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Todd, Like locomotives, MOW work equipment can last a lost time if properly operated and maintained. The subject machine is a Pyke model BC60 on-track brush cutter, s/n 8613. It was built at the former Pyke Manufacturing plant on Hillcroft St. in Oshawa, ON. The heavy duty cutting heads are designed to clear dense growth and trees (up to 8″ in dia.) from the right-of-way. CN 689-19 was delivered new on September 30, 1986 to CN’s (long gone) Danforth work equipment shop in Toronto (Scarborough), ON.
Interesting piece of equipment. I so need one of those.
Interesting write up, poshell. The Hillcroft plant was the former Oshawa Railway shop, a one time CN operation, and was demolished within the last few years. I stumbled upon a CN switch job up to the Hillcroft yard in the last month or two of operation in 1997, but the shops continued for some time afterwards under Norco or Nordco (sry, can’t recall correct spelling) Rail or Track equipment / maintenance. Last I saw it was a smear of red brick dust on the ground. Sad.
Right you are Mike. It was Nordco (headquartered in Oak Creek, WI). They acquired Pyke Manufacturing in 1999 and produced track maintenance machinery at the Hillcroft facility until they moved production to their US plant in 2011/2012. Demolition of the complex began the first week of June 2013 and, was, as you say, ‘a smear of red brick dust on the ground’ by mid-July 2013. During my tenure at CN and then as an equipment provider to Canada’s railways, I spent quite a bit of time at the facility from 1979 until its demise.
To Paul and Mike…thank you so much for the information on this piece of MOW equipment. I had no idea of the history of this particular one. This right now is the best photo I have gotten responses to, and is my favourite because of the detailed history you both have provided. Again, thank you.