An Alaska RR GP49 has been sighted at Palmer Lake, Colorado. No lease markings. Looks just like any standard ARR loco. Probably one of the GP49s that ARR removed from their roster to make way for Tier 1 SD70MACs. For what other reason would an ARR loco end up in the lower 48?
We see ARR units here on the BNSF “racetrack” from time to time and I believe they are being used related to a “power share” arrangement. Not all that unusual for me to see them running through on BNSF trains in and out of Chicago. The one you pictured seems to be an ex-
Canadian unit based on the cover over the brake blister.
The GP49s were built new for the ARR and came new with the snowshield over the inertial air intake (the dynamic braking air intake is immediately to the rear). The Canadian railways were not the only ones to specify this option.
The GP49s are en route to Fepasa, a 5’6" gauge railway in Chile, where they will be modified as “SD49s” with three-axle Flexicoil trucks and a cut-down fuel tank. At least two are already there and in service.
RWM
I saw 2 ARR loco’s come through Madison and Middleton WI, they looked like gp40’s (or 49’s) They apeared to be deadheading with an SD20? that was doing some switching, they also looked freshly painted so I thought maybe WSOR painted them at Horicon.
I also rember reading somewhere that to get to the ARR cars and loco’s would have to take a rr ferry to get to the ARR tracks wich were completley isolated from other tracks, or maybe im just imageing things.
Joe