Comments on: Dave Young would remember this day – he was a young man at this point and I took him on an outing to the Ingersoll area on a beautiful day. The trip was to shoot NS 327/8, of course, but this train turned out to be a highlight that I only recognised years later. A pair of GP40-2W’s leading on CN’s Flagship Chicago-Toronto intermodal train? Seriously? Is this the 1980′s?? Only the ratty paint gives away their age. Clearly this was an exception in the mid 2000′s and now… forget about it.

By: CNSD60F

CNSD60F — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 00:43:12 +0000

well… I would not say they are fully outta road service, once in a while I will see a shot of either a CN GP40-2LW or IC GP40-2 in road service, like I have seen one in person (IC 3129 2nd out on CN 399 in October 2016)

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 06:56:50 +0000

Dave. A fun day worth the investment in time.

Arnold I guess that may be why no one seems to shoot from here anymore, I’ve been back a few times but it never speaks to me anymore. A cut of autos would certainly ruin it.

By: David Young

David Young — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 00:09:16 +0000

Hard to believe this was over 10 years ago! One of my first all day experiences trackside. Still remember it fondly and I remember you mentioning how special this consist was at the time, even tho I had no clue at the time. NS 327, Sprint Train chase on the St Thomas sub to Ingersoll and this 148 are the highlights I remember.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 16:37:02 +0000

Kevin – it’s funny because almost all trains I shot on this day have .. aged well. The leaders are long gone…. mostly 5400′s actually. We didn’t get NS 328, only 327 not long after this passed and the power still looks boring to me despite being NS (and not CN)

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 15:06:31 +0000

Mike – leasers, copious amounts of them. Factories were already pumping full tilt in 2006 (including GMD London and GE Erie) as well, railways were stretched at the time – CP employed tonnes of leasers in this period.. and the ‘great recession’ is only 2 years away

Of course this was before the full ‘hunterization’ of CN and CP (CN was in progress though) when all trains were basically combined in half.

By: Mike Lockwood

Mike Lockwood — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 14:58:25 +0000

They were still seen in road service often back then, but as their numbers dwindled, so did the odds of catching one on the road. I think the delivery of the SD70M-2′s and ES44DC’s staring in 2006 drove the GP40-2L’s out of regular mainline service.

Had this been the 80′s, that GMD draper taper would have been the star catch.

One wonders if the crude boom had been in 2005/06 what consists we may have been treated to?

By: awmooney

awmooney — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 12:46:52 +0000

Nice location when there is nothing clogging up the siding!! Yeah, yeah, Mr. Young…the scoundrel who talked me into contributing to this site…….I used to get so sick of those GP-40s. But they sure look beautiful now, don’t they?

By: Marcus Stevens

Marcus Stevens — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 06:11:09 +0000

That would be a very rare consist these days, nice catch!

By: Kevin Flood

Kevin Flood — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 02:25:13 +0000

Steve, rolling out another classic!