NBEC 1821

In my recent survey, someone posted they liked MLW locomotives and would like to see more. For those who don't know, MLW was the Montreal Locomotive Works, originally a subsidiary of the American Alco company and later owned by Bombardier. Alco/MLW engines are revered by many railfans for the smoke they produced as well as a certain sound the diesel engines made.

My personal exposure to MLW engines comes from two main sources: the former New Brunswick East Coast Railway's extensive roster of MLW locomotives and the Salem and Hillsborough Railroad's pair of MLW locomotives.

I've decided to feature NBEC 1821 in this post, as it was the NBEC RS-18 locomotive I happened to see the most, and also one of the two NBEC locomotives I saw first.

I first saw NBEC 1821 on July 5, 1999 in Miramichi (Chatham) paired up with NBEC 1866. I took some truly bad photos of the pair of them at sunset.

Well before I learned how to pan

These were the among the very first railfan photos I ever took. The very first ones I took were on May 3, 1999 I believe.

The best of the lot

If you're familiar with the area, you can see that the latter photo shows them crossing Water Street in Chatham in front of the Lafarge facility.

I didn't see 1821 again until January 9, 2001 when she was paired up with 1840 and 1864 for local switching. By then I think my film camera was broken so I really had nothing to photograph with.

The next photo I have of NBEC 1821 dates from July 22, 2003 when I was using the 1 megapixel digital camera in my Sony DCR-TRV25 video camera. I still hadn't learned to stand on the sun side of the train.

I'll take a moment to explain what type of locomotive NBEC 1821 was. MLW produced a series of locomotives designated RS-18 (Road Switcher 1800 horsepower). It was essentially the Canadian version of the Alco RS-11. CN bought the vast majority of the RS-18s (225) and ran them long-hood forward, while CP bought 72 and ran them short-hood forward. The PG and E (which became BC Rail) bought 29 and various resource railways bought a few each. All of these were delivered with high short hoods like CP 8743 here (Greg Brewer slide):

CP 8743 in Fredericton, slide by Greg Brewer

NBEC 1821 was built as CP 8741 in April 1957. It soldiered on for years until 1984 when it was rebuilt, the short hood was cut down, and it was renumbered to CP 1821. It continued in service on CP until the New Brunswick East Coast Railway bought it in April 1998.

OK, moving on. My next photo of NBEC 1821 was from October 6, 2003 in the Miramichi yard. 1821 was paired up with NBEC 1849 and was nicely parked in the sun.

Still only a 1 megapixel photo

I next photographed it down at the port of Miramichi on January 8, 2004, doing some switching with leading engine NBEC 1814.

Note the long string of BCOL and CN boxcars. This was after the CN-BC Rail deal was announced...

Later that month I photographed it and 1814 in the Miramichi yard on January 28, 2004. I was taking some detail photos, I guess.

Note the class lights above the number boards, the bell mounted right in the middle, the red safety stripes (some of NBEC's engines had black stripes) and the "NBEC" painted over the CP in "CP Rail".

On February 18, 2004 she was paired up with NBEC 1867 as yard power in Miramichi. The yard power tended to change fairly frequently as they went back to Campbellton for servicing and reassignment. The only constant seemed to be that black NBEC 1857 stayed close to Campbellton most of the time.

Hadn't really mastered night photography...

My next photograph of NBEC 1821 was taken on March 29, 2006 and here I have a different camera! The Fuji FinePix A210 was/is a 3 megapixel camera and takes decent photos as long as nothing is moving.. kind of like today's smartphone cameras.

So much better quality

Here 1821 was coupled up to derelict NBEC 4219 and 4243, locomotives used for parts. They were apparently moved to Miramichi for final scrapping and languished in the back of the yard for months before finally meeting their doom.

Next we fast forward to May 28, 2007 with NBEC 1821 at the head of an empty ore train in Bathurst, NB. You'll note yard power NBEC 1845 to the left and a string of blue ore cars to the right.

Finally, NOT Miramichi!

By this time I was using my Canon S3.

Here's a video from 2007 featuring three RS-18s including 1821 in Bathurst, pushing some ore cars back across Golf Road.

A few months later I was photographing the loaded ore train in Bathurst from the St. Anne Street overpass on September 14, 2007.

Ready to roll!

I took video of this train leaving. THIS is why people love Alcos... that chugging noise.

I chased this train... I caught it on a curve at Madran on its way to the smelter in Belledune.

A little pop of fall colours..

My next photo of NBEC 1821 was at Belledune on February 21, 2008.. apparently it was cold as there is some fog on the lens.

Note the black box behind the cab. This is new and I believe NBEC 1821 was one of the engines to get retrofitted with smart start but I could be wrong. 1821 was behind two SD40 engines on the main line train. For some reason I was back to using the Fuji camera on this trip so the resolution is not as good.

I saw 1821 again the next day (February 22) in Bathurst by the station.

I didn't know it but NBEC 1821 had less than a year of operation before she would no longer grace these rails. In fact, I would see it only for three more months.

Here's a Bathurst video from the spring of 2008 featuring NBEC 1821 and 1819.

Here it was on May 26, 2008, the last time I saw it. It was on the empty ore train, heading out of Bathurst toward Brunswick Mines.

But 1821's story doesn't end there. My friend David Morris photographed it in Gaspe meeting the Chaleur on December 2008, after CN bought the NBEC and its sister railways back.

Photo by David Morris

Michel Boudreau caught it in Bathurst, NB on February 7, 2009, paired up with a CN GP40, presumably on the ore train.

Photo by Michel Boudreau

But that still isn't the end of 1821.

It was purchased by the railroad of Le Massif de Charlevoix (together with NBEC 1868) and pulls the tourist train in Quebec.

Still operating, after 57 years. Not too shabby.

Northern New Brunswick Monday and Tuesday

I went up north on Monday, returning Tuesday, and I saw a few things along the way.

MONDAY MAY 4

I heard CN 9524 get clearance to work north of Bathurst at 11:15. I knew the southbound freight was due in soon, so they would have to meet somewhere on the road. I heard them get clearance from Belledune so I ducked into Pointe Verte and shot them there at 11:45 with CN 5346 and 5288 leading a longish train.


I caught the northbound freight returning to Campbellton at 17:25 with 5288 leading this time. There were quite a few empty container flats on the end of the train.




Michel Boudreau caught the same freight outside Bathurst.


Later, VIA 15 arrived around 22:00 with VIA 6401 and 6412 leading the usual Renaissance consist. I went to Matapedia to watch them cut the Chaleur into the train. I'll get into that in another post, but the Chaleur's consist was 6446, 8609, coach 8124, Skyline 8507, Chateaus Bienville and Richelieu.

TUESDAY MAY 5

The next morning, I saw VIA 14 roll through Belledune after stopping to reline the switch at 08:20. VIA 6449 and 6420 provided the motive power.






I saw the tail end of the southbound freight leaving Miramichi, with the Ultramar tank cars on the end, but I didn't see the power.

Not a bad trip!

CN Ballast Train

Michel Boudreau saw a special ballast train headed by CN GP9 4115 today near Bathurst. I saw 4115 yesterday in Moncton but I didn't post it because I couldn't read the complete number. Here is Michel's video.

Strange VIA Yesterday

There was a problem with VIA 14 and they had to leave most of the Renaissance cars in Charny, Quebec. VIA 6449 took the 9 cars back to Montreal early yesterday. VIA 14 proceeded with the Chaleur consist and 4 Renaissance cars. It went through Tide Head (just on the NB side of the border) at 15:30 Thursday, and left Bathurst at 18:35. Michel Boudreau caught it there with VIA 6416 and 6412 leading.


Doug Lawrence saw them leave Halifax today at 12:49 with the following consist. One has to assume these are the same cars that were on VIA 14 yesterday.
Engines 6416, 6412
Baggage 8618
Coach 8124
Skyline 8507
Chateau Brûlé, Roberval, Latour
Baggage 7011
Coaches 7228, 7230, 7231
Service car 7309

More NBEC Power Updates

CN 5288 leads CN 564 at Bathurst on April 4, 2008. Photo by Michel Boudreau.

Michel Boudreau noted CN 564 left Bathurst today around 5 PM, with CN 5288 and CFMG 6910 and 4 cars of lumber from Chaleur Lumber in Belledune. No sign of CFMG 6909.


In other news, NBEC 1851 left the area Thursday morning on CN 562 for Woodcrest, Illinois. The next RS18 to leave should be 1857.

NBEC 1851 leaving Bathurst, May 5, 2008

CFMG 6909 and 6910 Again

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.

Bathurst Videos

Michel Boudreau posted some videos of the same trains I saw today... first! So I will post his first.

Here is CN 567 (ore train) coming into Bathurst with CN SD40-2W 5260 and 5251.


Here is CN 565 (ex 403) going north from Bathurst, with doomed CFMG 6909 and 6910 for power. Be patient... the train does eventually leave.

Bathurst Power Today

Michel Boudreau told me the power for Saturday's ore train was CN 5343 and 5241. The same units are being used for the Bathurst switcher, as it is only shunting twice a week. The rest of the time, shunting is done by the mainline train.

He says trains 402 and 403 are no more, replaced by 568 and 569. Train 569 had CN 5373, CFMG 6909 and CFMG 6910 with no cars. They did a pickup in Bathurst and Michel heard on the scanner that they were going to work Beresford and Petit Rocher before going to Campbellton.

Here's Michel's video of 569 arriving and leaving.

NBEC Power Update

CFMG 6903 leads train 403 out of Miramichi on January 29, 2007.

CFMG 6903 and NBEC 6904 are heading out of Campbellton tonight to CN's shops in Woodcrest, Illinois.

You might wonder what will be left, given the recent departure of 3 others.

What's left: 6900, 6905, 6907, 6909, 6910.

Michel Boudreau noted that 6905 and 6910 were on mainline freight train 402/403 through Bathurst, and CN 566/567 (Bathurst local) had CN 5343 and NBEC 6900. Presumably 6907 and 6909 are on the Quebec side.

NBEC Update

Michel Boudreau sent an update on the CN/NBEC situation around Bathurst.

The power for the ore train (586/587) is CN 9452, NBEC 1868 and NBEC 1821. NBEC 1851 is the local switcher.

Tuesday's train 403 was pulled by CN 9562 and a CFMG SD40.

I wonder how much is going to change on or about March 1, as the transition to CN's management (from a customer perspective) should be complete.

Here's a video from Michel showing CN 9452, NBEC 1821 and NBEC 1849 with the empty ore train returning from Belledune on February 7.

Rail Grinder on the Newcastle Subdivision

Rail grinder RG309 has been working on the Newcastle Subdivision, aka the former NBEC territory. It left Campbellton Tuesday at 12:15 heading east, and made it to Jacquet River before reversing to park in the siding at Charlo at 21:00 for the night. Thanks to Nicolas Kiss for that sighting.

Michel Robichaud noticed the grinder in Bathurst at 15:40 this afternoon.

Thanks for the sightings!

NBEC Update

Michel Boudreau reports that Bathurst is back in red with RS-18s.

The yard power is NBEC 1851, and the ore train is powered by 1868, 1821 and 1849.


CN 9452 was on the ore train for a few days, while 1868 was away for servicing.


CFMG 6906 and 6907 were the power on train 403 today (Sunday).

Michel passed along this photo of 1849 from a few days ago. Note the faded patches on the unit.

I wonder if these were parts taken from other units.

All photos by Michel Boudreau.

NBEC Alco Update

NBEC 1819 at the head of train 586 in Bathurst, January 31, 2009. Photo by Michel Boudreau.

Michel Boudreau reported yesterday the following power around Bathurst:

Train 597 (Bathurst shunter): NBEC 1813
Train 586/587 (Belledune-Nepisiguit ore train): NBEC 1849, NBEC 1821, NBEC 1819
Train 402/403 (mainline freight): CFMG 6903 and CFMG 6908

Apparently the CN GP40s are off the ore train because they do not have dynamic brakes, very useful when bringing loaded ore cars down the Nepisiguit Subdivision.

Thanks for the update, Michel!

NBEC Update

Michel Boudreau reports that an RS18 is back as the power for Bathurst local train 587. Here's a shot of NBEC 1849 at work.


He noted CN 9461, 9452 and another GP40 powering the ore train on January 12.

Action on the Former NBEC

Michel Boudreau caught some action in Bathurst.

Michel shot this quick video of CN 9461 shunting in Bathurst yard as train 597.


Here's Michel's video of Sunday's short train 402 coming into Bathurst, with CFMG 6903 and NBEC 1821 for power. Alcos still run!

Spoke Too Soon

I may have spoken a bit too soon, when I said there are no Alcos running on the NBEC any more. This video of NBEC train 403 leaving Bathurst yesterday puts the lie to that.

MLW RS-18 NBEC 1819 and SD40 NBEC 6901 led the train north out of Bathurst.

However, you can see that GP40s have replaced the RS18s on the Belledune-Brunswick Mines run.

CN 9402, 9461 and 9513 provided the power.

So, maybe I should modify my statement - no Alcos are regularly scheduled to run. For now. ;)

Defective Wheel Bearing on the Ocean

VIA 615 (Halifax-Montreal) was terminated at Campbellton last night / this morning due to a defective wheel bearing. It was taken to the Eastern Railway Services (ERS) shops to be repaired this evening.

Michel Boudreau reports that they stopped at the Nepisiguit sub switch as usual, to reline it for the mainline after the ore train went through. There or shortly afterward, they received a hot wheel bearing warning, did an inspection, then proceeded to Bathurst. At Bathurst they decided to continue to Campbellton, and then the decision was made to stop there. The passengers were loaded onto buses to continue on to their destinations.

Apparently VIA 7217 (a coach) was the problem car. Michel posted a video of VIA 615 arriving and departing Bathurst. At the end of the video you can hear a report on the hot wheel.

NBEC Videos

Chris aka clam502 posted a video of NBEC 1857 from Saturday morning on the Cascapedia subdivision, with a loaded lumber car and five ballast cars.


Michel Boudreau aka NBECMich braved the bugs to film VIA 615 near Petit Rocher on its way back to Montreal. The first unit looks like a Spiderman unit and the second is the CBC unit 6403.


Chris then shot the same train at Dalhousie Junction in the fading light. I like the mood of this video, with the car lights against the late evening sky.


Thanks for posting, guys!

NBEC 402 Through Gloucester Junction

NBECMich aka Michel Boudreau posted a video of NBEC 6900 and another SD40 pulling a short train through Gloucester Junction on May 4.

VIA and NBEC in Bathurst Today

NBECMich aka Michel Boudreau, took some video in Bathurst today. First, VIA 14 leaving Bathurst with VIA 6407 leading a Renaissance train.


After VIA 14 left, NBEC 597 took a short train out of the yard, heading for the Nepisiguit Subdivision. NBEC 1868 and 1821 provided the power.