Caption: If you told me that there was a former Canadian National GMD-1 still pulling grain hoppers in the Saskatchewan prairies in 2026, I would have thought I was being being led on a goose chase. Thankfully, I couldn’t be more wrong. The GMD-1’s were, in my opinion, the quintessential locomotive of the Canadian prairies. These engines were a unique to Canada only model, with Canadian National and Northern Alberta Railway ( a railroad that was jointly owned between the CNR and the CPR, that would end up buying two from the CNR ) being the main customers. Over time, 20 units would subsequently be sold to Cuba and other units to various U.S. short lines as the CNR began to retire them. Built from 1958 and 1960, the GMD-1 proved to be versatile and well suited for various roles. The 1000 series units featured the A1A ( six axle ) lightweight trucks which were geared for 65MPH, saw extensive use on the numerous branch lines that sprawled across Canada’s vast prairies. The B-B Flexicoil ( four axle ) truck variants of the initial batch of GMD-1’s ( 1900 series ) were better suited and geared at 83MPH for the local commuter trains. These units also came equipped with an onboard steam generator, denoted with a G in the class designation. These units would go through three rebuild’s throughout their lives. The most noticeable, would come in the removal of the A1A trucks as those branch lines these engines served, began to become abandoned or upgraded to heavier rail. This saw the reduction of the need to have so many lightweight six axle units. These would be swapped out for the B-B Flexicoil trucks. Numerous unit found life elsewhere outside the prairies they once called home. Torch River Rails 1432, ex CN 1432, nee 1602 and when it came off the line in 1958 from GMD, it was numbered 1008. This unit never seemed to have ventured far from home in the west. Torch River Rail operates on 28 Miles on the former Canadian Pacific White Fox Subdivision. This subdivision once operated from Nipawin Saskatchewan to Sharpe, where it would then join CN and run into the town of Prince Albert. In April of 2008, Torch River Railway, which consisted of local investors and four municipal government groups, moved forward to purchase the railway from Canadian Pacific. It serves the four municipalities of Nipawin, White Fox, Torch River and Choiceland, where the company is based out of. Torch River Railways one and only unit is the as mentioned GMD-1, which was acquired in 2007. I had reached out to the railway in May of 2026 in hopes to photograph one of the last remaining GMD-1’s in service. At the time of writing this, the unit is approaching 68 years old. A phrase I have heard one too many times, “if not now, then when”? Here, TRR 1432 switches the elevators and bins within the small yard at Choiceland.