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Caption: It's 1994 and while CP's "big M" fleet is on the way out, the smaller 4-motor MLW's still have a few years of use left. There's no shortage of 251's here as three CP C424 "Centuries", 4229, 4231 and 4228, team up with GP9u 8221 hauling westbound freight #522 over CN's Oakville Sub around the curve on the approach to Bayview Junction. The faded "action pink" of the second unit, despite being repainted only a few years prior, was typical of the paint quality of that era (and CP wasn't going to spend any more than needed on paint or repairs for units nearing retirement, so none ever got the "dual flags" livery). Just ahead of the TH&B and CP cylindrical hoppers is what appears to be CP 84987, one of a handful of newsprint boxcars CP modified with an extended height roof to handle stacking larger newsprint rolls.
Reg Button photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection.
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Another great post Dan. I always learn something! Please keep the archival material from collections coming. According to Ken Goslett CP invested in a number of internal upgrades on their C424′s that extended their useful life. On a historic/trivia note, I believe No. 4200 was the first ‘Century’ unit to be constructed. There were a couple of visual detail differences between No. 4200 and the subsequent production units. Sadly, despite the historic significance, No. 4200 was not preserved.
Ahh yes, I had forgotten – CP did retrofit some C424′s with alternators out of retired 6-axle M’s. I guess they may have been short on 4-axle power and needed to keep the aging units around a bit longer. CP never did buy too many new or used 4-axle units in the 90′s, compared to all the used SD40-2′s they were scooping up.