Comments on: Typically not a Railfan favorite at the time but at least a change from the norm. sOR’s GP20D’s were a well welcomed addition to the railroads roster when new, especially considering the amount of worn out power the railroad had to make due with for years. By this date the units were nearing, being returned to their leasing company and were relatively worn out themselves thanks to years of heavy use. Today not only the power is gone from Hamilton but the engine house and even SOR operations are done here as well.

By: Marcus Stevens

Marcus Stevens — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 00:14:04 +0000

I remember heading to Brantford at 3am one day and catching the SOR crew assembling their train in the yard. While waiting for an eastbound to pass the engineer stepped down and chatted with me about their power. He really liked the GP20D’S when they first arrived as the GP9′S had been overworked for years and were in bad shape. But even that night there was a GP40 in the mix covering for a ailing GP20D. He said it didn’t take long for the GP20D’S to be worn out on such heavy trains and constant use.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 19:23:56 +0000

Nothing beats hearing a loaded cp slab train coming out of the grimsby sub dip with 3 gp9′s in notch 8 giving ‘er… ahhh those were the days.

By: jknott86

jknott86 — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 18:43:50 +0000

Hell, the CN triple set barely got going the other day with a huge drag from NSC (among others) and the CP triple set stalled today coming out from under the Grimsby heading towards Kinnear – burning out a traction motor in the process.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 18:13:23 +0000

Are you sure these were welcomed? Did they pull well?

This was during the Rail America era of “single engine everything” in Hamilton where in order to cut costs most jobs were 1 unit.

They would have no choice but to add a 2′nd unit on some jobs though due to the grade coming out of the hole. That would change under G&W thankfully

I’d witnessed a few trains stall trying to leave the hole with a single unit.. also stall departing Hamilton needing a push out.

CN takes no chances… by comparison

By: Joseph Bishop

Joseph Bishop — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 17:48:23 +0000

They actually lasted on the SOR into 2015!

The new G&W power arrived the end of 2014 and you could still find a few GP20D’s into 2015