Some of you may recall my post asking if there were any F-units operating in regular freight service on a regional or shortline railway–i.e. not some grain elevator or in a museum, etc. How sad, though unsurprised, I was to hear the answer was no. Then, in a Lazurus-like manner, out of nowhere, I hear that F-units will be reactivated to move iron pellets!
I don’t know how I am going to manage to find time off work to see this. But let me tell you sportfans, this is just something we have got to see! This is likely the last of them, not everyone has the luck of having a swansong; take advantage! I have just got to see them.
There should be some huge meeting or something. “F-fest?”
If anyone knows the specifics of dates/times/locations of operation, I would be most greatful.
on the GEXR(railamerica) in Goderich Ontario they use two FP9A units numbered 1400 and 1401. Also I think Ontario Northland has some F units on freight and passenger service
Gabe, I had missed your original post about F units. I have seen the Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) trains on the CSX line running F units in Baltimore, MD on their Camden Line. It has been about a year or so since I’ve last spotted them.
Um, maybe I’m a curmudgeon, but I can’t get excited about flying to Minnesota to do Erie Mining when the US Steel F’s in Run 8 at Atlantic City, Wyo., (A-B-B-B-B-A) are forever etched in my memory. 21 years ago? Yikes!
MARC hasn’t used F units on their trains in several years, unfortunately. When they used F units they also used them on the Brunswick Line. MARC does, or did have one F unit, # 7100, but it was used as control cab car; I don’t think it had any propulsion equipment.
The West Coast Railway Assn F unit #4069 was used all summer in excursion service out of Prince Rupert on the CN mainline - does this qualify as everyday service? It will be heading back to Vancouver over CN (ex BCR) tracks on Sept 25th will our other F unit 1404 dead in train due to electrical problems.
RudyRockvilleMD is right about the MARC 7100. It is a cab control unit,and it also is HEP equipped.The cool thing is that the 7100 is still riding on home rails as it is a former B&O F7[:D]
Yes, Have seen photos of her in all her B&O glory. It was a shortline in Idaho I think that removed the prime mover, and when MARC bought her, 2 other F units, and some former BN E units, they decided not to repower her.
Why is it whenever she is in town my camera won’t work, or she is parked behind the Ex-Metra gallery cars? [:(], but I can’t complain since I have a poster of her above my lionel shelf.
I know this sounds grandiose, but I think someone should organize something with regard to the F-units. I think this is big. I am not knocking railroad historical societies; they are great. But, isn’t it better to see actual history than a recreation of history? I cannot understand why twice as many railfans wouldn’t flock to this as opposed to a historical society meeting. To see F-units moved the way they were intended and built for is almost too much even to contemplate.
I have never been to Minnesota, so if anyone knows a good place to view them from, I would be most appreciative.
CSX Brunswick Line, that’s the one (got that one confused with the Camden). I had seen it traveling over the 95/495 bridge in Silver Spring, Md. That was longer ago than I was remembering!
Actually apparently the ONR scaped the F units. Last night at my club’s monthly meeting, I asked our president who is a big ONR fan and he said they stopped using them. They primarily use the EMD diesels and even the passenger trains like the Northlander sees anything from a GP38-2 to a SD75I for power on it.
The ONR F-units were parked next to the maintenance shop in North Bay about a month ago. A friend is rail fanning up there right now so will know for sure when he gets back next week.
I saw some CN F units on a CN business train once, they looked brand new. I think they are ex IC. Does anybody know if CN repainted any IC or ICG Funits?
Are you sure the F-units you saw weren’t really E-units? I am not saying that is the case, but I am not sure the IC had that many F-units, as GM&O had retired most of them before the merger. However, IC had no shortage of E units, and they have been used on IC business trains.
Disclaimer: yes, I know ICG did have some F units from the GM&O merger, as some were even painted in the orange and white. My point is I think they were so few that they could not have possibly survived–unlike the E-units, which did survive.