Canadian Railway Observations is reporting that ex-CFMG SD40 units 6902, 6903, and 6906-6910, as well as RS-18s ex-OCRR 1838, ex-NBEC 1857 and 1867 are all going to Alabama to be parted out and scrapped.
The last time I saw 1867 was on November 7, 2006 in Miramichi, in the middle of our War Bride train chase.
By the way, if you haven't read Canadian Railway Observations yet, you should really check it out.
I guess Saturday was the last revenue run for CFMG 6909. It and NBEC 1857 left Campbellton this afternoon on their way to CN's shops in Woodcrest, Illinois.
CFMG 6910 is the last ex-QRC SD40 left in New Brunswick. I'm sure it will be gone in a day or two as well.
Those two old warhorses are still running... Michel Boudreau shot them leaving Bathurst Friday afternoon. Very nice video. There was a string of empty container flats on the end of CN 564. I saw the same flats coming into Miramichi on Thursday. They must be going for storage somewhere... unless the long-rumoured "containers into Belledune" is coming true!
Michel was in Bathurst shooting at the same time I was, on Thursday. Here are two shots of the SD40s. Here's CFMG 6910 at the east end of the yard.
Then CFMG 6909 leading on the return trip. They are waiting for CN 567 (ore train) to clear the track.
I had a quick trip up north yesterday, my first in a long time. I was very fortunate this trip and my timing was good.
I left Fredericton later than I had hoped, so I figured I would have no chance of seeing VIA 14, the Ocean, in Miramichi. As I passed the VIA station after 11 AM, I was surprised to see a lot of cars there. I stopped and asked the agent, and he said the Ocean was due in a few minutes. I went down the line a bit and they rolled past at 11:27 under an overcast sky, with 6449 and 6416 pulling a Renaissance set.
There was no talk of the southbound mainline freight on the scanner around Bathurst, so I continued on. As I approached Belledune, I heard some local switching chatter so I looked for them at Chaleur Lumber. Sure enough, there were CFMG 6910 and 6909 pulling out of the spur.
They coupled on to the rest of the train, then spent some time trying to contact the RTC. They finally got through and went on their way at 13:21. They had those two old warhorses wide open when they went past.
I saw two CN SD40s switching a train in Belledune but I was too far away to get any numbers.
Later, I managed to find the northbound CN mainline freight at Beresford at 17:00 with 6909 leading this time. I would guess from the time spread that they did not go to Miramichi.
I understand this may have been the last run of the last NBEC / CFMG SD40s on the line. I'm glad I was fortunate enough to see them.
