How do you tell if----------
- Thread starter interurban
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Nah, just check out her headlights! (No pun intended there, or maybe it WAS intended sign1 ).
No Classifcation Lights above the Numberboards?
The Fact that you're even questioning this?
Wait a few years until the enviro-friendly paint wears off, or fades, revealing the inner SOO paintjob?
Just read the name on the side of the Locomotive?
No Harm in lifting her skirt or checking her headlights! sign1
The Fact that you're even questioning this?
Wait a few years until the enviro-friendly paint wears off, or fades, revealing the inner SOO paintjob?
Just read the name on the side of the Locomotive?
No Harm in lifting her skirt or checking her headlights! sign1
I think only stuff still in Soo paint is referred to as Soo locomotives, especially the SD60's, because their numbers conflict with CP numbers. (6000-6064)
But it's definitely Soo heritage, given the white numberboard, double rear headlight, and lack of dynamic brakes.
But it's definitely Soo heritage, given the white numberboard, double rear headlight, and lack of dynamic brakes.
I believe that "ex-SOO" engines are still legally SOO-owned. In fact, some AC4400CWs are SOO-owned, though you wouldn't know it by looking at them.
Chad hit it right.
For those who railfan the SOO Loco has BLACK Numbers on White background.
No matter if it has C P all over her she is orignal SOO LINE.
CP has WHITE Numbers on Black background.
Attachments
Uhmmmm, am I disqualified for...
...peeking at the CP on the unit. I think "that" would make it a CP. Although I could be wrong(?).
...peeking at the CP on the unit. I think "that" would make it a CP. Although I could be wrong(?).
True, the first thing to see would be the # board on the front coming at ya .
So for fast recognition that may be a better reference .
:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:
They are a mixed bag of motive power at the yards now.
St Lawrence Hudson days the SOO all orange and C P ,
btw I was told on the tour, it is no longer Canadian Pacific Rail.
But Canadian Pacific.
That was my 5 yard tour at the McCowan yards Toronto.
I learn something new each time.
Oh, another difference (less so after time as parts change) but the horns sound way different too. The Soo horns always sound like there was a bird shoved up one of the trumpets or something. Kind of wheezy and wimpy sounding.
If you're asking questions like this a lot, or you're just plain interested in Canadian Railway stuff, a good investment is the Canadian Trackside Guide, published by the Bytown Railway Society. It lists all the current locomotives and their histories for all major and minor railways in Canada. It also lists foreign power that is commonly seen on the Canadian roads, work equipment, passenger equipment, preserved equipment, and includes timetables from all the major railways. It also has an index of reporting marks and RR radio frequencies.
Originally a Soo Line locomotive that is now owned by CP. Soo Line is a subsidiary of CP. However, Soo Line had extra motive power that they didn't need so the surplus was transferred to CP who needed extra motive power. Most of the transferred motive power was SD40-2s.
It's the light boards that immediately give it away. The light boards are Soo Line - black on white - whereas CP are white on black as shown in some of the photos.
In addition to these "Soo Line conversions" owned by CP, you will see quite a number of Soo Line locomotives running on CP mainlines in Southern and Eastern Ontario with Soo Line markings - mostly SD40-2s. These are still owned by Soo Line. It seems as if they're spending the rest of their working life in Canada instead of in the US. Because of its huge increase in traffic, CP Rail has a major shortage of motive power and is leasing anything it can get its hands on, including borrowing locomotives from its subsidiaries. It seems as if it got rid of its large fleet of SD40-2s but didn't expect the large increase in traffic. GE can't produce new ES44ACs (the successor to the AC4400) fast enough to meet CP Rail's demand. Just this morning I saw a CP Rail SD40-2 in grey livery - this is a unit that CP Rail purchased from another railway.
As to Soo Line AC4400s running in Canada, I haven't seen any.
It's the light boards that immediately give it away. The light boards are Soo Line - black on white - whereas CP are white on black as shown in some of the photos.
In addition to these "Soo Line conversions" owned by CP, you will see quite a number of Soo Line locomotives running on CP mainlines in Southern and Eastern Ontario with Soo Line markings - mostly SD40-2s. These are still owned by Soo Line. It seems as if they're spending the rest of their working life in Canada instead of in the US. Because of its huge increase in traffic, CP Rail has a major shortage of motive power and is leasing anything it can get its hands on, including borrowing locomotives from its subsidiaries. It seems as if it got rid of its large fleet of SD40-2s but didn't expect the large increase in traffic. GE can't produce new ES44ACs (the successor to the AC4400) fast enough to meet CP Rail's demand. Just this morning I saw a CP Rail SD40-2 in grey livery - this is a unit that CP Rail purchased from another railway.
As to Soo Line AC4400s running in Canada, I haven't seen any.
I'm not sure that the Soo line runs as an independent subsidiary of CP... The last new locos acquired by Soo were the SD60Ms in 1989, and I believe the last repaints in Soo colours were done in 1993... after that, I think everything was getting the Dual Flags scheme.
Anything delivered after the merger would have been painted for CP. I don't think CP assigns units to its subsidiaries, or identifies where they came from (as NS did by having the former home-road initials under the road number).
After 1997, CP reorganized itself as Canadian Pacific Railway, and I believe that meant that all the subsidiary roads (Soo, D&H, StL&H) got sucked back into the big corporate whole.
Anything delivered after the merger would have been painted for CP. I don't think CP assigns units to its subsidiaries, or identifies where they came from (as NS did by having the former home-road initials under the road number).
After 1997, CP reorganized itself as Canadian Pacific Railway, and I believe that meant that all the subsidiary roads (Soo, D&H, StL&H) got sucked back into the big corporate whole.
They have to, since SOO is a US railroad and thus operates under different regulations - and lower taxes. IIRC, over 100 AC4400s are legally SOO engines, though they don't carry any SOO markings.
I'm not sure that's necessarily true, although I've never been interested in the financial side of railroading. I don't know that IC or GT or DT&I operate as anything other than CN.
Not being a big CP fan, I didn't pay much attention, but you're right. CP's American assets are operated by the Soo (D&H, and presumably DME if STB approves). I suppose one could determine "Soo" ownership by looking at where CP assigns them for maintenance. Thus, anything assigned to St. Paul would be a "Soo" locomotive.
With that in mind though, the Soo is more paper railroad than real railroad... it's like the Wabash in southern Ontario... although it was effectively N&W from the 1950s on, it operated on paper as the Wabash.
Didn't the CN/IC Dash 9s receive different cab equipment from their counterparts on CN proper? It had something to do with different regulations...