trainsintoronto
Cascade Green at Milbase
Wow, it's hard to believe this was already over two years ago. I thought I'd post this frame as it's finally been confirmed that BNSF 2098 (now CN 4957) has been repainted into CN colours after being purchased a year or so ago by CN following a lengthy stay on horsepower hours. Here it is while under assignment to Brantford back in June 2023, taking the lead of L581 as they begin heading back home after working some industries on the glass lead in Milton; a task normally completed by L551.
The sun was just setting over the horizon and due to the cloud cover in the area it illuminated the sky above in a mixture of pink & purple, to this day I'm not sure I can recall such a dramatic scene while trackside and I feel it really gives this shot an extra punch.
The 2098 as well as a decent bunch of other BNSF geeps were lent to CN by BNSF for the supposed reasoning of repaying horsepower hours back around the springtime of 2023. Normally horsepower hours are repaid between the class 1s with standard road power, but CN being desperate for 4-axles since the retirement of the GMD-1s as well as the GP9s getting older and weaker lead to them doing this unconventional method. It appears that most units BNSF lent were serviceable engines that would otherwise be in storage due to a surplus of 4-axle power within their own network, so eventually CN was able to purchase most of the engines they were currently "borrowing". As of 2025, some are still roaming around with their BNSF identities fully intact, some have been patched out, and others sent to shops for overhauls and repaints, which was unfortunately the case with the 2098. Initially I was hoping for a patch job that would leave the stripes on the nose intact, but no such luck.
With that being said, hopefully you enjoy what was probably the best shot I managed of this guy before it's makeover.
Cascade Green at Milbase
Wow, it's hard to believe this was already over two years ago. I thought I'd post this frame as it's finally been confirmed that BNSF 2098 (now CN 4957) has been repainted into CN colours after being purchased a year or so ago by CN following a lengthy stay on horsepower hours. Here it is while under assignment to Brantford back in June 2023, taking the lead of L581 as they begin heading back home after working some industries on the glass lead in Milton; a task normally completed by L551.
The sun was just setting over the horizon and due to the cloud cover in the area it illuminated the sky above in a mixture of pink & purple, to this day I'm not sure I can recall such a dramatic scene while trackside and I feel it really gives this shot an extra punch.
The 2098 as well as a decent bunch of other BNSF geeps were lent to CN by BNSF for the supposed reasoning of repaying horsepower hours back around the springtime of 2023. Normally horsepower hours are repaid between the class 1s with standard road power, but CN being desperate for 4-axles since the retirement of the GMD-1s as well as the GP9s getting older and weaker lead to them doing this unconventional method. It appears that most units BNSF lent were serviceable engines that would otherwise be in storage due to a surplus of 4-axle power within their own network, so eventually CN was able to purchase most of the engines they were currently "borrowing". As of 2025, some are still roaming around with their BNSF identities fully intact, some have been patched out, and others sent to shops for overhauls and repaints, which was unfortunately the case with the 2098. Initially I was hoping for a patch job that would leave the stripes on the nose intact, but no such luck.
With that being said, hopefully you enjoy what was probably the best shot I managed of this guy before it's makeover.