The Flickr Gp402W Image Generatr

CN 9677 leads CN 500 out of the Port of Montreal, passing a lock at the eastern end of the Lachine Canal.

While waiting for South Shore Freight AF12 to leave Belt Railway of Chicago’s Commercial Avenue Yard a couple miles north of here, CN’s Recycle Job made a surprise appearance first, as that was the reason CSS hadn’t gotten their light at Fordham onto CN trackage.

CN train R9679106 from Canadian National’s Glenn Yard, head’s south through the busy Kensington junction on the Thoroughfare, passing the decaying 108 year old Illinois Central interlocking tower. CN 9615 (GP40-2LW) leads a former IC GP38-2, as they rattle over the South Shore diamonds on their trip to Cook County Lumber just south of here on the CN Chicago Sub. Taken: 4-6-25

One of CPKC's various local jobs from their yard in Artesia, Mississippi (probably LL52) made an interesting move by shoving east about 4 miles to the gargantuan Steel Dynamics plant off of the former GM&O Tuscaloosa Subdivision. This was done shortly after Alabama Southern's turn from the line's namesake had departed with a very eclectic lashup of its own. On point of the CPKC local was KCS GP40-2W #2911, which supposedly is the last gray ghost widecab geep that hadn't been painted into retro belle. I believe one other had been repainted as recently as last year at Shreveport. With 2 other geeps behind it, the 2911 puts on a show as they lug loaded coil cars up the steep grade just west of the steel mill. To the left of the train is a brand new spur for an aluminum manufacturing plant that's still under construction as of this post. During their shove east, they had also dropped two boxcars here filled with construction materials for the plant. They already have 2 SW1200s here to be used as plant switchers, one of which had met the local to grab the cars they had just recieved. Never realized just how busy this region was in the realm of metal production.

On a side note, does anyone know why the hell CN sold so many of their widecab geeps in the 90s and 2000s? Were they lease returns or something? Seems pretty ironic considering they still use GP9RMs and still had GMD-1s up until a couple years ago.

Still soldiering on, some cylindrical hoppers are on the head end of CN 500, preparing to switch grain clients nearby. CN 9677 & IC 9632 provides the power.

With the STB just announcing the acquisition of Iowa Northern by Canadian National next month, this railroad is officially on it’s deathbed. Before classes start back up at Nebraska, I wanted to make one more trip up, and hopefully shoot one of the GP40-2Ws in some sunlight. I lucked out.

Temperatures have dropped around Edmonton, with the morning seeing a low of -27 (at least where I was). The background of the shot shows water vapor rising from the warmer river water as 3278, 2906 and 9424 proceed east towards Bretville Jct. Once at the Jct, the train will turn south and enter the Camrose Sub.

Curving through Martel, British Columbia, is the westbound Rocky Mountaineer Railtours passenger train on September 25, 2015. In the background is an eastbound Canadian National intermodal train on the other side of the Thompson River Canyon.

CN 500 has a vintage hopper first up as it enters the Port of Montreal with IC 9632 & CN 9677 for power. Behind is grain elevator #5.

CN 500 has a vintage hopper first up as it enters the Port of Montreal with IC 9632 & CN 9677 for power. At left in the distance is grain elevator #5.

The dome of Bonsecours Market looms above as CN 9677 leads CN 500 out of the port.

Was supposed to have F40 leaders on both trains I shot this day, but of course they swapped power so the “boring” stuff led instead. Here, the Butler to Waterloo job passes Shell Rock. The one thing I dislike about this subdivision is the track speed. They clip along at 40, making chasing tough. You’re lucky to get four shots before Cedar Falls.

The tail end of VIA 633 passes CN 500.

Rocky Mountaineer coming into Lillooet as they snake alongside Seton Lake and Mt McLean.

CN 500 is leaving the Port of Montreal with CN 9677 leading.

CN 500 is leaving the Port of Montreal with CN 9677 leading. At left, buildings that I believe were transport docks for Molson are being demolished. They are no longer needed, with Molson moving its centuries-old plant to the South Shore a couple of years back.

CN 500 is leaving the Port of Montreal with CN 9677 leading.

CN 500 is leaving the Port of Montreal light power after dropping off grain cars at a client.

CN 500 is leaving the Port of Montreal with hoppers and baretables. CN 9677 leads.

NECR 3038, 4067, 3039, and 3040 lead 608 north out of Franklin on their way back to Palmer.

Aspiring to be a locomotive engineer since he was a kid, Flickr contributor Nicolas Houde is on the right hand side of CN 9677 as he does locomotive engineer training on CN 500.