John Day photo
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CP 6573 (S-3, 1957) removes three business cars from the just
arrived "Canadian". Vancouver CP station, 1969 John Day photo |
OS KA: 923-20 engs 4210-1838-1837-4216-4230; 0-57; tons 3547; by 0017.
By special arrangement, train 923-20 was supplied with the last five
operable CP Alcos (a trio of C424's and two RS18's) out of St. Luc this
morning. Going out in style, the old girls are working the train through
to Windsor and if all goes according to plan, they will be retired upon
their return to St. Luc.
Tradition--and matters of the heart--demanded that Andrew and I walk down
to the crossing to give them a last PK. Under a beautiful starry sky, we
stood and listened as 923 lifted out of the siding at Killean (about 3
rail-miles away--less as the crow flies) after meeting 512, then dug in
for the assault on Orrs Lake hill. Several minutes later, the headlights
swung into view, and, in all their four-cycle glory the five Alcos came
storming up the hill, sounding, like DPM once said, like a thousand
yesterdays.
In the ten years we've lived here, the sound of Alcos on the hill has
been a part of everyday life--often the last thing we hear at night, and
the first thing we hear in the morning. After tonight, things just won't
be the same.
Greg McDonnell, 7/9: CP's last operating Alcos, RS18 1837 and C424's
4210 and 4230 were tied up at St. Luc early today. For the record:
1837 TUUS St. Luc 980708 0343
4210 TUUS St. Luc 980708 0341
4230 TUUS St. Luc 980708 0341
Greg McDonnell, 6/29/98: They may never rattle the windows here again, but the last three CP MLW's refuse to die. Despite strict orders that all CP Alcos were to be tied up last week, CP RS18u 1837 and C424's 4210 and 4230 remain in service. Today's Montreal transfer (St. Luc-Hochelaga-St. Luc) has the three survivors in an all-Alco lashup: CP 4210-1837-4230. Oh to be in Montreal!
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A massive power move from Toronto to St. Luc yard/Montreal at
Toronto yard.
Bruce Chapman photo |
Some pictorials:
MLW S-2
MLW RS-3
MLW RS-23
MLW RS-18
MLW RSD-17
MLW C-424
MLW C-630M and M-630
MLW M-636
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Former CN unit was leased to Canadian Pacific. It's shown here
sitting outside the diesel shop at Cote St Luc, Montréal on
7-8-1983. Glenn Arthur photo |
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Last update 18.11.02