CN at Rymal Pt. 6: Motive Power Part 2

CN GP9 No. 4130 was constructed by GMD London in October of 1957. In order to clear the number sequence for the GP9RM program the unit would become No. 4383 in 1984, and subsequently be remanufactured into ‘booster unit’ (slug) No. 237 by CN Pte. St. Charles (PSC) in 1988. Following several years of faithful yard and transfer service, the tractive effort assister would be removed from the roster in 2005. No. 4130 is shown switching Shaw Pipe Protection (see CN at Rymal Pt. 4) on June 7^th 1984. Set up to run long hood forward, No. 4130 has traveled as designed north from Caledonia to service the facility mid day. Shaw Pipe at the time was in the midst of a large scale production order. While inbound uncoated pipe was received from local suppliers by transport truck, most finished product was shipped out by flat car. With only one relatively short siding an extra move was required during this frenzied period in order to keep the operation fluid. Earlier in the morning the daily wayfreight dispatched from Stuart St. Yard in Hamilton would have also made a pit stop to switch out loads.

While the 1960’s and 1970’s were the preserve of CN’s ubiquitous SW1200RS, motive power along the former H&NW over the following years until abandonment primarily consisted of Dick Dilworth’s seemingly omnipresent GP9. The transition is entirely logical. Throughout the middle to late 1970’s CN took delivery of several hundred GMD wide cab GP/SD40-2’s, displacing older/lower HP locomotives from mainline and higher priority manifest service. Despite relatively low traffic volume along the H&NW, the right of way and track structure were well maintained and could easily handle the nominally larger road units. Thus, tonnage that on occasion required three end cabs could easily be conveyed by a pair of ‘Geeps’. Often, as shown, a single GP9 was sufficient.

While interchange traffic continued to diminish, there were a couple of ‘Last Hurrah’s’ for the line. As noted above, the local pipe coating enterprise landed a sizeable contract related to a major Western Canada pipeline project. Probably much better known was the movement of cast steel slabs from Stelco’s newly commissioned Lake Erie Works to their Hilton Works based rolling mills in lower Hamilton. Unfortunately, due to the Stone Church bridge transport truck incident in 1987, the Rymal segment of this trip was rather short lived – see CN Rymal Pt. 2.

No. 4521 was built 12/1956 by GMD London. In 1985 the veteran unit would enter the Pte. St. Charles remanufacturing facility and subsequently emerge as GPRM No. 7007. In 2011 the unit would be sold to Motive Power Resources (http://www.mprxinc.com/) becoming MVPX 7007. CN 4521 is shown switching the CO-OP siding in June of 1979.

CN 4521 together with sister 4560 is shown on a caboose hop southbound just about to duck under the White Church Road overpass (just east of the hamlet of Mt. Hope). Unfortunately I did not date my early material; best guess is spring of 1980 or 1981.

CN GP9 No. 4523 was delivered from GMD London in December of 1956. Note the lack of dynamic brakes, a consequence of wreck repair employing a replacement GP7 long hood assembly. In 1990 No. 4523 would be remanufactured into booster unit No. 263 and is still on the roster. Nos. 4523/4521 are shown crossing Limeridge Road E on Hamilton Mountain in an undated photo; guessing spring of 1981.

Similar to No. 4523 above, No. 4524 (GMD London 12/1956) has been subject to GP7 long hood replacement, most likely also due to wreck repair. CN had long ago disabled the dynamic brakes in their GP9 fleet and in most cases the hardware remained in place. Similar to the sisterhood, No. 4524 would be included in the PSC GP9RM program and renumbered to 7028. While still on the roster, No. 7028 has been out of service for a couple of years. Coupled to No. 4125, No. 4524 is shown north of Highway 53 (Rymal Road), switching Shaw Pipe Protection on May 30^th 1984.

CN GP9 Nos. 4528 and 4519 were delivered by GMD London in December of 1956. While both would be transformed by PSC into GPRM’s, only No. 4135 (1991 phoenix of 4528) is still on the roster. In 1985 No. 4519 would emerge as GP9RM No. 7006 and stay on the roster until 2000. In the photo above the duo is shown southbound diagonally crossing Nebo Road. Love that Firebird rag top! Again, more of my early undated material; most likely taken in the spring of 1981.

In 1991 No. 4560 (GMD London 11/1957) would become GP9RM No. 7055. Still toiling away for Canadian National, the venerable unit is shown some four decades earlier on the caboose hop previously shown from above. In this view Nos. 4560 and 4521 are heading south out of Hamilton about to cross Twenty Side Road. Aside from the engineer’s all weather window the GP9 is virtually as delivered. The building in the background on the left is the former Hannon public school, now the home of the IBEW Local 105 Training Center.