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Caption: If someone told me 6 years ago that CN would take back the Hagersville and BNSF locomotives would be on it - I'd tell you this is either a railfan's fantasy or BNSF has finally merged with CN. The merger still hasn't happened, but as of the time I write this there are now 8 or 9 BNSF GP38-2's or thereabouts (some may be 35's or 39's) on the CN system with more coming every week. Nobody knows how many are expected, no one really knows why except Management, and they are scattered from Vancouver to Montreal, but they are assigned to locals on a HPH basis meaning at this time CN does not own them. Basically, it's foreign power on loan to repay horsepower debt BNSF owes to CN. Based on this it appears summer 2023 is the year of BNSF on CN locals. Have any western or Montreal/Eastern folks seen them yet? 2098 assigned to L580/581 in Brantford brought a few dozen folks out, two dozen were out for yesterday's run - pictured switching the yard at sunrise at the VIA station. There was one (2316) assigned to Toronto a couple weeks ago but it only lasted a few days.
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Yeah, shooting this one sure was a real foamarama !!! Nice shot, btw.
Nice. Properly placed. Kitchener pool has 2090 now (H1 scheme). Pretty cool.
This is great! With the recent load of ex-GMTX 38-2′s and now BNSF’s, is business really good or are the GP9u’s expected to be on the chopping block?
Nobody really knows for sure, but there’s about 60 GP9′s so you’d need 50-60 BNSF’s to make up for it. And that would be expensive to purchase…!
I’m thinking short term, no. Just have to wait and see how many units stick around.
I’m wondering if they’re beginning a repaint program of the ex-GATX 4900 units. I saw pictures of freshly painted 4900s out in Quebec.
Those are new units – former up via mei. 6 total to come so far. 2 on the property last week.
Btw 6 became 7. Added one more to the order. All are delivered.
BNSF 2098 went back to the states yesterday. It was seen trailing on CN 397.