Comments on: Winter snows linger but spring is definitely coming as CN road switcher 538 makes its way back to Hamilton with some container traffic on head end. Two SW120RS units were the normal power for this train (1204 and 1320 today). http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Thu, 07 May 2026 18:00:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: John Eull http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=32818#comment-25931 John Eull Sun, 01 Apr 2018 13:40:38 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CN1204538-Bayview-19March1977.jpg#comment-25931 Actually, locomotive orientation is typically determined by engineer visibility requirements--best view forward, which side most switch stands are on in yards (that's why yard units in Hamilton generally have the engineer on "bay" side), and--to a lesser extent--turning facilities. In the case of Hamilton, it was a short trip out to the wye at Bayview if an engine needed to be turned. So, in the 1960s and 1970s, "back-to-back" was normal and also the most flexible arrangement for the return trip on road switchers requiring two units. Actually, locomotive orientation is typically determined by engineer visibility requirements–best view forward, which side most switch stands are on in yards (that’s why yard units in Hamilton generally have the engineer on “bay” side), and–to a lesser extent–turning facilities. In the case of Hamilton, it was a short trip out to the wye at Bayview if an engine needed to be turned.

So, in the 1960s and 1970s, “back-to-back” was normal and also the most flexible arrangement for the return trip on road switchers requiring two units.

]]> By: BradKetchen http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=32818#comment-25929 BradKetchen Sun, 01 Apr 2018 11:48:53 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CN1204538-Bayview-19March1977.jpg#comment-25929 Running CP style.. CN used to run them nose to nose. Running CP style.. CN used to run them nose to nose.

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