Comments on: CN’s borrowed LMS Dash-8 fleet were originally split leased between CN and Conrail. The units after all were built to Conrail specifications hence the marker lights on both ends. After Conrail was split between CSX and NS the LMSX fleet too was split up for good. In the end CN got half of the fleet and CSX and NS split the their half. Gradually all were relettered for their new owners or at least got new reporting marks. All of CN’s received IC reporting marks. Considering the date of this photo and the number of LMSX units in the consist I believe they were most likely heading to Toronto yard to be inspected and to receive their new markings, as this train was 334 the units may have been handed over to CN from NS in Buffalo, after last being used by NS. Please correct me if I’m wrong. The train is seen climbing the gradual grade near mile30 after leaving Milton behind.

By: smithgl

smithgl — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 15:55:13 +0000

In this timeframe, I believe you could see CN or NS assigned LMS’s on 334/335.
The were initially set up as CN leaders, and certainly did lead, but that seemed to get less frequent over time. I imagine CN cab equipment was removed before they went back to CR/NS and wasn’t always replaced when they returned.

By: Driver8666

Driver8666 — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 06:48:12 +0000

I think they were split lease with what was Conrail. I also heard it was half and half, but someone can correct me on this.

Also everytime I saw the LMS units, they weren’t leading which lead me to believe they weren’t qualified to run in Canada, but I could be wrong.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 19:12:10 +0000

Were these LMS units CN assigned at the time or from a foreign road?

By: smithgl

smithgl — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 17:03:07 +0000

Me too – 334/335 were always worth checking out! CN liked to put GP40-2LW’s on there too. Agree 3 LMS’s together was rare – got a pair together a few times.

By: Marcus Stevens

Marcus Stevens — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 15:49:48 +0000

Thanks for the update. I got a fair amount of CR and NS units in it. Really miss that train. It was interesting this day to have 3 of the LMS units on it. Pretty sure that didn’t happen a lot.

By: smithgl

smithgl — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 14:44:39 +0000

Nice shot, Marcus!
I don’t think the IC reporting marks showed up until a year or two after this. In 2001, the power for CN 334/335 ran through all the way to Allentown, PA on NS, so NS power and multiple LMS’s in consists was fairly common. I think that’s what you’re seeing here.