What's new in St-Luc yard?

July 26th, 2009

Nothing really changed during the the last months. Several units in storage, traffic lower than usual, but all this is temporary. The first good sign is the release of 14 AC4400CW units from St-Luc yard from July 16th to July 20th. The numbers are 9541, 9583, 9600, 9625, 9629, 9639, 9647, 9649, 9662, 9715, 9731, 9803, 9813 and 9839.

On another hand, several ES44AC are removed from service for GEVO turbo charger replacement (see August 2009 edition of Canadian Railway Observations for details about the ES44AC recall).

Front and side picture shows 11 of the 21 scavenged SD40-2 sold to RB Recycling. They should be delivered to CAD in the next weeks for disposition (probably stripping).

Among the 21 units, 4 already arrived at CAD (5685 5802 5814 5822) and six are still in Toronto.

SD40-2 units sold to RB Recycling, waiting in Montreal St-Luc yard

Now some interesting stuff in the yard. Curious Beaver/Dual flags CP 8638 waiting on the "train wash" line. Also in yard, FLNX 418 (ex-AMTRAK 318), waiting to be shipped to Derby, Maine. Confirmed to be a futur AMT unit! (Funny because it was attached to AMT 1320) Also on site, UP 9671 & 8535.

CP 8638
AC4400CW DRF-44

FLNX 418 in transit at St-Luc yard, destination MMA Shops in Derby, Maine (thumbnail)

FLNX 418
In Transit for Derby, Maine

UP 8535
Unusual to see UP units in St-Luc

This is probaly the 3 preferred types of engines modelers like. Very good looking GP38-2 CP 3105, GP9u CP 8205, and ex-SOO SD40-2 CP 6601.

GP38-2 CP 3105 in St-Luc yard (thumbnail)

CP 3105
Very good looking GP38-2

CP 8205
GP9u new style!

CP 6601
SD40-2, ex-SOO 6601

While driving to the yard, we met 4 engines on the bridge, probably from/to CAD. Too bad I did not caught the grey CITX on the left! They were probably dropping AMT 1323 at CAD Rail, since we saw the 3 units later in the yard without the F59PHI.