New color for CN?

I was out and about the other day and seen a blue CN I think it was a C44-9WL. It's number was 2461. Sorry no pictures. I had to do a double take to make sure what I was seeing was correct. and it was a blue CN unit. Can somebody tell me what this is? Thanks

 

Jack it's actually a LMS lease unit from the old conrail now ns. it's a d8-40cw finally the ns let someone else borrow that junk, we all got sick of running them here on the ns. i think they are on 6 or 12 month lease.

 

I answered this one a couple weeks ago in the NS forum when it came up, so I will repeat it again here.

The original deal between CN and Conrail with LMS called for the 40 Dash 8-40CW units to spend 6 months of the year on lease to CN and the other 6 months on lease to Conrail.

With the Conrail takeover by CSX and NS, the Conrail interest in the LMS leased units was divided, with 700-714 going to CSX and 715-739 going to NS.

NS has since negotiated a deal with CN in which they retain 13 of their units year round, while the remaining 12 units are on CN year round. NS kept 715-727 while CN has 728-739 which they have renumbered to CN/IC 2455-2466. The CN units are still in blue, but with the large CN letters on the long hood and IC sub-lettering and numbers on the cab sides.

Chris Toth

 

Thanks NSDash9, For the info I don't get in to this forum much so It was new for me to see that blue CN unit. So I that I would about it and check it out. Thanks

 

No problem, Jack. Glad to help.

Chris

 

Maybe they should stick to that blue color for two reasons: 1) It has been abandoned in the U.S. (Conrail) and 2) It is not easily confused with that other big Canadian road's colors

Harold

 

Wrong Chessie,
BC Rail is now using blue on some of their engines, they look like a drap Montana Rail Link engine, but without the spiffy red!

 

Got any pictures??

Harold

 

I will ask Dane if he get insert a link to a picture. I am internet picture challenged though someday soon I think I will get a budget digital camera as I would like to post pictures of the layout I am building. And actual show a "nolix" in action.

I know there are some sites with lots of BC rail stuff.