Railpictures.ca - Marcus W Stevens Photo: I never really understood why a railroad would take a perfectly usable unit and turn it into a “B” unit, but maybe there is more to the story than what I know. I understand the former NS units as they were not Canadian approved leaders and had high short hoods but these units were originally standard “A” units. Thus day in Welland I finally was able to shoot one that was not nose coupled so I took the opportunity. Note the missing ditch lights and blanked out windows. That summer I even found a fully “beaver” painted one out west. They were neat units nonetheless. | Railpictures.ca – Canadian Railway Photography

I never really understood why a railroad would take a perfectly usable unit and turn it into a “B” unit, but maybe there is more to the story than what I know. I understand the former NS units as they were not Canadian approved leaders and had high short hoods but these units were originally standard “A” units. Thus day in Welland I finally was able to shoot one that was not nose coupled so I took the opportunity. Note the missing ditch lights and blanked out windows. That summer I even found a fully “beaver” painted one out west. They were neat units nonetheless.

Caption: I never really understood why a railroad would take a perfectly usable unit and turn it into a “B” unit, but maybe there is more to the story than what I know. I understand the former NS units as they were not Canadian approved leaders and had high short hoods but these units were originally standard “A” units. Thus day in Welland I finally was able to shoot one that was not nose coupled so I took the opportunity. Note the missing ditch lights and blanked out windows. That summer I even found a fully “beaver” painted one out west. They were neat units nonetheless.

Photographer:	Marcus W Stevens [1030] (more) (contact)
Date:	01/28/2002 (search)
Railway:	Canadian Pacific (search)
Reporting Marks:	CP 5762 (search)
Train Symbol:	Not Provided
Subdivision/SNS:	Hamilton subdivision (search)
City/Town:	Welland (search)
Province:	Ontario (search)
Share Link:	http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=51060

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Photo ID: 49769

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11 Comments

Brundle

February 6, 2023 at 9:28 am

I’ve wondered about that myself. My guess, I wonder if they did it to well used cab interiors. It’s a cheap fix to a mechanically sound unit with a worn out operator station.
Nice that you got a caboose in the photo for 2002.
Driver8666

February 6, 2023 at 2:38 pm

Are the numbers crooked? My question is if the former NS units had dual controls.
Marcus Stevens

February 6, 2023 at 2:45 pm

I believe all the ex NS units were set up long hood forward.
mattwatson

February 6, 2023 at 6:13 pm

FWIW: My understanding is that this was to accommodate the RC equipment after the “Robot Cars” were phased out, but while there was still a distinction between the equipment required for a unit to be a “master” or a “slave”. I bet if you look through some old shots of SDs as “robots” after the “robot cars” were phased out, there will be one of these in the consist.
Marcus Stevens

February 6, 2023 at 6:23 pm

Thanks Matt, that does make sense. I believe many of these were also renumbered as well. At least they added some variety either way to a consist.
mberry

February 6, 2023 at 9:29 pm

You’d still see these B-units on CP into the early 2010s.
Ravensworth

February 7, 2023 at 1:23 am

CP turned some of these units into ‘B’ units so they didn’t have to maintain the cabs as per transport Canada and teamsters union operating requirements. So basically no radio, upgraded seats, fridge, hot plate, toilet etc… the controls and basic seats are still in the locos for hostling only. Hope that helps
Marcus Stevens

February 7, 2023 at 1:26 am

Thanks everyone for the clarification
Eric May

February 8, 2023 at 1:09 am

Thanks for sharing this. I don’t think that I have ever seen a shot of one not coupled to anything.
MrDan

February 9, 2023 at 2:55 pm

These were done to reduce costs associated with maintaining the cabs on certain SD40-2 units that were set up as Locotrol reciever/slave units for mid-train robot operation.

One source mentioned some of the early conversions had equipment placed in the cab making them unsuitable to lead (but initially didn’t have windows plated over, just markings applied to the cabs). When more SD40-2 units were converted into robots with Locotrol gear removed from robot cars (unknown of they were putting the equipment in the nose by then) they had windows blanked, ditch lights removed, and class lights plated over to avoid maintaining them as leaders, effectively converting them into B-units.

Some did get converted back into leaders in later years, others didn’t.
Marcus Stevens

February 9, 2023 at 3:18 pm

Thanks Dan for more clarity.

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