Comments on: Only one of its kind in Canada, RaiLink painted B-unit switcher 1200 was having a rest while a pair of ex-CN SW1200RS were switching cars in Hamilton’s Stuart Street yard. Originally built as IC 9203B in Feb 1940, it was the cabless B-unit half of an EMD “TR” switcher pair – often nicknamed “cow and calf”. Both parts of the TR were based on the EMD NW2, and it originally had the NW2-style dip in the hood in front of the (absent) cab. IC renumbered it to IC 1026B in 1956. In 1998 this locomotive was 58 years old – sort of. I expect the frame and some other parts were that old. But IC had rebuilt it into an “SW13B” in 1972, with many parts replaced, the hood line flattened, and re-numbered to IC 1300B. Later becoming ICG 1300B, it passed to the Paducah & Lousville as PAL 1300B. The unit was acquired freshly painted for RaiLink Hamilton in 1998, and as I recall was active for at least a couple of years. My 2005 Cdn Trackside Guide lists it in [brackets] indicating stored unservicable. Mark Macauley posted an image of it from October 8 2008 when scrapping was in progress – http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=21772

By: Joseph Bishop

Joseph Bishop — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 03:47:34 +0000

Very cool, I seem to recall someone mentioning that this unit was notorious for picking switches and derailing which was why it didn’t last all that long on the SOR.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 09:23:37 +0000

They had it tucked away in a cut of cars at the northeast part of the yard for a while, until pulling it out (probably to get it ready to be cut up).

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 02:38:05 +0000

Nice work, a perfect roster of this rarely seen piece.