Macleod Sub Auto Rack Storage - Part 3

If you wish to follow along in Google Earth, here is the kmz file for download.

September 6th, 2010

This is the conclusion of the three part series of the Macleod Sub Auto Rack Storage. In part 2, I posted about the first 27 auto racks that were stored on the MacLeod Subdivision. Unfortunately for part 3, I am only able to show pictures and complete info for 2 auto racks and road names for most of the remaining 12 cars.

Back in September I was attacked by a hawk which prevented me from photographing the last few auto racks of the 39 in the second block. My intention was to wait until the first weekend of November. I figured that the hawk would be gone by then. I also wanted to get back out there to finish the job before the first snow fall, but a combination of time, work and scheduling did not permit this to happen. I had driven by a couple times after work to make sure that they were still there and figured I could knock off the last few over the Christmas holidays regardless of snow or not.

I drove out there late afternoon one day after Christmas to check the conditions and snow build up, but as I came over the hill they were all gone. I was not overly thrilled at this discovery. All the signs indicated that they were moved sometime in December when the snow was on the ground and probably not too long before the holidays at that.

It’s too bad that I did not get to finish this “inventory” as it was kind of fun to do. I had also intended to do the same to a few blocks of coal hoppers other rail cars that were stored on the Lomond Spur out by Herronton, but they were all taken away back in late September.

Here is the partially completed list of what the last few auto racks.

RAILROAD	REPORTING MARK	TYPE
BNSF	TTGX 997504	Bi-Level
NS	NS 110274	Bi-Level
FERROMEX	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
NS	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
CONRAIL	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
?	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
NS	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
?	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
UP	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
CSX	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
UP	TTGX ?	Bi-Level
CSX	TTGX ?	Bi-Level

Here are the last two pictures that I have of the auto racks that were stored on the MacLeod Sub. The Norfolk Southern car is a bi-level articulated AutoMax carrier. That was the first time I ever saw one in real life.

As a final thought, the next time I set out to do something like this I'll think back to this experience and finish the job as quickly as possible.

Goggle Earth kmz file.

Cheers,

An Hour At Alyth

If you wish to follow along in Google Earth, here is the kmz file for download.

April 2nd, 2010

One Sunday back in April, I was observing some action at Alyth at my usual location. I was only there for about an hour, but did manage to see the hump backing in, one train arriving from Edmonton, two trains leaving Calgary heading west, and a few locos hanging around.

I arrived at around 16:30 and as I was arriving, the Hump in the process of pushing a train over the hump into the classification tracks. Someday I would like to be able to see a hump operation in action, but I know that my chances are very slim. The lead on the hump was 6612 with 5795 both SD40-2's. An interesting bit of info is that 6612 use to be a former SOO locomotive.

As the hump was pushing in, a train lead by 9635 started pulling out heading west. There were a few auto racks at the front and the remainder of the train was intermodal. About halfway through was 9540 and that was all for locomotives on this train. It wasn't an overly long train which would explain only two locos. I would assume that the train would probably pickup another locomotive or two somewhere along the way before they reached the spirals at Field in British Columbia. Both locomotive were AC4400's.

After it had gone by, I spotted a familiar paint scheme. Over by the diesel shops were FP9A's 4107 & 4106 and F9B 1900. 4106 & 4107 are the main power for the Royal Canadian Pacific passenger train. Also by the shops were CEFX 1050, CP 9753 and CP 8275, two AC4400's and a GP9. And further into the yard you could see the hump still working and another set of SD40's waiting, but they never came out while I was around and was not able to identify road numbers. Notice the blue sign indicating that track P$ if closed as there are people either inspecting or working on some of those tankers, or some other reason.

From out nowhere a team of locomotives, 8646 and 8837, in reverse were on the track heading into the wye and more than likely to turn around to latch up to a westbound train. Here is an opportunity to identify the differences between an AC4400 and an ES44AC locomotive as the two look very similar. If you look at the second picture, there are two major differences between the two locomotives. The first is the trucks and the second is the radiator hood. You can also notice the rear headlight is a single on 8646 and double on 8837, but this may not be for all railroads as some have their own preferences for headlights. There may be a few other subtle differences, but the trucks and the radiator are the two visibly major ones.

Sitting there all alone on one of the far tracks was an Alberta grain hopper number ALPX 628373 with the "Take an Alberta Break...visit Medicine Hat" slogan. It must have been a bad order or something. You can find a fairly extensive list of all the Alberta grain hopper at Barraclou.com

About ten minutes later, a container train came in off of the wye from the north. A couple AC4400's, CEFX 1047 and CP 8604, were in the lead of this one.

I took several shots of some of the containers as well for modeling references.

After quite a few well cars there were a few box cars and hoppers and a block tankers of which I also photographed for modeling references.

As the train was going by, 8646 and 8837 showed up reversing to somewhere in the yard out of sight.

About another ten minutes later, another train was leaving the yard heading west with 8834 and 8606 pulling, and 8524 at some point in the middle. This train was all intermodal. As the train was pulling out, a couple other railfans showed and we chatted for a bit.

On one of the maintenance tracks on the far side, there were 6 locomotives that had been sitting there since my arrival. They were 5793, 3110, 3084, 9779, StL&H 1625, and 1696. Their types were SD40-2, GP38-2, AC4400, GP9 and GP9. Steve Boyko from the blog Confessions of a Train Geek saw 1625 in Winnipeg at the diesel shop there and posted a picture on his blog. He updates his blog frequently, so there is no shortage of good info to read and videos to watch.

As I chatted with the other railfans, they mentioned that there was a KCS unit around the back side of the diesel shops. They said that there were a couple clean SD70's at Sarcee Yard. I said my goodbyes and headed out to see if I could find the KCS unit.

When I did find the KCS locomotive, I couldn't get a really clear view of it. The three pictures below are the best I could get. KCS 2500 is a GP40.

Apparently KCS 2500 was on loan to CP as a test unit. It and 27 other SD40's and GP40's were converted to SD22ECO Locomotives and refitted with the 710ECO diesel engine. The EMD 710 engine was used for its "record of reliability and service ability in rugged locomotive applications" as is stated in a KCS news release. You can read details on the KCS website.

After that I headed up to CN's Sarcee Yard for Some New CNery to spot those SD70's.

Goggle Earth kmz file.

Cheers,

Some New CNery

If you wish to follow along in Google Earth to see my stops and travels, here is the kmz file for download.

April 2nd, 2010

After having spent an hour around Alyth, I headed to CN’s Sarcee Yard up oon 50th Ave to follow up on a sighting tip. While I was at Alyth, a few other railfans had showed up and told me that there were a couple nice new and clean SD70’s and a couple dirty ones.

I parked in a corner of the Esso Truck Stop parking lot and couldn’t have timed it better. As I was parking the car, the 50th Ave crossing signals were already flashing. Coming from the north were three locos and and string of about 20 rail cars. Leading was 8867 with 8885 and 7078 close behind, two SD70M-2’s and a GP9.

I found it pretty odd that three locomotives were used to pull some 20 cars. A multitude of scenarios ran through my head as to why, and the best I could think of was they arrived with a much longer train and performed a few switching manoeuvres before the end of the shift.

As they went by, I snapped a few shots of the stacked containers, you know, for modeling purposes.

They pulled up past me to clear the second switch down leading into the yard for which they were blocking traffic on Barlow Trail. Once the switch was thrown, they proceeded to back into the yard. I assumed that they were dropping the string at the intermodal part of the yard since they were pulling a few stacks.

I decided to change location and a place to park somewhere closer to the other locomotives I had seen further into SarceeYard when I first arrived. So I ended up parking in a driveway on 3oth street and walk down from there. Sitting there on the tracks were a GP9 and two SD70M-2’s numbered 7077, 8890 and 8912 respectively. The SD70’s were so clean and shiny. The sign of use was a bit of dirtiness on 8890’s rear nose.

Of all the more recent locomotives from the past decade, i have to say that the SD70's are one of my favorites. To be more specific, those with the newer style nose, the SD70ACE and SD70M-2.

A few minutes later the loco trio that I saw when I first arrived pulled up on the far track and sat idling. At that point, I figured that the action was done and I had seen what I wanted to see, so I headed straight to my usual watering hole for a satisfying cold one to end a satisfying afternoon of railfaning.

Goggle Earth kmz file.

Cheers,