Railroading In Atlantic Canada (Main Line Freight Operations)

Alco/MLW diesels predominated until recently in mainline freight haulage in Atlantic Canada - originally RS18s (see branchline operations) but then C424s, C630Ms, M630s, M636s and HR616s. However during the winter of 1997/8 most of these units were retired. CPR no longer operates in the region. CN then used a mixture of units including SD75Is, SD70Is, SD60Fs, SD50Fs, SD40-3s (either CN, KCS or GFCX), SD40/-2s, GP40-2s and occassionally GE units. Often newly released units from Alsthom and GM appear in Halifax on proving runs.

Dartmouth again has regularly scheduled mainline freight service after several months of transfer operations in 1998. Trains 701 and 703 still run Monday to Friday and sometimes on Saturdays hauling gypsum from the huge mine at Milford NS to the loading terminal at Wright's Cove Dartmouth where the cars are switched, often by a remote controlled GM switcher but formerly by a Hunslet 0-6-0 diesel (see Industrial and Shortlines in Nova Scotia)

Moncton hump operations have ended and some Montreal - Halifax freights do not even enter the yards but rather change crews on the main line.

CB&CNS is also scrapping its Alcos (none are now operating) and initialy they were replaced by ex -BN GP50s. The four axle units were not popular and so they are in turn being replaced by HATX SD45-2s.

1) Alco/MLW units
CP mainly used M630s & M636s on their mainline operations out of Saint John, NB. Six big Alcos are gathered at 11:40 am at McAdam NB on 21 August 1985. M630s 4556 & 4555 and M636 4708 are eastbound, while M636s 4700, 4712 & 4703 are westbound.
By 3:10 pm M636 4701 & RS18 8798 have been added to the consist and train 907 with 5 locomotives, 60 cars & a caboose leave McAdam NB for Montreal.	CN also used Big Alcos - here C630M 2015 & M636 2328 haul a train of about 50 loaded gypsum cars from the mine at Milford to the dock at Dartmouth, NS on 27 October 1987. Now, in February 2000, 80 car trains are hauled by 2 SD75Is.
In this CN C630M/M636 combination the M636 2322 is leading 2042 on a westbound container train (single stack) between Windsor Junction and Kinsac NS in April 1979.
At 2:30 pm on 25 January 1981 CN M636 2324 with C630Ms 2029 & 2003 are near the end of their journey to Halifax from Moncton with 99 cars on train 306 at Windsor Junction NS.
Both CN & CP used C424s on some mainline freights. Here C424 4222 & chop-nosed RS18m 1842 leave Saint John NB with a westbound freight on 15 September 1989.	Another CP C424 - 4202 - is seen outside the remains of the shops at McAdam NB on 31 May 1980.
CN occassionally also used C424s on fast freights but 10 units went to Mexico in 1978 and others were retired in the early 1980s. Here C424 3223 and M420s 2505 & 2528 head a container train out of Halifax past Fairview shops on the evening of 24 June 1974
This full carbody unit with the Draper Taper is an HR616 which was MLW/Bombardier's final main-line locomotive design. Only 20 were built, all in 1982 for CN, and all have been retired after a very short life. It is sen at Dartmouth on 5 Februaru 1998 with the horns moved away from the cab roof (they made the cab too noisy).	Modellers will find this roof view useful. HR616s 2106 & 2112 with M420 2518 bring containers into Halifax at 1:30 pm on 23 February 1985.
2) GM & GE units
In the 1970s GM units were unusual in the Halifax area but occassionally a GP35, GP40, GP40-2W or GP38-2s would be pressed into service but SD40-2s were very rare. On 24 June 1974 GP38-2 5547 and GP40-2W 9443 are at Fairview NS.
In the late 1980s GM units and then GE units became more common. Here we see three units at Dartmouth on 28 April 1995. CN 5369 is an SD40-2 which was previously operated by Union Pacific. Behind it is leased LMS GE C40-8 727 and CN Alco/MLW RSC14 1750.
CN6000 is a SD40u (rebuilt by AMF and now referred to as an SD40-3) also coincidentally with leased LMS 727. They are bringing a snow delayed train 106 into Rockingham yards (Halifax) on 15 February 1996. It is ironic that several of the leased LMS GE units operated in Atlantic Canada since many	...of the new CN GE units were earlier tried in Atlantic Canada but were not liked and so were moved to Western Canada. Since 1997 LMS units have rarely been seen in Halifax. Here we see GE Dash 8-40CM at the Fairview (Halifax) depot in winter 1993.
Two Canadian National SD75Is with GP40-2 9493 sandwiched in between them prepare to leave the Moncton yards on 7 September 1998.
Both CN & CP have leased many locomotives from other railroads and leasing firms during the last few years. CN leases twenty five GE C40-8 from LMS (Locomotive Management Systems) and several SD40-3s from KCS for the six winter months each year. I have also seen leased units in the Maritimes from GFCX, Conrail, GATX Leasing and Helm Leasing. In addition units from other CN lines including GT and DWP have worked through to Halifax and Dartmouth.
Here we see GATX GP40 #3702 with a CN SD40-2 and a CN GP40-2 in Moncton, NB on 7 August 1995. Apparently GATX 3702 is on long term lease to the St Lawrence and Atlantic and is now numbered LLPX 3001 (Locomotive Leasing Partners, a division of EMD) and at the time this photo was taken was working off mileage owed to CN by the St Lawrence and Atlantic (thanks to C.B.Wilkie for the information).
KCS SD40-3 6622 is at Fairview NS on 23 January 1999 as part of a proving run after its rebuild at Alsthom's shops at Montreal	SD40 Grand Trunk 5913 and SD45-2 Conrail 6665 join a CN SD40-2 5273 and a GP40-2 at Fairview NS in February 1997.