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Caption: “ Who'd thunk it ? “
First generation diesel power in it's fourth decade.
When you and me ( the federal government ) relieved the railways of passenger service in 1978 – to reduce the deficits, increase efficiencies and reduce duplication – who believed that those F's and FPA's would survive through the 1980's? And some into the 90's?
(And steam ( heat ) alive and well ?)
Perhaps a tribute to the quality of CN's maintenance services ?
And conversely an indication of CP's interest in maintaining passenger service / equipment ?
Or a condemnation: the acute lack of funding ( interest ) in rail “modernization” ? ( Note that the 'LRC' equipment is now in it's fourth decade ! )
Consider that the forty year old Pickering Airport plan continues to move forward – while Canada's high speed rail, after multiple 'studies' (in various decades), is where ? And Japan's Bullet Train is now six decades in service?
Do consider: IF high speed rail EVER makes it to Canada – get your passenger pics at Bayview /
Hamilton Jct. / Hamilton West Jct. now - any new high speed line will avoid the sharp curves (slow speeds) through said junctions !
Nevertheless, one of my favourite places Hamilton West Junction, the 1980 version of train #74 slows to a 15 m.p.h. crawl for the curves and turnouts with the venerable – fourth decade in service - 1957 GMD built FP9A 6530 in charge.
6530 was retired by 1991.
January 1980 Kodachrome by S.Danko.
More F units? Lots to choose in this website!
Some of my favourites:
F for Freight !
Luv those stripes !
sdfourty
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Hamilton West was THE best location in Sou Ontario, in my humble opinion, for variety and traffic count. Sure, many will argue the Bayview Jct itself was better, but I liked the lay of the land at Ham W., and there is always the chance of something rolling down the CP line as well. Nicely done photo; perhaps it is a “standard” for that era, but, alas, that era is long GONE.
And just like on the F40′s that displaced them, the MU flap is open