I remember the SD70I's when they were brand new, it was about the time I began serious railfanning. I can recall catching 5600 and 5601 working what appeared to be an empty grain train bound for the GTW at Beare, ON. (York Sub in northeast Scarborough). Also caught several undecorated eastbound through the Newtonville, ON., area going to PSC in Montreal for painting (5610, 5612 were two). Also caught one a Newtonville, brand new 5625 (also the last of the 26 SD70I CN bought) and dead as the leader with an HR616, M420W, HR412 trailing and providing the power... ironic that the SD70I and SD75I's helped put the MLW/BBD's out to pasture
They were a nice departure from the usual stuff, but were soon overshadowed by the 175 SD75I's CN would end up buying. They are all now quite boring! These were the first new power CN bought since 1973 that did not have CN's safety cab, and were also (to me at least) noteworthy in that they were originally assigned to Toronto for maintenance, as all new power on CN (and CP for that matter) would typically go to Edmonton for Port Mann (Vancouver).
Wow, talk about digging up old posts... hey, been a while since I visitied last. Siderod, you've been missing from the Atlas forum for some time.