Yesterday, while travelling, I caught sight of a CN freight down in a valley. One of the engines, an SD-something (it was too far away to tell anything exactly) had a paint scheme I have never seen before. It was entirely painted grey and carried a large CN wet noodle logo on the side. The only part that wasn’t grey was the front of the nose, which was painted orange. Does anybody know what this was?
Probably a lease/rebuild unit. Did it look like this…
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=107932
or this…
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=105662
Maybe?
Just a couple ideas
The second photo is exactly what it looked like. Seeing leased units in different paint schemes is nothing rare, but having a CN logo on the side is what really caught my attention and made me wonder about it. Thanks for sharing the links!
If I’m not mistaken, they are former GEC Alstom units.
5938 to 5956 are former KCS units 6621 to 6639 and were originaly CN 5006 to 5240. Classed as SD40-3 when rebuilt by Alstom. These 19 locomotives are lettered for GTW.
5930 to 5937 are former UP SD40-2s also lettered for GTW.
6900 to 6949 are SD40-3s lettered for WC and came from GCFX and started as CN SD40s.
On Thurs eve, I caught a quick glimpse of what appeared to be a unit just in primer on CN. It was paired w/ a UP unit. Both newer model GE’s it seemed. Saw it in Oshkosh WI headed toward Fond du Lac. Anybody else see that or know what it is?
I know that CN operates grey units on E-rail ore trains during the winter.
Yip, they’re Alstom units CN bought and are restenciled WC.
Randy
funny how they all started life as CN SD40’s and now thier all back again running on CN… slightly changed of course.
Yesterday, I drove through Melville, Saskatchewan (home of a big CN yard). It’s on the same line that I saw this engine on. In the yard was SD40-3 5938. I imagine that this is the same one I saw before.
dblstack:
I’ve heard that EMD London is very backed up in the paint shop and is shipping locos elsewhere for painting. Also heard that UP is taking locos in primer and operating them.
(see Trains newswire for June 22.) [:I]
(Sorry: just noticed you said GE.) [:I]
5938? I think thats a GTW unit, there for being ex KCS.
Alec