While I rarely would register a complaint about a SD60 in prime sunlight, when a fresh SD40-2W is going to lead in wonderful late evening sun, I know what I would rather shoot. While a few weeks prior a crusty original zebra paint leader was on the train, it was pulled only a few days later. So when a very clean option showed up, I was determined to get something before they pulled the same move. Leaning into the heavy curve just outside of Holly, MI., CN L514 cruises back north with a good size train of intermodal for Q148 and Q149 to pick up in Flint. This would be the last day they left this unit on this train, and after running the job with a solo 60 for a day, it was right back to a pair of 60's, which, while cool, just isn't quite the same.

On those still nights when you stand there waiting, you hope the train will get there for 2 reasons: You are excited for the shot, and the breeze will carry the mosquitoes away for a couple minutes. Q148 is always good for both, as the train clips along with a pair of barns it does everything I went out there for, and it looked good in the process.

Chicago-Montreal train Q148 begins it’s descent into the “gravity fed” tunnel in Port Huron, Michigan that will take it from the United States to Ontario, Canada by way of passing underneath the St. Clair River. CN SD60F 5554 and IC SD40-2 6100 provide the muscle on this bitter January morning.

Today also marks the one year anniversary of a massive derailment that resulted from a lack of synchronization between the head end and mid-train locomotives inside of the tunnel.

CN GP40-2LW #9584 makes a very rare appearance on the mainline as it leads CN train Q148 East under the coal tower at Lansing, MI in the wee hours of the morning.

While my intention that night was to shoot Q116, which I did and was thrilled with the results, I decided to wait a little longer for Q148 and its classic Canadian cab Dash-9 leader. Like the barns, many of these are stored or not able to lead in the US thanks to them being passed on having PTC installed.

Q148 at Paris

Seems most of the CN trains I have gone for lately have had C40-8's leading...that is fine by me.

Here is 2036 leading Q148 at Brantford, nothing like a telesmash.

It never seems to fail, whenever a pair of BC Rail barns run through Michigan, they seem to run at the most inconvenient hour of day. Last night, with a pair on Q148, they came through the area right when I would be sleeping. After prepping with a combat nap, I ventured out into the cold, got my shot, and in the process of tearing down, was called in to work to help a coworker in distress with a broken rail and an uncooperative work truck, so no more sleep was possible, but, it was still totally worth it.

While I may work outside, I, like many people, am not a fan of the cold. So last night, after I had shot CN Q148, I was a little surprised at myself when I decided to go back into Durand and experiment with a new night angle. My hopes were not high, in order to get the shot, you have to be very close to the tracks, which usually does not yield good results. However, after testing my theory on L505, I waited for M399, made an adjustment, and was pleasantly surprised that not only do the lights not blow out the shot, but the snow that started to fall enhanced the shot. One light to my right should have been back more, but eh, next time, maybe when its warmer...

Only a few miles out, CN Q148 has the all clear at MP 313 intermediate just outside of Capac, MI. Moving along at a steady 55 mph, it won't be long until he is here and past. While my last night shift out of Port Huron has come and gone, the scenes closer to home will be just as cool and much better on 2nd shift, with a pleasant mix of day and night.

Q148 rolls through Brantford with a clean SD60 on point.

CN Q148 is detouring around the tunnel wreck on CSX as they head down the Toledo Terminal at Consaul running as CSX Z248 at this point. On the point is an EMD Tier 4 demo unit with a GE Tier 4 trailing. Toledo, OH 7/7/19

With at the time, a bold forecast of heavy grain traffic in Canada, the decision was made to bring in reinforcements, i.e., pull power out of storage, which meant all but about half a dozen 8-40CM's were reactivated. BCOL 4604 was one of the chosen ones as it was pulled out of Homewood and put back in service. While the grain was not as heavy as expected, there has been an upturn in traffic recently that seems to have justified the revival. While it was not on grain when I saw it, it was leading the hottest eastbound train on the CN Flint Sub, Q148. With temps in the teens and winds comparable, the cold was definitely biting at my hands while the stack train flew by, but seeing a barn back from the brink, is definitely worth the cold fingers.

With a clear signal staring at them and only one ditch light on the old 4 window geep, CN L514 works their way out of the last light in the sky as they head back to Flint with a long string of stacks for Q148 and Q149. In the distance, L500 takes headroom to cut away from their train to set out cars for Durand.

CN 2504 and BCOL 4605 power Q148 by the Brantford station.

CSX Q148-05 cruises east through Deshler while L324-04 grinds around the corner to head north to Toledo Stanley yard. 3/5/17

A surprisingly clean set of units leads intermodal train 148 east through Copetown, as they begin the descent down the Niagara Escarpment.

CN Q148

Time was almost running out for those Searchlights veterans who protected the junction between Alexandria, Valleyfield and Kingston subdivisions since they replaced the old ABS system in the late 60's.

Here, L536 power was staged under the signal bridge at milepost 38.2 as Q148 thunder by in dynamic braking over the #3 track on a "Clear to Limited" signal indication approaching the cross-over at Coteau Est, less than a mile away.

Coteau Jct

Milepost 38.2 Kingston subdivision

Coteau-du-Lac,QC

Mat 11th 2024

Breaking the chain of the normal duo of SD60s that frequent this train, CN L514 for a short time this past fall had GTW 6224 as the southbound leader. Picking up speed south of Gaines, the train races towards Moterm where they will set out their inbound train and bring cars north for trains Q148 and Q149 to pick up.

If you want something, you have to be willing to sacrifice sometimes, sleep was the item on the chopping block for this. Catching a quick couple hour nap to ensure I wouldn't fall asleep waiting, although the tropical temperatures were going to prevent that for the most part, the lights came to life as CN Q148 with a pair of zebra cowls. I may work day shift these days, but I can still run with the night crowd, especially the zebra crowd.

CN Q148 passes London Junction and London East with a now retired ex Santa Fe Dash 8 in the lead.

Train: CN Q148 with CN 2177 (C40-8W), CN 2579 (C44-9W), and IC 9568 (GP38-2).

CN Dundas Subdivision

London, ON

CN Q148 blasts through Woodstock on a warm summer morning.

CN 2445 and BCOL 4609 lead Q148 through Paris Ontario on a less than desirable day. But when CN throws you a bone lately, you take it.

While 238 may not run anymore, which during the GTW days was known as the Laser, Q148 is a pretty good copy in modern times. The train would typically have 2-3 CN wide cabs leading it across the GTW, and one of those CN widecabs made it out of Harvey back in 2017 leading under the now gone Newberry Rd. bridge as they approach Durand.

Cn Q148

Cn 2404 and Bcol 4619

Mile 77.5 Dundas Subdivision

London Ontario.

CN C40-8 #2007 leads M395 into the sunset as it approaches Valparaiso, where it will end up waiting for the passage of Q148 while the sun sets.

About 45 minutes after sunrise, a slow moving CN Q148 approaches CP West Flint. Running way late thanks to a 30 mph restriction for loss of communication with the EOT, it made it possible to see this normal night train in daylight. The track branching off to the right is the Mundy Wye, which is the remnant of the old main line when the GTW ran through the north side of Flint, it is not a wye despite its name, but access to the GM Parts Distribution plant that is a very important customer to CN in Flint.

First off, Merry Christmas everyone! The last few days have been family filled and quite busy so I have not been able to post anything.

Here we see a late running CN Q148 with BCOL 4643 on the point approaching Copetown Ontario.

CN Q148 drops downgrade into Brantford behind CN 8824 and CN 5405.

I've always enjoyed the face of the M-2's.

CN 148 cruises by Garden Avenue just outside of Brantford Ontario with a pair of ES44AC's handling this priority intermodal train.

With no voice due to a cold, the doctor said take the day to rest your voice and get better. Well, he also said to get fresh air...so when Q148 was reported with CREX 1505 leading, I figured why not go out for a bit!

A pair of eastbounds pace each other through BE Interlocking. The 7378's marker lights being lit was an added bonus.

CN train Q148 with 2521 leading through the last few miles of Dundas Sub, Ontaio, before going on the Halton Sub.

CN Q148 with a Barn leading at Paris, ON

CN Q148 passes through Brantford with CN 2891 on the point.

With the St Clair Tunnel being closed in Sarnia due to a derailment over a week ago, CN has been detouring trains over the CSX and NS.

Here we see detouring CN 122 (reprofiled Q148) with EMDX 1606 and CN 3011 as they pass through downtown Hamilton on the CN Grimsby Sub.