Comments on: IC 6250 made for an unlikely yet welcome leader on Z122 as it cruised through the countryside between Princeton and Paris. Issues with the trailing GE’s meant that the IC got to go along for the trip all the way to Montreal.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:21:31 +0000

IC 6201 is now working the Toronto yard every day on a hump set…

By: MrDan

MrDan — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 23:57:55 +0000

Steve forgot CN #454 on 02-24-2007 with IC 6256 leading CP 5720! Lead all the way to Mac Yard!

Most of the time, those trailed CN power. But they were like cockroaches at a sketchy 3rd rate food diner: all over the place. Even IC 6071, the original 645-powered EMD demonstrator SD40 (now preserved), made it into Canada trailing CN power.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 23:58:30 +0000

The youtube video is clearly not a reversing movement and it’s in Southern Ontario.

Yes it’s been quite rare, the two photos posted are what we had on the site and posted for information. They are still very nice photos and shouldn’t be discounted just because of railfan’s convention. They’re also nicely sun lit too!

The youtube video shows and proves they did lead in the era Dan and I are talking about though.

Still very rare.

By: rsmith

rsmith — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 13:46:30 +0000

I don’t recall an IC SD40-2 leading in Southern Ontario before, so this is a truly rare catch. Reverse moves are a great opportunity to get an open photo of trailing locomotives, but I don’t consider that leading a train. For example, I once photographed a former Erie Mining C-420 trailing on a consist backing into CP’s Welland Yard; I don’t consider that leading a CP train on the Hamilton Sub.!

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 03:08:12 +0000

https://youtu.be/QHYdGPrH2Xc?si=ntFz_gFGbSzW5vHQ

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 01:57:51 +0000

Joe, let’s not take away from Jason or James’ shots – it’s leading the movement. It’s uncoupled, photographically it makes no difference. My point is it happened, and even more so, as Dan and I are saying, since we were there then, it absolutely led, just not often. Usually in trail.

There were so many IC’s floating around, while they didn’t often lead in Canada, they did, and you’ll just have to wait to see if someone will share their photos of it. I’m confident they led all the way to Toronto a couple times, to Sarnia a few more times, and to Battle Creek or Port Huron much more.

Here’s some OS’s from back then – 2006 to 2009 on a quick search. Note that 6250 has led before in 2007.

392 by Blue Island 22:30, IC 6250, CN 56??, CN 5706, CN 5322

356 by Blue Island 08:30, IC 6201, CN 5625, 101 cars.

(356 may have terminated in Sarnia)

X392 departed Blue Island 17:45, IC 6256, CN 5562

Train 390 by Harvey 23:10, IC 6112, GTW 5949, CSX 8756, IC 6203, 102 car

By: mberry

mberry — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 23:15:51 +0000

@MrDan: Certainly saw those IC SD40s trail a lot too in that time period in Montreal.

By: Joseph Bishop

Joseph Bishop — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:25:50 +0000

In all honesty though Steve, both Jason’s and James’ photos are of the trailing units uncoupled from their trains doing work. Technically not the same as a full blown leader. That’d be like saying I shot a light power move with a British engine trailing and calling it the leader lol.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:25:34 +0000

There’s a strong chance you’ll see one of these on the Toronto hump jobs too. Just wait

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:18:52 +0000

Most foreign power would either change at battle creek or Sarnia before it got through. Especially the IC SD40-2s but they did lead.

Edit: these are the only examples on the site before this weekends foam fest:

Jason Noe:

http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28329

James Gardiner:

http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=10879

As Dan stated, there would have been a couple a week or a few a month at least back in this era, and even if they did lead…. nobody really cared as it was kinda normal back then. IC wasn’t as interesting as some of the other types were (ATSF of all kinds, BN, TFM, DRGW, CR, UP, anything, we had tonnes – it just happened all the time in the mid 2000′s)