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Caption: Because only two MLW FPA-2 units survived the initial 6 on CN to the VIA Rail age, it was certainly gratifying to one morning roll up into the parking area at Bayview Junction just in time to see #72 roll eastward, with both survivors up front!! VIA 6759 and CN 6758 !! This was the very early years for VIA and the second unit had not yet met the paint shop.
Of the six units that came to CN in 1955, (6750-6755), four were retired by 1975; the other two, 6751 and 6755 were renumbered 6759 and 6758 after rebuild (FPA-2u) and sold to VIA in 1978. and they too were retired by 1978. The 6758 soldiers on with the New York & Lake Erie, same number.
Unfortunately for me the passenger moved off before I could grab another shot of the consist. One can just barely make out CN 4100 as the third unit, probably 4 in total.
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Neat catch of the pair in service together! 6759 retired sometime around 1981-1982 and ended up in the deadline in Moncton. 6758 ran until the late 80′s or so when all the FPA4′s were all retired.
Both were upgraded/rebuilt by MLW to be “FPA4 equivalents” with new 251 engines etc. Two B’s were also done (6858-6859), although I’m not sure how long they lasted into the VIA era. As part of the scheme, MLW re-used the old 244 engines in new RSC24′s CN 1800-1804.
Mr. Dan. I read your commentary over and it made me realize I had let a ‘typo’ creep into my caption. I meant “retired by 1987,(as per Trackside Guide), not 1978, but if you have info suggesting the 6759 went to the deadline around 1981-82; hey, thats great by me. THANKS
Internet photos suggest 6759 was still active in the summer of 1981, but I’ve never seen anything later than that.
6758 was one of the two units to wear the blue “VIA” logo on the nose in 1986-1987. Once the I can confirm it retired in ’87 along with the first batch of FPA-4 retirements (displaced by F40PH-2s), including the four that went to Napa Valley.
Most interesting, Jakob. The other “blue” VIA was 6775 as I have a photo of it. Any idea why they tried the blue?
There is a silly rumour about it – the ’81 Pepin cuts were made by the “red” party, and a number of those services (the western part of the Super Continental, the Atlantic, etc.) were restored in ’85 to fulfill a campaign promise from the “blue” party.
I don’t buy it – among other reasons, the red VIA was actually the same shade of “CN orange” as CN locomotive cabs, and new applications of the nose logo stopped in ’81. By ’85 most F-units had a plain yellow nose. Also said “blue” party gutted VIA even worse in 1990.
In reality, I think VIA was just experimenting with the image, as they have many times.
That 1990 cut back by that PM Shyster was terrible. Something we do not forget.
Great shot Mr. Mooney! Another from the smattering of colour years! – Ken
Thank ye, Sire.
There’s a shot out there by the late David Othen of a slightly decrepit looking VIA 6759 sitting buried in the deadline at Moncton NB in 1982, so that’s probably where it ended its days. I don’t think I’ve seen any later photos of it either.