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  • St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR/SLQ)

  • For discussion of the various Class II and III Lines of the Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Railroad Holding Co. short-lines which do not have their own forums as noted:

    Their website is here: GWRR.com
    A list of their holdings is here: Wikipedia List
For discussion of the various Class II and III Lines of the Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Railroad Holding Co. short-lines which do not have their own forums as noted:

Their website is here: GWRR.com
A list of their holdings is here: Wikipedia List
 #1611212  by CN9634
 
That is the plan— the SD70MACs will be in Canada running Richmond to Southwark but make it down to Lewiston Jct for maintenance and probably occasionally just other reasons. They plan to try DPU as well on that Richmond-Southwark turn.
 #1611218  by MEC407
 
If I recall correctly, there was a brief period of time in the late 1990s when SLR/SLQ used CN run-thru power on the mainline runs to and from Auburn, mostly GP40-2Ws, but occasionally SD75Is. I'm 99% certain I saw a video of an SD75I leading a train to or from Auburn. So there is precedent for locomotives that size on SLR/SLQ -- assuming that I am, in fact, recalling correctly. :wink:
 #1611222  by CN9634
 
SD75Is made it down frequently when they ran intermodal and anything in between that and a GP40… have several shots of SD40s, 50s, 60s… occasional chop nose GP9 as well as GE counterparts C40 and C44-9Ws. In the 90s these things were fresh so always great to see. Also one year CN leased a bunch of Conrail units so some of those made it down (SD40s and 50s). The power pooling ended in 1998 when SLR took over the Canadian side and picked up the M420s. Fun fact, CN provided them an option for those of GP40s but budget won out and they got the Alcos which lasted til GWI takeover.
 #1611255  by trainiac
 
MEC407 wrote: Wed Nov 30, 2022 2:07 pm Thanks! Glad to know I wasn't imagining it.
You definitely weren't imagining it! I remember seeing spanking-new SD75s and Dash 9s in the late 1990s running past where I lived in Waterville, QC.

I didn't start taking pictures myself until after the SLQ M-420's arrived (I was only 12 at the time) but was brought back to that era this fall after receiving a huge batch of photos from local railfan George Matheson, largely from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Just about every road unit in CN's fleet at the time made an appearance on 393/394 at some point, including Dash-2W units, newly remanufactured SD40u's, SD50-60F's, SD70-75i's, Dash 8-40CM's and Dash 9's. (I've posted several hundred of George's photos on my own website).

The prospect of seeing SD70MAC's is quite exciting as those are among the only modern common EMD or GE units that I haven't photographed myself. The stability of the fleet - with many of the same 40-series units running for the last 20 years - contrasts against how variable it was at the beginning: CN units before 1999, M-420's and the two GP11's from 1999 to 2001, the LLPX "yellowbird" GP38-2's in 2001, the fleet of former Rock Island GP40's (half in yellow, half in orange) in 2002-2003, then the road slugs in late 2003.
CN9634 wrote:Fun fact, CN provided them an option for those of GP40s but budget won out and they got the Alcos which lasted til GWI takeover.
Interesting! I know the GP40-2L(W) units were a common sight on lease in 1999, but I didn't know they were an option as opposed to the MLW's. Ironically, one of the regular units now seen on 393/394 is a former CN GP40-2L(W), which very likely ran on the line in CN paint 25 years ago. Not many of the MLW units left running anywhere at this point!
 #1612190  by Fritz
 
Hello,
This morning's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0820 with the following:

RM-1 804
GP40-3 3804
3 centerbeam flats
6 hi-sided gondolas
1 covered hopper
39 tank cars
11 boxcars

That's 60 cars total, including 7 loads and 53 empties. There were again 5 loaded AIMX scrap gons, all carrying finely ground metal "shavings" that barely fill half the car.

The snow started falling just as they left town!
Have a great weekend,
Fritz
 #1612352  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0826 with the following:

GP40-2 3047
GP403004
QGRY GP40-2L 3014
GP40-2 3035
6 centerbeam flats
1 covered hopper
10 boxcars
50 tank cars

That's 67 cars total, including 4 loads and 63 empties.

We didn't get enough snow here (maybe 7") to be busting through any snowbanks, but I am sure more will come!
Have a great day,
Fritz
 #1612383  by NHV 669
 
eustis22 wrote: Tue Dec 20, 2022 11:30 am I am exceedingly sorry to miss the EB break through the large drifts in Locke's Mills.
There's always this 393 I shot on 1/13/16:

https://youtube.com/shorts/9Ax6FmQXUcY?feature=share
 #1612566  by S1f3432
 
Here is a retro look at SLR 394 at South Paris in January 1990 with a dog's breakfast
engine consist typical at the time of 3569-3512-3000-3573-3717-3517. Happy holidays
everone.
Attachments:
199902A18_SLR_Train394_Eng3569-3512-3000-3573-3717-3517_SouthParisME_Jan1999.jpg
199902A18_SLR_Train394_Eng3569-3512-3000-3573-3717-3517_SouthParisME_Jan1999.jpg (260.32 KiB) Viewed 959 times
 #1612651  by NHV 669
 
Haven't heard anything about the MACs since they were first spotted, then misrouted. But I found this shot of former QGRY 1501 down in Louisiana from the end of October:

https://youtu.be/VweRmXaaNAo
 #1613259  by mainerailroader
 
Summit station used to be located right at the clearing, where the VAST 111 snowmobile trail crosses. This is located at MP 6.5 Sherbrooke Sub (6.5 miles west of IP), right alongside VT Rt 114 (Norton Rd). Summit is no longer a timetable station & is not posted in the timetable.

Cliff
Fritz wrote: Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:35 am Thanks, Casey!
I think the actual station was located slightly farther southwest near the clearing that is opposite Pine Brook Road (on the east side of VT route 144 on the Google Map). That being said, I have never been able to identify the exact station location. Previously, there had been a station building, siding, and several spurs at this location, which is located at the top of the grade coming east from Lennoxville (35 miles distant) and west from Island Pond (7 miles). I think but do not know for sure that they used to uncouple helper locomotives at Summit in the past.

Today's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0802 with the following:

GP40-2 3047
RLHH SD40-2 3403
GP40 3004
14 centerbeam flats
11 boxcars
19 tank cars

That's 44 cars total, all empties.
Have a great day,
Fritz
 #1613273  by mainerailroader
 
It most likely was a flag stop back when 16 & 17 were still operating prior to 1968. There was also a siding at Summit, back in the steam era. They used to run doubleheaders out of Island Pond on westbound freights, so they could make the hill out of IP. The second steamer would be cut off at Summit & would return to IP.

Cliff
BobLI wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:08 pm Wow, talk about a rural station! There’s nothing in the area. Was it a flag stop?
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