Comments on: During the summer of 1996, Dow Chemical sent SW1200 1007 from their Fort Saskatchewan facility to their plant in Sarnia, Ontario. At the time, in return Dow transferred S-6 1001 from Sarnia to Fort Saskatchewan after only being in Sarnia since arriving in 1993. Eventually Dow closed their Sarina plant, and it was torn down with SW1200 1007 eventually being acquired by VIP Rail in Sarnia. Here 1007 is pictured on route to its new home on train 399 at London. The consist included; 9504, GTW 6410, 5013, 9582, 7208, 218 and DOW 1007.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 20:59:32 +0000

The LDS crew have told me Alco’s are difficult to work on. For example if you have to replace a cylinder in an alco you have to take the entire engine apart. With an EMD you just take it out and put the new one in without dismantling the engine. There’s a reason they are an EMD shop (but they do work on Alco’s on contract, they are very capable)

By: Noe

Noe — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:18:07 +0000

MrDan that would have been pretty cool. Plus it would have been the right era to have done it with CP about to retire all their four axles in 1997-1998.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 02:39:55 +0000

Imagine if LDS got the S6, and it fueled an Alco/MLW switcher acquisition binge!

By: Noe

Noe — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:10:00 +0000

Thanks Todd.

Thanks as well Steve for the current history of the unit.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:39:24 +0000

Very nice. That unit is now at Lambton and was a parts unit since around 2016-7 for VIP Rail.

By: Todd Steinman

Todd Steinman — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:27:02 +0000

Great photo and history Jason.