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Caption: A westbound CP Rail extra freight waits at Galt in the evening (exact spot unsure) lead by an eclectic gathering of power: CP C424 4242, F7B 4434 and FP7 4031. One of CP's many wooden vans (caboose) is curiously marshalled two cars back, mingling with the mixed freight.
Each unit here had some significance on the roster: CP C424 4242 was one of the first two units (along with C424 4239) painted in the new "CP Rail" 1968 multimark livery, and ran on the publicity train of matching multi-coloured freight cars often seen on postcards.
CP F7B 4434 was formerly numbered 1908 (originally renumbered from 4434 to 1908 in the mid-1950's for use on CP's new transcontinental train "The Canadian"), and the only F7B to get action red as a 1900-series unit (it wasn't renumbered back to the 4400's with the other F7B's until later).
CP FP7 4031 acquired its trademark drooping rear end or "hunchback" after trailing one of the two trains involved in a fatal head-on collision in Bowden AB in April 1971. Despite being the trailing unit, its nose was damaged when the loaded grain boxcar behind rammed into it, and was repaired with the nose of sister unit 4039 (also involved in the wreck). The collision damaged 4031's frame (hence the drooping rear end), but the unit was otherwise repaired and served for many years after in this state.
Bill McArthur photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide.
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This train is most likely the “London Pickup”, an unassigned freight pool job out of Toronto Yard in the period before the assignments were created from Quebec Street to Guelph Jct & return. The old PU had shorts, London cars & sometimes Chathams.I’ve worked it with only Chathams & Londons out of Toronto & another time all 30 cars were for Woodstock.Anything was possible when one was called for that train.
The car behind the power is probably an empty Sandersville car that was lifted at Guelph Jct. These cars were regulars at the Fiberglass plant in Guelph. The wooden van is probably destined for either Galt or more likely Woodstock. I believe the GRR still serviced their own vans at Preston in 1977. The Tillsonburg jobs out of Woodstock still used wooden vans in the 70s.
Thanks for the background info Ron!