VIA 6651-6653: Three Survivors

VIA Rail received five F9B's from CP Rail. These B units were renumbered at Montreal's St-Luc Shops in February 1979 - VIA 1961-1965, ex-CP 4473-75 and 4477-4478 respectively. Originally, these F9B's wore maroon & grey then CP Rail Action Red, and were used on Canadian Pacific's Canadian and Dominion. When the Dominion came off, they were renumbered from CP passenger series 1900's into the freight series 4470's in the summer months of 1971.  

Purchased by VIA for $5,000-$7,000 each on September 28, 1978 - three were real survivors. Well into the late 1980's these three units were still in active service with VIA Rail, before reaching their out-of-service dates in January-March 1990. Interestingly, CN would only allow the ex-CP units to be renumbered into their 6600-series, reserved for B-units after modifications were made to bring the units up to CN standards. At Calgary in May 1986 (above), 6651 is added to two ex-CN units on my train, to power No 1 through the mountains. Those Action Red portholes and winterization hatch give away her CP Rail heritage. Here's an online auction site photo of VIA 6651 on May 24, 1983:

6651 (ex-1962) was released from Ogden Shops January 21, 1983, max. speed 89 mph. Repainted with CP-style numerals, but not rebuilt, retaining only one steam generator from its CP days.

VIA's Canadian at Winnipeg in March, 1982 had 1962 in its power consist (photo immediately above and all below by Brian Schuff at Winnipeg unless otherwise noted). Interestingly, 1962 caught fire on CP's Laggan Sub on July 7, 1982, then was shopped at CP's Calgary Ogden shops in October. At Winnipeg in wintertime:

Eastbound at Portage la Prairie: "Dude, where's my baggage car?":

VIA 6651 is now preserved in Cranbrook BC, in 'original CP condition'. 6651 was still operating on the Canadian in 1985, 1986 and 1987, latterly with 6404, shortly thereafter assigned Toronto. Besides 6651 on my train in 1986 (top photo) my only other observation of 6651 was in September 1985 - 6651 was between 6312 and 6616 on No 1 at Vancouver. An online photo dated June, 1988 shows 6651 at Mimico, with red paint visible on portholes and roofline. Another online photo shows 6651 operating behind VIA 6773 at Windsor in March, 1989. 

That same year, 6651 was retired and stored in Toronto, seen here at Mimico on October 11, 1993 (above - Trackside Treasure collection):

6652 (ex-1963) was released from CN Pointe St Charles December 16, 1981. Operating on the Canadian in 1984-1986, I observed her twice in Portage la Prairie in June 1984, and on No 9 at Parry Sound, ON in June 1986. Other photos show CN 9161-6652 at Thompson, MB in September, 1986 before 6652 was stored in Toronto in 1987.  Operating in the corridor in 1987-1988, the unit was overhauled in June 1988 (according to a Facebook photo posted by Pierre Fournier) losing its tall winterization hatch.  I observed 6652 on the overnight Cavalier at Kingston on March 5, 1987 behind 6408 (this was my first F40 sighting). Then in 1989, 6652 was operating on the Canadian and in the Corridor.  With two steam generators installed at PSC, 6652 was the last of the three units to operate.  Stored at Vancouver, the unit deadheaded from Vancouver to Winnipeg with two sisters, behind 2 6400's, languishing at the Winnipeg Maintenance Centre until being scrapped by General Scrap in Winnipeg on October 17, 1993.

6653 (ex 1964) released from CN Pointe St Charles May 14, 1981.  Here she is as 1964 in August, 1979 at Calgary (Brian Schuff collection):

6653 was operating on the Canadian from 1981-1984, and I observed her in August, 1981 and again in June, 1984 (strangely unphotographed) at Portage la Prairie, MB. Later operating with CN F7A's out of Winnipeg in 1986, in the Corridor in Feb.1987, on the Canadian in Vancouver in March 1987, then the Corridor before being stored in Toronto later in 1987, where she remained for several years. One online photo dated April, 1988 shows 6653 up against a Mimico bumping post, coupled to an SGU, with red paint showing through above the roofline. At Mimico on April 2, 1989 (Trackside Treasure collection):

In October 1988, the unit was reportedly being cannibalized. Two photos at Winnipeg, in the company of former CP and CN units:

Like 6652, this unit contained two steam generators.

Another online auction site photo shows 6653 in September, 1981:

Interestingly, the other two non-rebuilt F9B's were stored in Montreal by 1984, scrapped in September of that year. All five ex-CP F9B's had VIA numbers reserved for them, though 6650 and 6654 were never used (1961 and 1965 respectively). Though CP 4473 was one of the first locomotives to be repainted in VIA yellow & blue, becoming VIA 1931 on December 12, 1978, it was only for six days! Due to a predicted numbering conflict, she was quickly renumbered again at Angus on December 18, 1978!

Watch for an upcoming post on ex-CP F-units that were upgraded to CN standards receiving these upgrades: 

• MU receptacle on the front of all A units
• 74V power trainline (to enable use with CN steam generator units). 
• Houston automatic fuel cutoff (in addition to the Buckeye system used by CP)
• Regear unit 4066 to 4069, 4473 to 4475, 4477, 4478. (subsequently not done except 4473.)
• Apply CN cooling water fill. CN used a nipple style verses CP's "Chicago" bayonet-type-coupling.
• Upgrade 567B engines to 567BC standards.
• Repaint.

This Ron Wilbanks photo posted to Facebook shows VIA 6773-6651 at Windsor, ON in snowy March, 1989:

Thanks to Chris Cullen of North Vancouver BC for providing additional information. Also, thanks for Rapido Trains for waiting to release their F9B's until I got this post ready for publication. Talk about timing, eh?

Running extra...

Charles Cooper's Railway Pages are a great source of information. Some of my favourite pages on Charles' site: Research and Writing a Book, What's New in Publications now listing all three of my books on VIA Rail (scroll) and his Excellent and extensive links list. Lots-o-links!

Dave Winter's Winter Valley Regional Railway site recently included two photos from the 1980's on his Proto-File page. Interestingly, I was able to find complete consists in my Trackside with VIA - The First 35 Years book that match 6785's train at Belleville:

and 6531's train near Trenton:

What are the chances that I observed and recorded the consists of these trains, within an hour and 50 miles of where Dave photographed them, 31 years ago? Apparently pretty good. Thanks to Dave for posting these photos and allowing readers like me to chip in with some additional information!

Springtime at Kingston Station

Is the word 'springtime' an exaggeration? Perhaps, but the signs were there. The air was warmer, at least when standing in sun if not in shadow. Our great-nephew stayed with us for a couple of his March break days, and one item on his agenda was train-watching. To me, that agenda item makes him a great great-nephew. On March 10 and 11, our evenings were partly spent at Kingston's VIA station. Don't let the snow in the photos fool you. Spring is coming. So was more snow: 20 cm last night! 

The only freight train we observed was slick with these eastbound oil loads. Though I'd predicted the lead unit would be red, white & blue, it turned out to be a repaint, albeit with BCOL sub-lettering and those weird super-sized Homewood shops cab-side numbers. Tagging along behind BCOL 4641 at 1712 as it passed the 'E' sign (above) were 2621-IC 2697, seen passing the 'F' sign (below). Great-nephew's eyes grow wide as the UN 1267-laden VMSX tank cars pound by: 28316, 28319, 311869, 311074 and others say 'tanks for the memories' as they recede to the east.

VIA No 55 is on Track 2 just past the 'C' sign at 1720. With 906 on the head-end and 6415 trailing, 3468-3330-3353 rattle along in between. Who doesn't like riding the escalators to reach the under-track tunnel?

Take the 'A' train?....

As you'll see, I don't believe it's possible to present enough photos of VIA's new Business Class cars. Very clubby. Very photogenic. Twenty minutes behind No 55, No 66 arrives with 3451 trailing 908, then 3316-3328 (Renaissance scheme) -3325-3473.

Brought to you by the letter F. For Freight trains, please. (If it was really springtime, the station attendant would not be wearing a toque.)

VIA No 67 was being bustituted this night, due to a trespasser fatality near Cornwall. Passengers were told to wait for the bus to arrive...from Belleville...to take them back through Belleville...to Toronto! No 46 arrived at 1800 behind 6409, dragging old-school VIA 1 car 4001-3457-3361-3370. The handicapped sign is prominent.

The next night at 1650, VIA No 44 arrives ten minutes late behind 903. Renaissance scheme 3464-3368-and Ren 3348 trail. Fire extinguisher sign caught my eye:

Normally, only the characteristic 'hockey-stick' platform light standards mar the views here, as noted in this earlier post and shown in every photo gracing the cover of my first book on VIA Rail. One above the car looks like special lighting to show the 'Business / Affaires' lettering on 3464's side:

The decades-old metal sign implores you to 'Keep off Tracks'. Sound advice.

The sign above the door on the construction trailer at the west end of the station shows CN's 24-hr emergency number. Our great-nephew, being a truck aficianado, noted the hi-rail wheels on both pickup trucks and the larger boom truck and asked thoughtful questions about how the trucks move along the rails!

E  is for...Eccident? Look at the damage to the corner of the front corner of 902's monocoque on the engineer's side, also visible in the top photo of VIA No 55 arriving at 1728. 902-3474-Ren 3319-3367:

Years ago, my Dad coined the phrase 'Careful fingers!!' to protect a young visitor's digits, and the phrase stuck. VIA has posted 'Careful thumbs!!' signs on the cab entry doors of P42DC 918, among others. No 66's power leads 3452-3365-3313 at 1747. It looks like the the cab door handles have caused a few blue thumbnails, and perhaps some blue language, too!

Trains rapides. Eloignez-vous des voies signs mark the rear of Ren Business Class car 3455, trailing 917 and leading 3318-3306-3334 on No 46 at 1802. English trainslation: Really, really fast trains. Distance yourself of the tracks! If you know what's good for you!

And that's just what we did after No 46 left. The great-nephew is task-oriented. His checklist for the evening: Train station...check. Pizza Pizza. Running trains in the basement. Playing Legos. Or as I might call it, Best Evening Ever!

Running extra...

Last weekend's Kingston Rail-O-Rama found me arriving on Kingston Express bus 1364. Finds included some Tim Reid and Bob Hunter Kingston railfanning photos bought from the irrepressible Liz Reid, some Vintage Tyco (searchlight car!) from Ron Barrett (going postal in a good way!) and several additions to my railway library, including my annual Morning Sun Books volume - CP Facilities Volume 1. Home aboard Kingston Express 1370.

Prolific bloggers: Chris and Connie, over at BIGDoer. Check out their then and now now and then.

A new CN caboose project website includes this photographer's photo of CN 79707 Dubbya.

Postscripts:1984 Royal Train;1995 Derailment

Fellow Kingstonian, Railway Post Office cancellation expert, railfan Ron Barrett kindly shared several Kingston-area railfanning photos with me. It's about time I shared them with you. In this post I'll include three sets of photos from Ron's railfanning, since they tie in nicely with some posts I've already published. Watch for more of Ron's photography of other unique Kingston-area railfan subjects. First, we travel back to a balmy October 13, 1995. CN's wayfreight on the Cataraqui Spur to the DuPont plant derailed on the trestle between Bath and Armstrong Roads. Ron was there that evening.

At the Cataraqui Spur crossings of Bath Road and Armstrong Road, Ron snapped a few photos of the derailed cars using a 200 mm lens. The TrackMobile from the DuPont plant had been summoned, and arrived (top photo) with the operator somewhat unsure about receiving instructions from a CN employee (above). The last two cars on the south end of the derailment, led by yellow-cupola CN International Service caboose 78100 were hauled down the Cataraqui Spur to permit access of the derailed cars. Normally, the TrackMobile - the Kingston equivalent of Thomas the Tank Engine - does not venture far from its stomping grounds inside the plant! Crossing Bath Road southbound

Behind CN Geeps 4141-4122, the derailed tank cars leaned at an awkward angle at the trestle!

The next day, Quinte Crane Rentals has stabilized the cars to enable them to be pumped out, a job which would take three days. I was here the same day that Ron took the first of these two photos:

Re-railing, with hoist cable crimping the tank just a bit:

About 10 miles to the west on CN's Kingston Sub, Ron made one and only trip to the top of the Millhaven Spur, when CN was still switching the plant. CN engine 4130 handles some ethylene glycol empty tank cars and covered hoppers that are also empty. The outer rail inner railhead was almost completely worn away where the spur reaches the main line. The ties and foot of the rail were covered with rail shavings!

Ron was atop the Princess Street overpass to photograph the arrival of the Royal Train conveying Queen Elizabeth II to Kingston on September 28, 1984. Coincidentally, I was there too, in the crowd near the station next to the Queen's limousine. Postscript II - photos of the Royal Train by Scott Haskill.

Preceded by a pilot train, the Royal Train slows at the Counter Street crossing, as banana-yellow Kingston Police cruisers block the crossing. Patriotic red &white bunting has largely blown onto the station roof!

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are ensconced in their limo as the motorcade departs the station for the trip to their next stop in Amherst View. The train's white-overalled mechanical supervisors and crew wander over for a gander:

White flags and green flags were quite common on the ex-CN FPA4's in VIA service. But the Royal Standard made far fewer appearances, seen here on freshly-scrubbed 6761's cab.

Running extra...and Lots-O-Links:

It's off to the annual Kingston Rail-O-Rama this Saturday. Will there be bargains? Will there be books-by-the-pound at the Bytown table? Should I bring one, or two, reusable shopping bags to cart my goodies home? VIA engine 901 caught fire while on VIA No 57 near Alexandria, ON on Sunday March 2 - Flickr Photo by 'Mike T'. CASO Free-mo layout set up at St Thomas, ON - check out the 3+ pages of photos. Tim Warris' CNJ Bronx Terminal micro-layout - get a round to it. John Eull's amazing photos on railpictures.ca - from the early VIA era to today. TV reporter gets plowed by the third truck and keeps on reporting - Ron Burgundy take note.

CN's Kingston Sub in the 1950's, Part 2

Continuing our trip from Part 1 along CN's Kingston Sub, via the photos of the John W Barriger III National Railroad Library, we are departing Belleville station as passengers parade on the platform. In Part 2, I'll again refer to the photo numbers in brackets such as [242] above. I'll present the photos as if we're still heading west to Toronto. A re-formatted version of the photo shows an F-unit in the yard, centre of photo. CN received its F-units as early as 1951 - another photo in the CN collection shows CN 9060 in northern Ontario, so it's safe to say these photos date from the early 1950's.

Looking west, we're leaving Belleville, approaching the Moira River bridge.[450] Hey kid! Not a good place to practice your skipping or sprinting!

Looking back at the other side of the bridge from the Moira Street crossing [243]. Today an osprey roosts here and makes trips to the 'fish buffet' in the river.

Approaching the Trent River bridge. The Trent-Severn Waterway is beneath us.[244]

CN's Trenton Junction station [245]. Notice the concrete mile marker indicating Mi 233 Kingston Sub.

Not sure where this photo is taken; any ideas? It includes a nice mix of pastoral and industrial. Notice the old brick building at left, yard switchers, plant water tower and overpass in distance. I believe it may be just east of Toronto. Hmmm.[455]

A sweeping curve, showing the usual fine ballast and subroadbed of the Kingston Sub, likely at Oshawa. [459]

Strong backs and labour was cheap [445]. An extra gang of more than 20 section men work in some new ballast near two classic wooden bridges. Can't picture this location today? That's because it's now within the property of the Darlington nuclear plant. Today all this work could likely be done by a two or three tamper track machines.

Here's the culprit, giving those gandy-dancers all that work. A work train behind MLW-built S-1-f 3501 with a mix of ballast cars [446], and some attentive section men near the caboose. Notice how the ballast behind the train is light-coloured, clean and new as in the photo above.

At Bowmanville, there is more trackwork in progress [447]. The section gang is working on the south track, and our train (actually eastbound) is changing tracks with the gang in the clear. Notice an underpass with white-painted guardrails and a spur with wheel stops at right. In the distance, another set of concrete mileposts could give us the exact location.

Now we're at Port Hope (two photos). The photo following the one above [448] shows the CN and CP bridges on a cloudy, humid or rainy day:

Sun's up, uh-huh, looks OK [462], another view of the Port hope bridges, with the station in left background, then an approaching CN wayfreight and CP's bridge over the Ganaraska River at right.

Here is Port Hope freight shed and station [461]. The wayfreight is behind CN 1123, and the Smith Street level crossing is in foreground.

Cobourg. Note CP's wooden water tower and station at left. CN's water tower is in mid-photo [466]. Distortion, such as the telegraph pole, and some blurring is evident in some of these classic photos taken at speed from a moving train.

The CP main line crosses back to the north on the west side of Cobourg [465] and a CP freight happens to be up on the bridge as we pass by.

Gooderham & Worts Distillers Since 1832 is on the right, and CN's Don Yard on the left as we arrive in Toronto [442].

Yet another signal bridge looms as does the Royal York Hotel [441] at far right.

The Barriger Library is a unique, nearly fathomless resource that is meant for sharing. Curator Nick Fry was kind enough to comment, expressing his approval for the sharing and enjoyment of these images for Trackside Treasure readers. These scans of copy negatives were made in the 1990's from the original nitrates. Good news - there are more to come, according to Nick! 

Fortunately for us, the library has placed 119 sets of photos on the photo-sharing site Flickr. Here are some Barriger Library Flickr photo collection links for your viewing and sharing pleasure:

-The CN Collection: 362 photos

-The Canadian Pacific Collection: 123 photos

-All 119 sets: from Boston & Maine's one photo to Ontario Northland's 111 photos to Union Pacific's 912 photos

Thanks to Keith Hansen and Tom Box for confirming some of the locations shown in these fine photographs.

Running Extra...

In the August 2013 edition of Esquire magazine, author Mark Warren wove a thoughtful tale entitled The Father You Choose. This paragraph resonated with me, and pertains to any good parent:
"A man doesn't go and announce, I am going to be an example for you, I will show you how to live. He just carries himself through the world. And the most important lessons aren't declared or obvious, but more likely come along in the commonplace."

But one reason I like that passage is because the author is not afraid to start a sentence with a co-ordinating conjunction. And that's one thing I like about it. But not the only thing. For some reason, it's become popular to start sentence after sentence with another co-ordinating conjunction these days: "So, today we're going to build a bookshelf." "So first, we're going to select our lumber".

Hockey trivia...who was the only Team Canada player repeatedly referred to solely by his first name in the call of the Sochi Winter Olympics mens' gold medal hockey game?

Cole Harbour's own "Sid"....Crazzbeeeee