Caption: CP SW1200RS units 1269 and 1210 trundle eastbound through Oshawa on the Belleville Sub with a cut of hoppers and van, passing by the Albert Street overpass bridge on a wet, gloomy day trackside. They're about to cross the CN/Oshawa Railway diamond, and presumably enter the yard nearby.

As part of their 10-year motive power plan started in the early 80's, CP was rebuilding and upgrading their fleet of GMD SW1200RS units, and both units here are graduates. Lead unit 1269 is a relatively fresh rebuilt, formerly 8169 rebuilt in 1985. 1210 was rebuilt in 1981 from 8112. Upgrades included 645 power assemblies, upgraded electrical systems, new paint, etc, and a new 1200-series number. The lower-numbered 1200's lost transition, restricting them to maximum 35mph operation. The higher-up units retained transition for reaching normal 65mph speeds (that group was intended for roadswitcher service out east on the DAR).

The rebuild program's funding for the SW units was cut around mid-late 1985 after just half the fleet was rebuilt (apparently CP didn't need more little switchers), and going forward the remaining 8100's just received regular overhauls. 1269 eventually became slug 1022, and 1210 was sold off to Ontario Southland when CP finally culled the remaining units in the early 2010's.

Keith Hansen photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide.