By: Paul O'Shell

Paul O'Shell — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 13:50:22 +0000

Simply amazing!
These CN Great Lakes Region rail gang #41 pics you are posting are fabulous!
I started my CN career on this very same rail gang in the summer of 1969 along with my brother Terry. Wonderful memories of hard work and fun times ‘working on the railroad’.
The crane in the photo is CN 50381 (Work Equipment No. CN 800-17) an American Hoist & Derrick model 830 DE, 30-ton locomotive crane. It wears serial number J-3264, and was built in 1954. The long-time operator of this crane was Mr. Lorne Vieau. Although machines were not assigned to specific operators, crane operators were often the most senior men on the Work Equipment seniority list and were able to ‘bid’ their same crane year-after-year.
The last photo I saw of this unit, it was in terrible condition sitting at the CN shop in Homewood, IL on September 2, 2018. I’m not sure what became of it.
Thanks for posting these great shots! Keep them coming.

Comments on: Here is another picture of the work gang on the Bronte creek CNR bridge laying down some rail with the help of CNR American self propelled crane as an eastbound CNR passenger rumbles by on the south track.

By: Paul O'Shell