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I worked for several years at the ESSO Chemical fertilizer plant by Redwater. During a bad slow down in business and ESSO being aware of my experience at CN I was moved temporarily from operations to the track crew. Of the 3 second hand switchers, this one was the worst. All the controls, brakes, throttle etc. had been removed and replaced with a panel of push buttons. The original engine had been exchanged with a Cummins I believe, can’t remember how much horsepower. The real snag with this engine was not enough ballast. Give it a few loads to pull and you were busy on those push buttons to keep the wheels from spinning as you tried to get underway. On the other hand the Cummins was a very reliable replacement engine. While the other 2 were prone to breaking down, the 901 would be ready for work. You just needed an extended vocabulary and quick hands on the buttons.
Would this be the “Beamer Express”, the unit that ran away out of the plant and made it all the way into Calder Yard?