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Caption: CP SD40-2 units 672 and 673 sit in Aberdeen Yard between duties, still wearing their previous owner's colours and roadnumbers. CP 6407 (an ex-SOO SD40A) sits in the background in full "System" paint, partially hidden by NSC container flats in the foreground.
CP's motive power expansion policy in the early 90's seemed to be leasing, or acquiring secondhand power, and the reliable SD40 was their building block of choice. A few groups of secondhand units were leased and/or picked up from the likes of QNS&L, GATX, NRE, Helm, and rebuilder MK Rail. CP scooped up seven former KCS SD40-2 units, 670-676, via Helm in 1992, which were quickly patched and operated with their old numbers until eventual renumbering and repainting as CP 5415-5421. Two units, 671 and 672, were never repainted and wore KCS white patched with new numbers 5416 and 5417 until retirement.
Of the two units here, 672 (5417), and 673 (5418) were sold to NRE, and 5417 was eventually resold to Ontario Northland (apparently as an engine test-bed unit, but it was found to be in operable condition and was put into service as ONT 1740...still in its KCS white of course!).
Bill McArthur photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide.
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Hardly seems that long ago already. I recall shooting a train on the D&H in which the sole power was three of these white beasts. They ran extensively on the D&H for awhile and were fan favourites while they lasted.
This is a great image as it was hard to get the “White CP’s” uncoupled from cars or even leading in Ontario when they first arrived from KCS.
Must be the Train.Can’t remember the number but was a daily train
Trains #270 and #271 used to run thru S Ontario and over and up the D&H, and often had these white units mixed in.