Caption: "Slap some numbers on it and get it out the door!" was probably the mantra of CP at the time, as there had been a shutdown of the Angus paint shops and likely a backlog of units to repaint at Ogden. As a result, a bunch of units in for work including C424's, RS18's and F-units were given some sandblasting, bodywork, touch-ups with grey or oxide red primer, had some legible numbers slapped on the cab and were sent out the shop door back into service. FP7 4038 is one such specimen, still in the old 5" stripe "Action Red" paint sporting no shortage of bodywork touch-ups and oxide red primer as she gets hostled around the yard in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. A fresh red Nathan Airchime M3H sits on the filthy roof with its normal coating of weathering and grime, except for the removable roof panels and winterization hatch (either repainted or cleaned off during removal/overhaul), and the radiator fans appear unpainted. Curiously, the rim around the front headlight is missing.

The end came for CP's F-unit fleet in the early 1980's, and most units were parked and later scrapped (fun fact, the first order of CP GP38-2's featured overhauled trucks taken from retired F-units). 4038 was retired in 1982, but would be spared the torch and donated for display in Minnedosa, Manitoba.

Original photographer unknown, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide.