy, the port estimates, and add 6,800 direct and indirect jobs to the 7,600 already attributed to port activities. Halifax has two natural advantages: its deep-water port requires no dredging, and its location, jutting into the Atlantic, is on the route for ships going between the U.S. and Europe. With its upgraded main corridor, CN can load containers from a ship in Halifax and have them halfway to Chicago before another ship could reach New York.

After years of trying, Canadian National Railway has sold the line it started with, the original Grand Trunk Railway. CN announced July 23, 1998 that it has sold its Sherbrooke Subdivision, track between Ste-Rosalie, near Montreal, and Island Pond, Vermont. The 157-kilometre (94-mile) line runs through Acton Vale, Richmond, Windsor, Sherbrooke, Lennoxville, Waterville, Coaticook, Dixville and Stanhope, entering the United States at Norton Mills, Vermont. The transaction puts an end to Canadian ownership of the railways of the Eastern Townships. No purchase price was disclosed. Emons, a short line operator based in York, Pennsylvania, already operates the 276-kilometre continuation of the Sherbrooke line in the United States between Island Pond, Vermont and Portland, Maine. Emons acquired the line from CN in 1989 and renamed it the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad Co. The sale will affect 17 CN employees, who have a number of options available to them under their collective agreements with Canadian National Railway. Current traffic on the Sherbrooke Sub consists of a general merchandise train each day and from four to seven intermodal trains per week. Local business is mainly dependent on the pulp-and-paper industry, with main customers Domtar in Windsor, Kruger in Bromptonville and Eka-Nobel in Magog. Some grain from western Canada is also delivered to local feed mills. In Lennoxville CN interchanges cars with the Bangor and Aroostook rail system, which now owns the former Canadian Pacific Railway line linking Montreal and Saint John, New Brunswick, through northern Maine.

CN 6710, the boxcab electric that had been stored at the AMT yard in St-Eustache, has been moved to its permanent display site at Deux-Montagnes, Quebec. The move took place Sunday, July 19 and the locomotive is now on display at the AMT Deux-Montagnes commuter station. At last report CN boxcab 6712 is still stored at the Town of Mount Royal municipal yard pending display in a park. CN 6712 is safe and sound in plastic wrap at the yard.

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

CPR has acquired from Steamtown at Scranton, Pennsylvania Montreal Locomotive Works class of 12/30 4-6-4 2816 in exchange for future unspecified considerations. Current plans are for the 2816 to be restored to full operation at the BC Rail steam shop in North Vancouver BC. The 2816 will be pulled by the first of the diesels purchased from the Nebkota Railway in Nebraska. Nebkota 55, built for CPR in 4/53 as their 4099 will be renumbered as 1400, and shall pull the 2816 to its western destination. The special movement is expected to commence September 10, 1998. The schedule: Day 1 Steamtown PA to Binghamton NY to Albany; Day 2 Albany to Rouses Point to Montreal QC; Day 3 Montreal to Chalk River ON; Day 4 Chalk River to North Bay to Cartier; Day 5 Cartier to Chapleau to White River; Day 6 White River to Schreiber to Thunder Bay; Day 7 & 8 on display in Thunder Bay; Day 9 Thunder Bay to Ignace to Kenora; Day 10 Kenora to Winnipeg MB to Brandon; Day 11 Brandon to Moose Jaw SK; Day 12 Moose Jaw to Swift Current SK to Medicine Hat AB; Day 13 Medicine Hat to Calgary; Day 14 & 15 display in Calgary; Day 16 Calgary, to Field to Revelstoke BC; Day 17 Revelstoke to Kamloops to North Bend; Day 18 North Bend to Coquitlam; Day 19 Coquitlam to Sapperton to North Vancouver and the BC Rail Shop.

Two low-density railway branchlines in Alberta are being offered for sale by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). A 71-kilometre (44-mile) section of the Macleod subdivision, between Claresholm and a point south of High River and a 39-kilometre (24-mile) section of the Turin Subdivision, between Turin and a point just north of Coalhurst.

An historic train station in Brampton Ontario won't be demolished after all. The city has reached a tentative deal with the owner to dismantle the 96-year-old structure. And a businessman has agreed to store the pieces on his farm until someone is willing to restore the building. Canadian Pacific closed the station in 1969. It had found a new life as a garden centre, but has been empty for the last ten years.

Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR) announced July 17, 1998 an amendment of its proposal in connection with the proposed amalgamation of its eastern Canadian subsidiaries Ontario and Quebec Railway Company (O&Q), Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway Company and St. Lawrence & Hudson Railway Company. The company has increased the consideration offered to holders of O&Q shares to C$2,300 per share from the previously-announced C$800 per share. Each O&Q shareholder can elect to receive payment either in cash or in common shares of Canadian Pacific Limited having equivalent value. CPR also announced that it has entered into an agreement with a group of O&Q shareholders represented by the Toronto investment dealer, Pope & Company, which holds, in total, approximately 21% of the outstanding O&Q shares not held by CPR or its affiliates. The agreement provides that the holders will vote in favour of the proposed amalgamation. Including the O&Q shares subject to a similar agreement announced on May 1, 1998, CPR has now entered into agreements with holders accounting for approximately 50% of the O&Q shares held by minority investors. Security holder meetings to consider and vote on the amalgamation are scheduled for September. The amalgamation is subject to court and certain regulatory approvals.

Canadian Pacific Limited announced its second quarter earnings July 22, 1998. CP Railway, CP Ships and Canadian Pacific Hotels all performed well this quarter with their net income contribution up 14%, after excluding a special gain last year. However, low oil prices and soft coal markets, relating to the Asian flu, hurt energy operations. Consolidated cash flow was strong and CP continued to strengthen business. CP Ships and Canadian Pacific Hotels expanded their operations and continued to successfully integrate their recent acquisitions. As well, Canadian Pacific Railway and PanCanadian made solid progress.

Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) announced July 15, 1998 a second-quarter operating income of $174 million, up $6 million from the same period last year. The figure does not include the C$250-million gain from the sale of more than 1,800 kilometres of rail lines in the U.S. Midwest in April 1997. CP said cost reductions and a stronger U.S. dollar helped offset a drop in revenue caused by lower grain volumes and the Asian economic crisis which hurt coal revenues.

The company expects another tough third quarter but hopes a good grain crop and some recovery in other markets will boost the fourth quarter. Net income for the second quarter fell C$12 million to C$90 million, reflecting last year's sale of the Kansas City and Corn Lines. Revenues stood at C$864 million, down C$29 million or three per cent from a strong second quarter in 1997. The railway benefited from revenue increases in its intermodal, automotive, forest products and export potash business segments. Expenses for the quarter decreased by C$35 million, or five per cent over the previous year, same period in 1997, due mainly to improvements in operating efficiencies. CPR, part of the Canadian Pacific transportation and energy conglomerate, has sold off rail lines and cut jobs to become more profitable. The railway operates about 26,400 kilometres of track in Canada and the United States and employs about 4,000 people.

Canadian Pacific Railway has ratified contracts with six of its seven labour organizations representing more than 70% of its unionized employees in Canada. These agreements extend to the end of 1999 or 2000 with the exception of the train crew personnel contract, which expires at the end of 1998. Negotiations are continuing with the Canadian Auto Workers union, representing 3,500 shopcraft employees. In the U.S., Canadian Pacific Railway's Soo Line has settlements in place with 14 of 16 bargaining units representing over 85% of its unionized employees. The bargaining unit representing locomotive engineers, who failed to ratify a tentative settlement, is in mediation. Talks with police supervisors are ongoing. On the Delaware & Hudson, settlements have been reached with 11 of 14 bargaining units comprising over 75% of unionized employees. The bargaining unit representing track maintainers is currently in mediation. Another unit representing engineering supervisors is in open negotiations after a previous settlement was not ratified. Discussions with pipefitters are ongoing. The majority of the U.S. agreements extend to 1999 or 2000. All U.S. agreements to date have resulted in much greater operating flexibility in comparison to national U.S. agreements. Additionally, a number of agreements include provisions for joint union-management co-operation.

Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) announced July 24, 1998 it has joined a growing industry partnership committed to the safe and environmentally responsible management of chemical products. Responsible Care was created by the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association (CCPA) in 1985, initially enlisting only companies within the chemical industry. The initiative later broadened its scope, forming a partnership program to include companies that carry and otherwise handle chemical products. The primary objective of Responsible Care is continuous improvement in safety, health and the environment, along with an increased sensitivity to public concerns. CPR has an impressive record in the handling of dangerous-goods shipments. As a significant carrier of chemical products, CPR is an important and valued addition to the Responsible Care initiative. Founded in 1962, the CCPA consists of more than 70 member companies, employing more than 27,000 people in Canada and producing a broad range of chemicals and chemical products.

CP Ships and Transportation Maritima Mexicana, two of the leading regional container shipping companies, have agreed to form a 50-50 joint venture which will merge the container shipping businesses of TMM, Lykes Lines and Ivaran Lines. With its initial revenue base of US$ 1.2 billion and annual volume of 1 million 20-foot container equivalents (TEUs), the new joint venture will rank among the 15 largest container shipping lines globally. It will operate 40 ships and a container fleet of 150,000 TEUs. Its service network will encompass trade lanes linking Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean with North America, Europe and Asia. TMM already co-operates with Ivaran Lines in the US Gulf - East Coast South America trade, and with Lykes Lines and Contship Containerlines in the US Gulf - Mediterranean trade. Owned by CP Ships, Contship Containerlines will not be part of the joint venture. However, its economic interest in the US Gulf - Mediterranean trade will be integrated into the joint venture. Cast and Canada Maritime, also owned by CP Ships, will not be included. TMM and CP Ships will each contribute trade names, market positions, partner relationships, organisations, staff, information systems and supplier contracts. Both partners will retain their owned vessels and owned containers and lease them to the joint venture.

CP Rail high-number SD40-2s from 5700-6080 are now making frequent appearances in the east after spending the last fifteen years in western Canada. Red Barns and SOO power also are now being seen once again. For Smiths Falls Ontario railfans, most eastbound trains change crews at Whytes Crossing, rather than at the station. Be ready for moving roster shots as trains pass the station since photography is more difficult at Whytes.

CPR is building a storage/display shed in downtown Calgary to house its vintage passenger equipment. The shed will be situated behind the Palliser Hotel and will span the First Street underpass. Two tracks will be covered by a Victorian design glass structure. There will be controlled public access to the coaches. It isn't anticipated that the varnish will be used regularly, but will be available for special train use.

VIA RAIL

Via Rail is moving its main station for Quebec City's south shore from Levis to Charny. It will affect passengers on overnight trains between Montreal and Quebec City as well as those who go on to Gaspe and the Maritimes. Via officials say they'll make the changeover at the end of October. The terminal in Levis will stay open until then. Via recently announced plans to build a brand new south shore station in the Saint Nicholas area; however these plans were abandoned when the Quebec transport ministry opposed the proposed site.

A man suing Via Rail after his wife died in a train derailment doesn't deserve punitive damages and is making false allegations, said Via Rail. Via paid Seymour Kaplan C$300,000 in compensation after his wife, Diana Joan Kaplan, was killed in the Saskatchewan crash last September. The compensation was meant to cover the general damages Kaplan was seeking, according to court documents filed by the company. However Kaplan, a resident of New York, is seeking C$20 million in punitive damages from Via. In his suit, Kaplan said the company and its employees were "arbitrary, high-handed, deliberate and in complete disregard for the lives and safety of the public." In a statement of defence filed in court the company responded that "the derailment was an accident." The railway admitted Via employees mistakenly disconnected an on-board monitoring system after concluding it was malfunctioning. Hours later, a locomotive axle lost lubrication, overheated and broke causing the derailment. Two other lawsuits stemming from the crash which killed Kaplan and injured 65 others have been settled out of court for undisclosed amounts.

VIA 67 hit a trespasser at Coport, Ontario July 22, 1998 and that makes twenty trespassers killed on CN properties so far in 1998. Seven trains were delayed and VIA passengers from trains 67-49-69 all had to ride buses to Toronto.

On Sunday evening, July 26, 1998 VIA #1, with dead F40 6442, with only F40 6448 working, and 19 cars arrived Winnipeg. The train picked up GE Dash 9-44CWL 2518 to take the train Jasper, where the 2518 was removed and 6445 was added. Sure hope the GE was clean.

INDUSTRY NEWS

The French were dropping their h's as GEC Alsthom started trading on the London (UK) stock market this past June. The 50-50 joint venture between GEC, of the UK and Alcatel Alsthom of France is to rename itself simply "Alstom" in the future. A spokesperson said the change had been made because the hard "th" had lead to confused pronunciation and because the company, at least in the European venue wanted to go against Siemens. The removal of the GEC part of the title will not change any long-term plans. Alsthom was originally coined as a contraction of Alsace Thomson-Houston. This means that the former CN Point St. Charles shop in Montreal, initially privatized was named AMF Transport then later the GEC Alsthom was tacked on the name will now be simply known as "Alstom Transport Incorporated"

The Canadian countryside could be the backdrop for the New Democratic Party's caucus meeting later this summer. Word has it that while the Liberal and Conservative caucuses plan to meet at resorts this summer, the 21 NDP Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Commons are going to hold their summer caucus retreat on an east-bound train travelling across the country. The plan is for MPs to board a train in Vancouver at the end of August and make the five-day trip to Halifax. Somewhere in between they'll get things together for the fall session of Parliament and, just maybe, boost the party's lowly public profile. An NDP spokesman cautioned that none of the MPs are actually holding tickets yet.

Major Canadian cities need to use more trains to help reduce traffic congestion, said Transport Minister David Collenette, but environmentalists say it's time Ottawa's money-train left the station. "Rail, among other things, is part of the solution to sustainable transportation for the urban areas, not just in Canada but around the world," Collenette told about 300 politicians, bureaucrats and environmentalists July 9, 1998. However Lois Corbett, of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, said she has heard plenty of talk from Collenette but hasn't seen enough action. "To be a fan of rail is one thing. To help contribute to a legacy of expanding public transit is another thing," Corbett said. The executive director of the environment group said it's time the federal government loosened the purse strings. "To sit around on some of the millions of dollars of studies that have been produced over the years is just not enough any more," Corbett said.

TrentonWorks, a railway car builder in Trenton Nova Scotia will likely start a US$7-million expansion this fall if the plant can maintain its growing reputation for producing high-quality railcars, says the head of its parent company. "In fact, I've already authorized another US$5-million capital expenditure for Trenton to expand its capacity," said Bill Furman. The company is also expecting confirmation of a freight car order for about US$70 million, said Furman, president and CEO of the Greenbrier Companies of Oregon. The plant expansion and order depend on TrentonWorks' ability to produce railcars of the same quality as the sample cars that recently impressed two major buyers. The railcar plant achieved excellent ratings in the buyers' tests and Furman said he was very pleased. The expansion would create construction work and could add to the plant workforce next year. Usual plant employment is about 1,250, though it can drop between orders. Since Greenbrier took over the plant in March 1995, more than $10-million has been spent on improvements and employment has increased five-fold. TTX of Chicago, the largest freight car buyer on the continent, has tentatively ordered 1,000 cars, with the possibility that more orders could follow. Greenbrier has a backlog of orders for 5,300 cars that will mean steady work well into 1999. Orders for more cars are in the process of being finalized. In addition to the strong demand for railcars, the company is enjoying growing co-operation between the company and its unionized workforce.

On July 21, 1998, former CPR MLW M-640 4744 arrived at the Canadian Railroad Historical Association's Canadian Railway Museum in Delson/St. Constant, Quebec. The 4000 horsepower locomotive was the only such unit to be built in North America. The CRM intends to cosmetically restore the 4744 as soon as time and finances permit. The locomotive was originally built as a C-C locomotive in 1971 and rated at 4000 horsepower. In 1988 it became the first Canadian mainline locomotive to be equipped with AC traction motors, being modified to an A-1-A at that time. Capable of speeds of up to 75 MPH, the 4744 continued in service for a number of years, before being stored with mechanical problems in Montreal.

SHORTLINES

The Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway is in the news. Mid- Michigan high hood GP9 5967 arrived in Sydney, NS on May 30, 1998. The locomotive was then repainted in the CB&CNS traditional lion rampant and stripes however this time in dark green instead of black. GP7s, Georgia Southwestern 2160 and 2167 arrived on July 18, 1998. These are reported to be ex Santa Fe units rebuilt in the late 1970s. They received a new cab, similar to the CF-7 (angular type) and a chopped nose. These units are with dynamic brakes and are in a blue and white livery. Only one MLW remains, 3842, last seen in Port Hawkesbury, NS. Most of the MLWs have been moved to the south side of the main shop road in Sydney. This is traditionally the last stop before the cutter's torch. Those on the line in order are: C-630Ms 2035, 2039, 2034, 2032, RS-18 3627, C- 630Ms 2016, 2003, 2029, RS18 3675, C-630M 2028. All the MLWs are reportedly for sale so this move may only be for storage. All the GP-50s (3100, 3102, 3104, 3107, 3108, 3109) are in service but they are not handling the grades as well as the M-630s did. Doubling the grades at River Denys and Marshy Hope are common, especially in wet weather.

Freight trains are back between Gaspe and Chandler in Quebec. Noranda's copper mines in Murdochville will ship 40,000 metric tonnes of copper a year between Gaspe and a refinery in east-end Montreal. The two year deal will help ensure the future of passenger train travel in the Gaspe. For the last ten years, Via Rail's passenger train "The Chaleur" has had the rails to itself. A spokesman for the owners of the track, the Gaspe Railway Corporation said the passenger service isn't enough to cover the operating costs of this line. As for Noranda, it will save C$500,000 in shipping costs over two years by using rail. The Gaspe Railway Corporation admits Noranda's decision is just the first step. It says it needs 2000 freight cars a year in addition to Via's tri-weekly passenger service to make the line profitable. The Noranda shipment will be initially eight cars a week.

This is an update for CLN Industries located in Charny Quebec. The building in which CLN Industries operate looks great, the exterior having been covered with aluminium panels. This is a far cry from the old brick roundhouse which used to have 37 stalls at one time in the steam era; a plaque near the entrance for CNL Industries, done by Parks Canada, commemorates the utility of the roundhouse throughout the years. CLN GP35 #2003 was leased to New Brunswick Southern (NBS) early in June when their CLN rebuilt GP38-3 #9801 was delivered. In mid-July NBS GP38-3 #9802 was delivered and CLN GP35 #2003 returned to Charny. NBS GP38-3 #9803 should be ready for delivery mid-August of 1998. On July 5, former GTW GP18s 4702, 4707; GP9s 4432, 4530 arrived; and are expected to be painted in CLN's yellow and green color. No decision has been taken on lowering the noses. This will depend on when CLN Industries has to make them available for leasing. Quebec Gatineau C424 4214 was released July 14, 1998 from the CLN shops in Charny after its 90 day-maintenance checkup. There was a unit recently received from BN at Superior identified as ILSX 902, shipped from Minnesota Power & Light, Boswell Energy Center, Cohasset, MN, going to CLN at Charney, Quebec. That unit ILSX 902 was waybilled BN Superior, and CN got it from BN at Superior, but instead of going north and heading east through Thunder Bay; at last report it was heading to Chicago on 346 at on July 30 and will come over the GTW to get to Quebec. Talk about a round-about routing.

Quebec Gatineau News: the majority of green newsprint CP Rail cars have been restencilled from CP to QGRY. There are many variations, including painting over the "CP Rail" and/or the multimark, or any combination thereof. The cars receive a sticker with "QGRY" in a white on green colour scheme placed over the CP on the sides and ends. This same sticker is utilized on the former CPR locomotives, being placed directly below the number on the cab sides. There are very few cars remaining with their native CP markings, although the numbers have remained the same. Get your photos now. The font used for QGRY is a very rounded Arial-type non-serif font. A note of interest is that these green cars are heavily vandalized, as it is a rare event indeed to see a green QGRY car without graffiti. The QGRY cars are being loaded with paper for newspapers in major U.S. cities and this graffiti is mainly being placed on these cars in bad sections of U.S. cities. You don't need to have cars in storage to get them covered in graffiti, simply sitting waiting to get picked up empty in the poor section will see covered in an hour or less. There is even a store in Montreal which sells graffiti supplies, and one person interviewed for a local newspaper article even said he was going out that day to "hit some trains".

QGRY operations on the Lachute sub have changed slightly since last December. In addition to the siding at Marelan there is also a siding at Lachute, right on front of the station. Crew swaps have typically taken place at Marelan, but it also happens at Lachute. The 2 trains on Saturday, June 20 were as follows: QGRY 2500-2004 with 8 cars took the hole at Lachute to wait for it's westbound counterpart. The meet took place around 16:20. Westbound power was all ex-CP, 1847-4241-4222 and about 25 cars. Monday to Friday, the crew swap takes place around 22:30, usually in Marelan. QGRY always runs a Sunday train up the Lachute Subdivision; train leaves anywhere from 07:00 to 11:30. On Sundays, there is no meet, and this turn is usually back in Outremont by about 18:00.

The gentleman who purchased the remaining assets of the Quebec Central also purchased a former U23C (3944) Norfolk Southern locomotive. The JMG-1's move took her from the CLN shop in Charny to Ste-Rosalie, the on CN 394 to Sherbrooke on June 19, 1998., then over QSR for storage in Farnham. About 2-3 weeks later she light-engined back to Sherbrooke, and they supposedly "bent the iron" to get the JMG-1 onto former QCR track at Sherbrooke. She did not go Ste-Roslaie to Farnham on QSR's St-Guillaume Sub. Seems the first thing Quebec Southern did when CP sold the QC was to remove the junction switch along with about forty feet of track. Jean-Marc Giguere, the owner of JMG-1 has more work to do in Sherbrooke as well. The wooden crossing barriers are missing from their stands at the level crossings, and the rails were paved over when the parking lot was built for the new provincial jail on Talbot Street in Sherbrooke. It's been so long since there was traffic on this line that the former Quebec Central bridge over the St. Francis River has trees growing in the trackbed. Of course before this happens our hero Jean-Marc Giguere would have had to actually buy the Quebec Central Railway from Canadian Pacific; which he has not yet done, citing technical problems with the federal and provincial governments. Jean-Marc Giguere still has to spend many tens of thousands of dollars fixing up the track.

MOTIVE POWER

Canadian National Railway:

The following CNR locomotives have been leased to CSXT: CN SD40s: 5000; 5003; 5013; 5015; 5019; 5022; 5024; 5025; 5027; 5032; 5046; 5048; 5049; 5052; 5053; 5054; 5055; 5067; 5077; 5078; 5081; 5121; 5129; 5132; 5142; 5162; 5205; 5209; 5217; 5218; 5223; 5227; DWP SD40 5905; 5909; GTW 5934; CN GP40-2L(W) 9401; 9405; 9408; 9417; 9420; 9426; 9441; 9443; 9448; 9463; 9465; 9470; 9475; 9481; 9504; 9509; 9632; 9548; 9602.

Some of these locomotives have already departed CSXT for the Union Pacific to pay back horsepower hours owed to Union Pacific by CSXT. In addition locomotives leased to Kansas City Southern are also now on Union Pacific to pay back horsepower hours owed by KCS to UP.

GTW 4439 and 4509 were sold to Western Railroad Dismantlers of Bliss Idaho, but they went to Toledo, and were then sent on CR to Columbus, Ohio, enroute to Southern Marine, Greenville, Mississippi, at the extreme west end of the Columbus & Greenville.

CN retired SD40s 5100 July 29; 5106, 5157 July 30; 5094, 5109, 5117, 5133, 5154, 5188 July 31, 1998.

Canadian Pacific Railway:

On July 7, 1998 C424 4230, RS18u 1838 and C424 4216 returned late from the Wharf Job; the daily run from St. Luc Yard to Montreal Docks. These were the last three operational Montreal Locomotive Works built, Alco-powered locomotives on Canadian Pacific Railway. All three were shut down (executed?) at 01:30 am on July 8, 1998.

CP C424 4200 and 4209 have been sold and delivered to Century Metal in Lachine Quebec for scrapping; both units were little more than frames and body shells. In addition RS18u 1837 and M-636m 4711 which was upgraded with a Caterpillar 3608 in 1988 have been sold to Minnesota Commercial in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Helm will be acquiring the following locomotives from CPR: GP35s 5004-5008, 5010-5011, 5013-5017, 5019-5020, 5022-5025; SW9u 1202, SW1200RS 1206, Soo GP35 730, SD40 743, GP40 4623. Also wrecked CP units GP9u 1606, SD40-2 5660, 5738, 5938, 6032. Some of these units at press time had not been retired.

CP will get from Helm, eighteen operating, GP40-2's. Some units are presently in the ILS shop at Thief River Falls, Minnesota for refurbishment. Units to date HATX 501, 503, 506, 507, 508, 511, 513, 514. These are former B&M/Guilford and Conrail units. Logical renumberings would be to the high 4600-series, after the Soo GP40's.

Ontario Southland Railway has acquired a second former CP RS18u in this case 1861 as of July 28, 1998. She will join the 1860 now renumbered OSR 180. The 1861 is expected to be numbered 181 once it arrives on the Ontario Southland.

Alstom (formerly known as AMF Transport/GEC Alsthom):

Presently CN Dash 8-40CW 2430 is in for wreck repairs; GO Transit F40PH 520, 521, 522, 523, 526, 530 and 535 are in for mid-life overhauls, rebuilding of trucks and new paint. Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLP) have seven locomotives undergoing rebuilding. CN GP40 9305 and 9317; NS 2763, 2772, 2816; GATX 3082 and EMDX 198 are all being converted from GP40 status to GP38-2s and will be numbered 2383, 2384, 2386, 2387, 2388 (the last two have no assigned numbers at press time). All will be painted in Union Pacific colours and leased to the UP. Quebec Railway Company former SD40s from CN 5021, 5040, 5080,5088, 5095 GTW 5926 are in for various repairs and engine work before being sent to the New Brunswick East Coast Railway.

RaiLink:

RaiLink high hood GP9 1701 has been delivered to the RaiLink Lakeland-Waterways at Boyle, Alberta. The locomotive is exxx- Georgia Southern, exx-Fox River Valley & Western, ex-Grand Trunk Western 6052, nee DT&I 982. RaiLink GP9 1757 which ex-Conrail 7523, is enroute from C&F Locomotive, Patterson, Georgia, to be delivered to Lakeland-Waterways.

Three 4000-series GP9's are going to Mackenzie Northern (the K is not capitalized, Alexander Mackenzie, 1822-1892, Prime Minister of Canada from 1873-1878): 4000 is being overhauled at Metro-East and is ex-TOR 4203, nee SP; 4001 was overhauled at VMV and is former SP 3708 (the C$25,000 Central Western unit that Tom Payne purchased); 4004 is being done by Boise Loco Co., and will be the only RaiLink loco with dynamic brakes, however, this feature won't be much use. Of course, SD24m 1800 (in North Bay, Ontario), and SD24m's 1801-1802 (somewhere in the USA) will also go to RaiLink Mackenzie Northern.

RaiLink Mackenzie Northern is currently using seven leased CN engines: GP9RM 4000, 4001, 4003; GP38-2s 4700, 4701; GP38-2(W)s 4773, 4798. RaiLink GP10 1752 was outshopped mid-July, and was destined for RaiLink-Southern Ontario, working in Hamilton with SW1200B 1200. That SW1200B has an interesting history. Built as Illinois Central 9203B by EMD model TRB in February 1940. It was rebuilt to IC 1026B in March 1972, and became Illinois Central Gulf in 1986. It then went to Paducah & Louisville as SW1300B, numbered 1300B. It became part of the RaiLink family and painted light yellow and dark blue in early 1998.

Some thoughts on RaiLink numbering. I'd perhaps suspect that 1700's are GP9's with 26L brakes and 1750's are GP9's with 24RL brakes. 1800's are SD/GP18's with 26L brakes. 4000's are microprocessor Geeps, and the 4200/4300's are units numbered before this new method was devised.

Miscellaneous:

Canac SW900 7909 was to be leaving Montreal on train 369 July 30, 1998 bound for Nanticoke, Ontario. But she's got a new identity: Lake Erie Steel Company No. 457 rather than Stelco 457.

It would appear that BC Rail is following CN's lead in disposing of the last MLW's. The call has gone out to recall all of the M420's to Squamish. The three remaining M420B units tied up at the main shops in Squamish, British Columbia the second week of July 1998. Of remaining M420's all were enroute to Squamish to be shut down. If this is the end for the M420's, that will leave only the two C420's in switching service at Prince George and RS-18 #630 which is at Squamish waiting for a cat rebuild. These will be the last MLW built Alco-powered locomotives on BCR.

Thank you to the following individuals for contributions and kind words for the September 1998 Canada Calling: Will Baird, Gerry Burridge, Brian BC, Bruce Chapman, Charles Bury, Jim Brock, Mike Collins, Denis Fortier, Steve Gerbacht, John Godfrey, Stephen Goodman, Doug Hately, Manny Jacob, Chuck Johnstone, Joe Kazmar, Randy Kotuby, Eric Lee, Millie, Carl Perleman, Jon Pindar, Ian Platt, JDBR, Earl Roberts, Jim Sandilands, John Slater of Tywyn, Rob Sterne, Mick Swick, Al Tuner, Thumper, Brian West.

I may be reached by snailmail at: Bryce Lee, 1377 Eden Place, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1J9 or by electronic mail/Internet: brycelee@globalserve.net

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