Comments on: Freshly minted GO Transit GP40-2W’s 707 and 708, recent graduates of the GMD’s London locomotive plant, sit at CN’s London Yard awaiting forwarding to their new owner. They were the first two units of GO’s third -2W order being built (707-710, all shown as built October 1975) and were the only ones delivered new with 700-series numbers, unlike earlier orders that came as 9800′s (renumbered to 700-706). Rather than opt for steam-generator equipped units as they did with their GP40TC order, GO Transit in the 70′s opted to expand its fleet with the standard freight-service GP40-2 model equipped with 76mph (60:17) gearing and the new CN-designed Canadian Safety Cab (note: officially there was no “W” in the designation, it was added by railfans). HEP-equipped cab cars rebuilt from old Ontario Northland F-units would be used with the freight GP’s to provide electrical power for the passenger cars. It’s interesting to note that GO Transit was the first buyer of the GP40-2 model equipped with the safety cab: GO 700-703 were ordered in December 1973 and built in January 1974, just before CN’s first order of 9400′s were built beginning in March 1974. However, by that time CN had already taken delivery of GP38-2W 5560 (4760) and 3500-series MLW M420′s with the new cab design earlier on in 1973. GO 707, 708, and all but one of their sister units would eventually be displaced by new F59PH’s and join the CN fleet in 1991, becoming 9674 and 9675 respectively. Gord Taylor photo, Dan Dell’Unto collection. http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:22:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: ngineered4u http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=35761#comment-30437 ngineered4u Tue, 11 Dec 2018 20:08:34 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/GO-707-708-brand-new-at-CN-London-ON-10-01-1975-Gord-Taylor-DDcoll-docu0009exs-v190-copyr2.jpg#comment-30437 @ Gord. The CN M420's were delivered as 2500 class, they were later changed to 3500 to accommodate the new GE C40-8W. @ Gord. The CN M420′s were delivered as 2500 class, they were later changed to 3500 to accommodate the new GE C40-8W.

]]> By: Driver8666 http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=35761#comment-30416 Driver8666 Sun, 09 Dec 2018 09:56:00 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/GO-707-708-brand-new-at-CN-London-ON-10-01-1975-Gord-Taylor-DDcoll-docu0009exs-v190-copyr2.jpg#comment-30416 No problem. Love the old photos. :). Especially the old cigarette ads here in Toronto (yes I'm from Toronto) that encouraged you to smoke. Today you'd be chased out of town strapped to the front of one of these things. Photos like these, I'm sure people have, but builders photos? Unless it's in a book or a magazine, those are regarded as rare in my opinion regarding GMD. I'm sure they are out there. No problem. Love the old photos. :) . Especially the old cigarette ads here in Toronto (yes I’m from Toronto) that encouraged you to smoke. Today you’d be chased out of town strapped to the front of one of these things.

Photos like these, I’m sure people have, but builders photos? Unless it’s in a book or a magazine, those are regarded as rare in my opinion regarding GMD. I’m sure they are out there.

]]> By: MrDan http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=35761#comment-30415 MrDan Sun, 09 Dec 2018 09:46:07 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/GO-707-708-brand-new-at-CN-London-ON-10-01-1975-Gord-Taylor-DDcoll-docu0009exs-v190-copyr2.jpg#comment-30415 Thanks Driver8666 ! Thanks Driver8666 !

]]> By: Driver8666 http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=35761#comment-30414 Driver8666 Sun, 09 Dec 2018 04:55:00 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/GO-707-708-brand-new-at-CN-London-ON-10-01-1975-Gord-Taylor-DDcoll-docu0009exs-v190-copyr2.jpg#comment-30414 I do have to hand it to you sir, you and other contributors have not forgotten my request since GMD is all but a memory now. It's why I made that request months ago to the community, and every now and then we get something from the collection. :) I do have to hand it to you sir, you and other contributors have not forgotten my request since GMD is all but a memory now. It’s why I made that request months ago to the community, and every now and then we get something from the collection.

:)

]]>