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Caption: 89mph-geared passenger F40PH-2 units are not the best power to use in freight service, but they may have been handy pulling fast intermodal trains. Power-short CP in the early 90's was a gaggle of leased power mixed with the usual CP power of the era (C424's, big M's, rebuilt RS18's and GP9's, GP38's and SD40's of many flavours). Cuts in VIA's passenger train network in the early 90's left VIA with surplus equipment, and CP was able to twist VIA's arm to get 4-8 of their F40's for use in freight service. Unlike other old and worn-out leasers on hand, the VIA units weren't that old, being built by GMD in 1986-89 they were still relatively new!
One of their typical uses was on intermodal trains #929 and #928 between Montreal and Toronto, often in back-to-back pairs or mixed with CP freight and leaser units for heavier trains. Despite being 3000 horsepower, the high 89mph gearing limited their pulling power in freight service, hence running with other power.
A solid consist of three VIA F40's on a freight train would have been rare! But on this day, Reg Button was on the scene in Toronto to capture this trio of leased F40's 6454, 6438 and 6452 heading up CP intermodal train #929, seen at the south end of CP's Obico intermodal yard near North Queen Street crossing in Etobicoke. After working Obico, the train would depart (backing onto the Galt Sub?) westward for Windsor.
Reg Button photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection.
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Trust Reg what can we say
I only ever photographed two together when they were on lease and have only ever seen others photos of just two. This might have been the only time this happened. Awesome he was there to photograph it.
Obico trains 928 & 929 ran between Obico & Montreal. In the case of 929, the inbound train would yard at Obico & the power & van would run light back to Toronto Yard at Agincourt.
Train 928 originated at Obico & started with a van hop from there to Obico to gather the train, or sometimes power off 929 was left there & the crew taxied from Toronto Yard to Obico to gather the train together & head east. I am unaware of any instance where the equipment continued westward. The same process continued into the cabooseless area, just no van to grab on the way back to Toronto Yard. Sometimes power needed to be wyed at Obico to ensure the best leader or to save changing ends on the power. Typically power on those trains was back to back or at least with units on the end facing each way to facilitate reverse movement.
Regarding VIA units, the small fuel tanks made Toronto/Montreal or Windsor logical optionS.