Let's end 2016 on an up note. Let's cross our fingers that no celebrities die this weekend. Instead lets go with one of the few constants of 2016, quality, interesting prototype railroad photos from Trainboard members. First up, a rare visitor to California brings up the end of an empty coal train. Just outside Roseville yard limits (compass north, Railroad east) heading up the Valley sub to Biney then on to the Feather River route and points east.
Before the AMT, before the F59PHs and PHIs, before the ALP45s, long before diesels, these babies hauled commuters: IMGP4112A_MLW_4-6-4T_CNR_49_20090721 by Mike VE2TRV posted Dec 30, 2016 at 7:32 PM Canadian National 49, a 4-6-4T (yup, a tank Hudson!) built by MLW in September 1914 for Grand Trunk as #1544. She was retired in 1960, so she was one of the last steam locomotives to run on the CN system. On the right, just peeking into the photo, is CN 6711, a GE boxcab electric built the same year. It too pulled commuters (through the Mount Royal Tunnel) for a long, long time, first for Canadian Northern, then for CN, and retired in 1995, after over 80 years of exemplary service!
CP-led autoracks await a favorable signal at the BNSF diamonds in Minot, ND on New Years Eve, 2016. The mountains of snow received recently is apparent everywhere.
