Looking for info as to whether the CNR would have operated FP9s on New England trackage (e.g., Central Vermont) during the 50s. Any help – or guidance towards possible research sources – would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. John
I can’t give you a definitive answer. My belief is that, while it may have happened, such an event would have been very rare. There were steam generator equipped GP9s in the 4900 series assigned to the CV, and these would be normal power for the passenger trains. In summer they may have been supplemented by CV’s freight GP9s. The CV power would run through to Montreal.
John
In reading Jeff Holt’s “Grand Trunk in New England,” I do seem to remember running across one or two on the Portland, ME / Island Pond, VT line. These were rare, as I seem to recall that steam was still used quite a bit into the 50’s, at least on this line (can’t speak for the CV), and passenger service was getting fairly thin at that point as well.
HTH.
Eric
I haven’t seen them that much in my research so far; but it’s not impossible.
Most of the manifest diesel freights were hauled by C-liners and Geeps, but some F series did show up.
Passenger traffic normally ran CV power in Vermont, power was normally handed off in St. Albans. After dieselization, it looks like most was RS3 (for a couple of years), than Geeps.
Still, I picked up the CN F3 set from Walthers, and intend to run them on occasion on my manifest freights, so there’s no reason why you can’t fudge a bit on your layout if it makes you happy.