At least in Calgary, Alberta for the moment. There is a GP-38-2, #4412, still in the SOO’s red and white scheme being used in switching local industries behind the Alstom shops. I’ve sighted it several times over the past two weeks working with a CP geep while driving to and from work along Ogdendale Road SE. I was surprised when I first saw the unit. I have no idea how many SOO locomotives are still left in the old red and white scheme but it makes a nice change from CP’s somewhat plain red units. As to how long it’ll be in Calgary is unknown but if you’re looking to still get pictures of SOO locomotives in red and white, you’ll find one here.
Reports this morning…Thu, 3-5-09…of SOO units in Syracuse, NY, too.
CP has not been very agressive with repainting the ex SOO units. I still see white or red units along the former Milw ‘River Division’ yet. Until a few years ago, ex-Milw ‘Bandits’ were still showing up…
Jim
There are atleast two ex-SOO units in red and white working on the CSX Toledo sub, I’ve seen them as recently as about 2-3 days ago. It’s pretty cool considering we hardly ever get any odd/rare power through here.
I go by CP’s Pig’s Eye Yard a mile or two downriver from downtown St.Paul every day going to and from work. SOO engines in white and the later all-red paint schemes are quite common. The short train running a few miles down the the refinery in St.Paul Park usually uses an all-red and a white GP back to back, along with a SOO caboose - either a white one, or a reddish/brown one. There’s even one or two MP-15’s still in a bedgraggled version of the ex-Milwaukee “bandit” scheme showing a lot of orange.
I think the SOO is still a railroad on paper, or at least the reporting mark is still active and part of CP. I recently saw this covered hopper painted for CP but lettered SOO. Maybe it’s like the UP boxcars with MP reporting marks…
Yes, Soo Line is still an active railroad. It is a subsidiary of CP. The D&ME & the ICE are being folded into the SOO as part of the CP takeover.