Caption: A traffic downturn in the mid-1970's caused CP to return a lot of its leased power, and park or retire some of its own older units. This ultimately spelled the end of CP's Alco/MLW FA/FB units, and the entire Fairbanks-Morse/Canadian Locomotive Company fleet. In March 1975, the remaining active C-liners and H16-44's were all rounded up en masse from their outposts in Nelson, Cranbrook and Lethbridge, and sent to Ogden Shops in Calgary for storage and to meet an uncertain fate. Most ended up like 8709 here - cut up for scrap. The FM opposed-piston engines out of many were resold to a marine equipment company in Houston TX for marine use, and CP salvaged various common components as spares to use in their MLW fleet, including the GE 752 traction motors, wheels, bearings, axle sets and air compressors.
By that time, the final three "Train Master" H24-66 units had been assigned to the Alyth hump, and lasted a few months longer before they too were parked.
Original photographer unknown, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide.
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And to their credit, CPR found it possible to preserve the final representative locomotives of these classes. I’d love to have seen a few saved as potentially operable, but at least there remain representatives.
Too bad that Rapido isn’t doing the maroon & grey “long-hood-forward” paint scheme!