I saw the MBTA work train at Anderson RTC on Wednesday. MBTX C-1 (the caboose) led the train into the station before being left up the line while MBTX 904 (the blue GP9/GP18) dropped four loads of ties on the siding. Once the side dumps were uncoupled from the locomotive, the crew picked up the caboose and headed back into Boston. Pan Am LA-3 showed up about an hour later and brought the tie loads to Lawrence.
Here's a video of it all happening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajo1dprHFWQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I've got a few questions if you guys don't mind. First, what's the deal with this locomotive? If it was built as a GP18, then downgraded and rebuilt as a GP9, what it is classified as? Would you call it a GP9 or would you call it a GP18/GP19? Second, does anyone have any more information on the caboose? I've heard it was built by CP, but other than that I couldn't find out much about it. Thanks to GP40MC1118's post I now know it's ex-Ontario Hydro, ex-CP, ex-Perini, and ex-MP, so I'm going to look into those, but what about its current reporting marks? Why do they read "MTA" instead of "MBTX?" I don't mean to be annoying with these questions, but I've always been interested in this train, and seeing it the other day rekindled my curiosity!
-TJ