|
Caption: NS H53, with its usual compliment of Canadian crew from the Norfolk Southern St. Thomas (Ontario) division, bring an express delivery of 12 brand new CN GE's fresh from Erie, PA. (See reporting marks for a complete list). Interestingly enough, all but one of these brand new engines are banned from operating into the US owing to Tier 3/4 restrictions that came into effect in 2015, and predictably, one one of these engines was actually idling (CN 2948) the rest were offline. These engines are likely to make the trip to Toronto on CN 422 on or after Monday the 30th of 2015 - consider this a heads up for anyone out and about.
NS H53 is the last vestige of the Wabash running rights and joint section that once graced Ontario rails between Buffalo and Detroit via St. Thomas. The same men that ran NS 327/8 nearly 10 years ago still operate this train , daily, with a compliment of four crew members: Engineer, Conductor, head end brakeman, tail end brakemen. Why four men? Wabash (Canada) union agreement stipulates when an assignment was permanently abolished, one man (job) is added to what remains in the division and men are bumped into it per seniority. A third man was added to 327/8/369 when NS 344/343 (St. Thomas to Detroit) was abolished in January 2004, and fourth man was added to 369 in January 2007 when 327/8 (St. Thomas to Buffalo) was abolished. Nothing has changed since, thusly the boys of the Wabash still going strong in 2015.
|
|
Photographer:
|
Stephen C. Host [1501] (more) (contact)
|
Date:
|
03/29/2015 (search)
|
Railway:
|
Norfolk Southern (search)
|
Reporting Marks: |
NS 9762, NS 9068, NS 9534, CN 2969, CN 2968, CN 2970, CN 2971, CN 2965, CN 2967, CN 2966,CN 2948,CN 2964,CN 2963, CN 2962, CN 2961 (search) |
Train Symbol: |
NS H53 (search) |
Subdivision/SNS:
|
CN Duff (search) |
City/Town:
|
Fort Erie (search) |
|
Province: |
Ontario (search)
|
|
Share Link: |
http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=18573 |
Share this image on Facebook, Twitter or email using the icons below
Photo ID: 17467
|
Map courtesy of Open Street Map
Full size | Suncalc
Note: Read why maps changed. Suncalc.net for reference only.
|
|
There. Ya did it, Mr. Host. You got your twin 6 packs!! Great stuff.
Yes sir. Now where do I return these empties???
They ran through on 422 this morning…missed it by a minute.
That was a nice train this morning; #422 with all those units passed me around mile 19 Grimsby Sub., 0900; digital crapped out on me again but got a nice shot with the old film camera. Missed the lead unit numbers in my frustration……..anyone have them?
Mr. Mooney – 422 this morning had 8019 and 5777 ahead of all those 2900′s.
Once all the NS Canadian Crews have retired, will this train also be retired? I don’t imagine there’s many young guys running this train, is it on borrowed time?
Myles, my bet is the train continues indefinitely, the transfer is NS’ responsibility and it would have to continue until NS and CN come to an agreement on interchange otherwise, whatever that may entail. Labour issues nonwithstanding, the Wabash boys will continue for as long as they deem it worthwhile or NS buys them out, whatever comes first. Seems NS is in no hurry to change.
And they are now in service in BC: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=18734
http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=18733
Myles on good authority some guys have retired and Americans are now on the train. Once the last Wabash man retires it will become a two man crew.
The last Wabash man retired last week I’m told.