Iron Horse Roundup: Week of October 20-26

(railpictures.net/Brandon Kilgore)
Canadian National announced that it was purchasing 35 new 4400 HP ES44AC 'GEVO' locmotives from General Electric and 35 new 4350 HP SD70M-2 locomotives from EMD. The GEVOs are expected to arrive in late 2010 while the SD70M-2s are expected to be on the property by January 2011. Here, CNR ES44AC #2305 is seen with another GEVO on the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern trackage in West Chicago, IL in September 2009.


(Dean Sauvola/Railpictures.net)

Tourist hauler Wisconsin Great Northern got a substantial increase in horsepower last month with the acquisition of former Wisconsin Central SD40-2 #6006 and Duluth Missabe & Iron Range SD38AC #200 from Canadian National. The railway already owns a 1940-built SW1 and a 1949-built EMD F7A primarily used for their excursions. However, with the recent downturn in traffic on many Class 1 railways, Wisconsin Great Northern agreed to store idle tank cars along its line and in it's Spooner, WI yard. Here, WGN employees are inspecting #6006 shortly after arrival in Spring Brook, WI. It's believed the #6006 and #200 will handle the stored freight cars while the 1940s-vintage diesels will continue with the tourist trains.

(railpictures.net/Jeff Faherty)

The New York, Susquehanna & Western has reportedly put their fleet of GP18s, GP20s and sole operating F45 up for sale. NYS&W F45 #3636 was thought to be one of the last F45s operating in revenue service in the country. Here, the #3636 is seen snaking though downtown Port Jervis, NY with Little Ferry NJ-Binghampton, NY freight SU-99 in June 2006. This would leave NYS&W with their former Denver, Rio Grande & Western and Southern Pacific SD40T-2 'Tunnel Motors' as the backbone of their locomotive fleet.

An Australian baby cheated death when his carriage rolled off a platform and in front of a Connex commuter train in Melbourne earlier this month. The incident was caught was caught on the Ashburton station's CCTV system. 6-month old Saurish Verma survived with some cuts to his face after being dragged roughly 30 meters before the train came to a stop.

*Workers for the largest union representing tranist workers from Philadelphia's SEPTA have voted unanimously to strike if no contract is reached with management this week. A walkout by SEPTA workers could take place when the Phillies are slated to host the Yankees for games 3, 4 and 5 (if neccecary) of the World Series. The strike would include the Broad Street subway line, which links Citcizen's Bank park and Lincoln Financial Field with downtown Philly. SEPTA's suburban commuter rail service wouldn't be affected, as those workers are represented by a different union.

*Authorities in Egypt have filed charges against three railway workers in a deadly 2-train collision that killed at least 18 people over the weekend. The two trains collided at Girzah south of Cairo after the first train hit some livestock that wandered onto the tracks before coming to a stop and the second train plowed into the rear of the stopped train at full speed. One of the rail workers is charged with abandoning his post.