Last updated March
05, 2006
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--> October 27, 2005--Outdoor Exhibit
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The photos on this page are of the outdoor exhibit and were taken on October 27, 2005.
Other sections from October 27, 2005:
-Indoor
exhibit
-Building #5 (to
be uploaded)
Much had changed at the museum since my last visit in 2001. The biggest addition was a very impressive and polished new indoor exhibit. Some equipment was still on display outdoors, however, including a couple of recent additions--SLR M420W 3569 and a VIA Rail LRC.
Lighting was a little dim, and some of the photos on this page may be replaced later by photos taken in better lighting.
The first locomotive visible
upon entering the museum grounds is CP S2 #7077. This was the first
production diesel-electric locomotive made in Canada and was completed
by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in 1948. It was partly built
by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO), of which MLW was the Canadian
subsidiary.
CP service car 404366.
CP 4563 is an M630 built in late 1969, while 4237 is a C424 built in 1965. Both of these locomotives are operational and are often coupled back-to-back.
Photos of the left side
of M630 4563. This unit has been recently restored and arrived at
the museum in 1995.
The right side of 4563.
Fuel tank and fuel filler
detail.
The right side of C424
4237.
The square carbody filters
behind the cab are a CP modification.
The left side of 4237.
One spotting feature of later C424's are the battery boxes under the frame
above the rear truck, and the resulting lack of them around the cab.
Here's a familiar sight (for me, anyway): St. Lawrence & Atlantic (SLR) M420W 3569. As recently as 2001 I saw this locomotive in regular revenue service. There's no chance of it pulling trains now, however--after being retired from the SLR, it was gutted of most usable parts to keep fellow M420W's running. The diesel engine, traction motors and even traction motor cables were removed.
This locomotive was originally
built by MLW as CN 2569, in 1976. The 2500-series M420W's (all renumbered
to the 3500-series) and 5500-series GP38-2W's (renumbered to the 4700 series)
were the first locomotives in North America to feature a Wide-nosed (aka
Safety, Crew, Canadian or Comfort) cab, which has now become standard for
all North American locomotives. Unlike the M420W's, the GP38-2W's
are still in service with CN.
As with CP C424 4237 above,
CN added square carbody filters to their M420W's.
A close-up of the MLW
ZWT (Zero Weight-Transfer) truck, whose concept was later adopted by GE
with their floating-bolster truck design. The ZWT designation stems
from the fact that the central suspension (rubber layers) rests at exactly
the same height on the truck frame as the primary suspension (springs above
each axle) which reduces weight transfer from one axle to the other.
This increases pulling power, and in fact the M420W's were often known
for their good pulling ability.
Three of the ten M420W's
that were purchased by the SLR from CN received bright yellow paint--although
it has faded considerably on 3569. The company name was stenciled
in English on one side and French on the other, since these units operated
in Quebec.
VIA Rail 6309 is a vintage-1957
FP9Au (originally FP9A) that was only retired from the VIA roster in 2001.
It was originally owned by CN and numbered 6528. This locomotive
arrived at the museum in 2004.
Another recent addition
to the collection is LRC-3 6921. This locomotive can hardly be classified
as ancient--it was built by Bombardier in 1983. The LRC passenger
cars it pulled are still in service, albeit led by newer F40PH-2's or P42DC's.
Michael Eby 2006
