Comments on: “ Who’d thunk it ? “ First generation diesel power in it’s fourth decade. When you and me ( the federal government ) relieved the railways of passenger service in 1978 – to reduce the deficits, increase efficiencies and reduce duplication – who believed that those F’s and FPA’s would survive through the 1980′s? And some into the 90′s? (And steam ( heat ) alive and well ?) Perhaps a tribute to the quality of CN’s maintenance services ? And conversely an indication of CP’s interest in maintaining passenger service / equipment ? Or a condemnation: the acute lack of funding ( interest ) in rail “modernization” ? ( Note that the ‘LRC’ equipment is now in it’s fourth decade ! ) Consider that the forty year old Pickering Airport plan continues to move forward – while Canada’s high speed rail, after multiple ‘studies’ (in various decades), is where ? And Japan’s Bullet Train is now six decades in service? Do consider: IF high speed rail EVER makes it to Canada – get your passenger pics at Bayview / Hamilton Jct. / Hamilton West Jct. now – any new high speed line will avoid the sharp curves (slow speeds) through said junctions ! Nevertheless, one of my favourite places Hamilton West Junction, the 1980 version of train #74 slows to a 15 m.p.h. crawl for the curves and turnouts with the venerable – fourth decade in service – 1957 GMD built FP9A 6530 in charge. 6530 was retired by 1991. January 1980 Kodachrome by S.Danko. More F units? Lots to choose in this website! Some of my favourites: F for Freight ! Luv those stripes ! sdfourty http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Mon, 11 May 2026 22:49:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: MrDan http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=12853#comment-4047 MrDan Mon, 06 Jan 2014 08:47:15 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/39500009-2.jpg#comment-4047 And just like on the F40's that displaced them, the MU flap is open ;) And just like on the F40′s that displaced them, the MU flap is open ;)

]]> By: awmooney http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=12853#comment-4039 awmooney Sun, 05 Jan 2014 20:16:02 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/39500009-2.jpg#comment-4039 Hamilton West was THE best location in Sou Ontario, in my humble opinion, for variety and traffic count. Sure, many will argue the Bayview Jct itself was better, but I liked the lay of the land at Ham W., and there is always the chance of something rolling down the CP line as well. Nicely done photo; perhaps it is a "standard" for that era, but, alas, that era is long GONE. Hamilton West was THE best location in Sou Ontario, in my humble opinion, for variety and traffic count. Sure, many will argue the Bayview Jct itself was better, but I liked the lay of the land at Ham W., and there is always the chance of something rolling down the CP line as well. Nicely done photo; perhaps it is a “standard” for that era, but, alas, that era is long GONE.

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