After a two week hiatus, it's back! Here's the picks for the week. BuddyBurton with colorful mix of diesels Mike VE2TRV with CN 77 Kurt Moose with a BNSF grain train Hardcoaler with a CSX freight co_riff with a NS coal train YoHo with a new rapid transit service badlandnp with a CP diesel r_i_straw with UP 3985 and in one from my collection, Rio Grande 3111 (shot by Bob Jensen)
Glad to see this back after the interruption. Like one would say, no trains and no beer make Mikey go something-something... Thanks and keep up the good work!
Unusual looking unit, the CN 77. What is it, and who built it? Is it still around? Running? Scrapped? Other shots quite nice also!
It's CN's first diesel switcher, a Westinghouse design built by CLC in 1929. In fact, it was the first foray into end-cab design for switchers, giving better visibility to the crew (thus the name Visibility Cab). It was originally powered by a 400 hp 6 cylinder Beardmore engine built under licence by Westinghouse (the photo on the left is the original engine). In 1953 it was repowered with a 380 hp Caterpillar V12, and somehow, by some miracle, the original engine was preserved. CN 77 was donated to the Canadian Railway Museum near Montreal in 1968, along with the original engine. In 1975 (the year the photos were taken by my Dad), it was still operating as their switcher. It's now proudly displayed at the museum in their main building. In great condition, I might add, for an nearly 90-year old piece of railway history.
