ETR's Sunday job heads back east out of Ojibway. The centrebeam is for a customer near their shops, while the rest of their train will be interchanged to CN at Van De Water. 105 was painted in their 1950s livery last year, and 104 is wearing its fresh 1970s heritage livery.

Train: ETR Sunday extra with ETL 105 (SW1500) and ETL 104 (SW14).

ETR Sub

Windsor, ON

ETR's "Sunday Extra" job heads light power up the bush spur towards Ojibway Yard after spotting cars at ADM. ETL 104, an ex IC SW14 was recently reintroduced to the roster after undergoing a full rebuild at Lambton Diesel in Sarnia. Part of the rebuild was painting the unit in a heritage scheme of one of ETR's former liveries in the 70s-80s. The heavy wet snowfall on this particular Sunday made for a nice contrast to showcase 104's new stripes.

Train: ETR Sunday Extra with ETL 105 (SW1500) and ETL 104 (SW14).

Bush Spur

Windsor, ON

IC 1504, IC 1506 and CN 4100 sit at Southern Yard in Welland Ontario waiting on a lift to Port Robinson to make the connection to Mac Yard and then Sarnia.

These units were sold to a scrap company before being resold to LDS in Sarnia to avoid the torch and get a new lease on life.

One of the last remaining IC SW14 units on roster leads R980 east past CP 502 on the CN Lakefront Subdivision in East Chicago.

TZPR 700 still wearing its Peoria & Pekin Union paint job shuffles around a cut of cars in East Peoria. TZPR 700 is ex-ICG SW14 #1413. 5 years ago the unit was reported working the Golden Isles Terminal in Georgia. Jun 6, 2012

I framed in a little local flavour as the 0830 JOB, with ETR 105 SW1200 and 104 SW14, arrives at the yard in Ojibway.

Although not in the leader position, it was nice to see the freshly painted ETR 104 out on this sunny Saturday as the 0830 Job. Here, the 105/104 combination of SW1200 and SW14, make their way out to the yard in Ojibway in Windsor.

IC 1506 and CN 4100 sit on a spur within the old Martech Plant in Welland.

K&K Scrapping has been actively scrapping CN engines on this property, these two are presently not part of the scrap line but probably still are slated for it...

ICG SW14 No. 1423 and GP8 No. 7962 (in orange dip paint) are seen on the B&O Barr Sub with a caboose hop backing towards the Illinois Central connection track that used the lower bridge over the Little Calumet River. This crew had just delivered a transfer to Barr Yard and was now heading back to Markham Yard, in June 1986.

First generation EMD power is a rare sight on most Genesee and Wyoming shortlines, but the Golden Isles Terminal Railway in Brunswick, GA doesn’t disappoint. GC 1715 departs Colonels Island Terminal with an SW14 in tow pulling a long line of autoracks across Fancy Bluff Creek.

Built for the Norfolk & Western Railway in 1957 as a GP9, Georgia Central 1715 continues to earn her keep nearly 62 years later assigned to one of Georgia Ports Authority’s busiest Roll on/ Roll off terminals in the state.

The BJRY crew is returning to their yard with interchange from the BNSF yard. I think the 1440 is an ex ICG SW14, same #.

After a long day of work in a wet snow storm, this extra crew's last task is to spot a loaded centerbeam at Border Reload about a half mile from ETR's shops and offices. They ran around the car in their yard just west of Lincoln, and shoved it down. At the time 104 was fresh out of rebuild and the paint booth at LDS, sporting a tasteful homage to a past ETR livery. The water tower and engine shed on the left date back to the railway's inception in 1902.

Train: ETR Sunday Extra with ETL 104 (SW14) and ETL 105 (SW1200).

ETR Sub

Windsor, ON

Illinois Central Gulf produced 112 SW14's between 1978 and 1982 at Paducah. ICG 1478 is on display for the Paducah Open House in 1981.

7-25-1981

With a combined 134 years of service, Essex Terminal veterans 108 and 104 switch tanks, gondolas and grain cars in the Ojibway Yard at Windsor Ontario. ETR 108 is ex-Quebec Cartier #9 built in 1960 and ETR 104 is ex-IC #1475 SW14, built as IC 9404 SW7 in 1950.

The 0800 job crosses Elm Ave as one of the crew enjoys their lunch out on the front porch of 104.

Train: ETL 0800 Crew with ETL 104 (SW14) and ETL 108 (GP9).

ETR Sub

Windsor, ON

For at least a few years now, I've been taking the week of Columbus Day off from work for a combination of enjoying Fall activities and the foliage with the family, as well as railroad photography. As in years past, the highlight for the week was going to be my now-annual October trip to the Scranton, PA area. Based on the weather forecast, I eventually settled on making that trip from Wednesday to Friday. Nevertheless, I hoped to catch some more local action, too.

Whereas Monday I had a relaxed / late start with a late finish, Tuesday was the opposite: an early start and an early finish (so I could finish getting packed and rest up for the trip to Scranton).

As many of you know, SMS Rail Lines operates local service over the former D&H Albany Main between the Northeast Industrial Park in Guilderland, NY and the NS interchange at Delanson, NY. This is the same line that's supposed to see the return of bigger trains in the form of a pair of NS intermodal trains between Chicago and Ayer, MA, but the start date keeps getting pushed back

For now, SMS runs the only trains on this line, which is typically one round trip per week. A round trip run was planned for Tuesday, and while one of SMS's ex-Santa Fe B23-7s normally makes the run, this run was to feature SW14 #1424. That was enough to convince me to chase these guys on an overcast day! Furthermore, the cloudy forecast meant that the chase from Guilderland to Delanson would be more doable (normally, one would be shooting directly into the sun on this chase). Unfortunately, however, after extensive switching in the industrial park, the 1424 ended up running light out to Delanson.

The train would indeed have a few cars for the return trip, however, and with a little bit of Fall foliage by the Route 7 overpass in Duanesburg, I decided to set up there for my first shot. NS replaced the D&H-era stick rail on this line with CWR and did other work as well, so track speed is now 25 MPH on this line. Seeing and hearing this little switcher climb the grade here was a nice treat on this otherwise dismal day! Also, the Reading-inspired green and yellow seen here would be a preview of the next couple days in the Scranton area...

SNY Train NE-1

Duanesburg, NY

October 14, 2025

The 6040 is ex Rock Island 4790. The 1400 was the first SW14 rebuilt by Paducah Shops and still has its original cab.

2-14-1981

A Sunday extra heads east after working various industries on Windsor's west end industrial park. A heavy wet snow has been falling steadily all day, making the colours on the units, "Canadian style" crossbucks, and even a nearby shed standout against the white backdrop.

Train: ETR Sunday Extra with ETL 105 (SW1200) and ETL 104 (SW14).

ETR Sub

Windsor, ON

It's late in the game for this wide vision GM&O caboose, but the 2608 still looks pretty good as it leaves B&O's Barr Yard behind a pair of ICG SW14's. The transfer run has come down off the Illinois Central overhead at Riverdale, delivered its train, and is rolling down the South Open, cab hop, headed for home. I believe the 2608 is of Chicago & Alton origins, so the caboose is kind of at home, seeing how the B&O once owned the Alton.

DeBruce Grain SW14 1442 works a cut of hoppers being loaded at Amarillo, Texas on May 3, 2019.

L591 job goes, three times a week, east of Coteau yard to work a couple of clients who still got rail service. It was the case for Ronsco at MP 35.4 and Munstor at MP 30.4. The later was a former Canadian Army munition storage location and was strategically located in Les Cèdres, just west of Montreal island right between the CN and CP transcontinental mainlines giving a dual rail access to it. Now, the place act as a private storage location for railcars and the CP side connecting track was torn up maybe 30 years ago.

Ronsco is a railway provider, overhauling locomotives and rail cars along with providing expertise in anything regarding railroad pieces and tools of all kind. It was also one of the largest freight cars axles producer in North America. Their 46-acres Coteau-du-Lac facility can hold up to 150 cars and was switched by a former Illinois Central SW14 and a former CN SW900.

L591 have just finished to pull six cars from Ronsco on this beautiful and hot September day and is ready to head east toward Munstor in order to clear up the main track and let those high tonnage movement going by.

CN 7512, an GP38-2 modified back in 1978 from road to hump service, is now back on the mainline jobs with inside and outside cab cameras, microwave, fridge along with an IDU box, enabling train operation with a TIBS. It was still configured for long hood operation and lacking a cow catcher on either end giving a 25MPH restriction any time it was in leading position.

7512 was delivered new to Canadian National as their 5547 back in early 1973.

CN L59121-20

7512 4724

Milepost 35.3 Kingston subdivision

Coteau-du-Lac,QC

September 20th 2024

VMV Shop Switcher

Illinois Central SW14 1200 is the oldest unit on Canadian National's locomotive roster - or it was, until it was sold recently. It's sitting outside the Fond du Lac roundhouse with other switchers, also sold and off the CN roster. Stacks are capped with Menards five-gallon buckets, leading one to wonder if the buyer received an 11% rebate.

ETR 104 SW14, built in 1950 as IC 9404 SW7 and ex-ICG 1475 SW14 looks sharp in fresh paint at the ETR's Ojibway Yard in west Windsor.

SMW 1401, an Ex-Illinois Central SW14, carries a decent set of cars toward the CSX interchange on the Pearson spur outside of Waycross. What you don't see is the photoshopped 89ft flatcar that was originally in front of the locomotive for a rearrangement move, but if you look a little bit closer you'll see the photoshop work.

One of CN/IC's SW7RM's works the west end of Gladstone yard under a very faint rainbow that is the result of some very strong storms that surrounded the area and this was shot right before the second wave come in.

OMLX 6298 drags 30 loaded corn cars to the Tyson Ivalee feed mill with a very unique consist of engines. Trailing behind is an ex-IC SW14 built in 1951 now registered as BUGX 1497. Third in consist is OMLX 7371 an Ex southern Pacific SD40E. Crazy to think this is a normal consist on this railroad.....

Ex Illinois Central SW14 #1497 leads ATN102 down the Gadsden Street running.

469 is one of 55 SW9's built for the Illinois Central. It would be rebuilt as an SW14 1496 in 1981.

3-22-1980

Essex Terminal's 105 (SW1200) and 104 (SW14) kicking cars at the yard in Ojibway.

I must be in a butthead kind of mood. This is the third switcher I've posted today. This is a couple of ICG SW14's with a bare-tables train rolling west at Brighton Park. They're banging over the diamonds of the CJ and the B&OCT.

The BJRY SW14 pauses while MoW works on a grade crossing project.

Life is a constant battle of sacrifices and concessions. Being in the throes of work leaves me with very little time to railfan outside of the near-constant disappointment of Norfolk Southern, and even then, I barely have the energy to do so (commercial electrical work is not for the faint of heart). Thank goodness federal holidays exist that cause military bases to close and give me a bit of a break. I decided to take Memorial Day as a chance to visit the Wilmington area for the first time in over a year. Ever since I first took the 2 hour drive down when I was 17 years old, I've always been extremely fascinated by all the neat operations that fly under nearly everyone else's radar, from CSX to the various industry switchers and port operations. I've visited and posted photos of the one shown here numerous times, but I never get tired of it and just how many angles you can capture. This is International Paper's plant in Riegelwood, about 15 minutes due west of downtown Wilmington. It hosts a sizeable yard operated by a private switching operation, using this beauty of a GATX MP15AC as their main source of motive power, while also having their own former IC SW14 rebuild as a backup unit. After I had grabbed this shot, the engineer and I had a great talk about the operation here. I learned he was actually the owner of the contractor, and he explained how he got it and what it entails. It's the great interactions with railroaders like him that remind me how fulfilling this hobby can be sometimes.

For anyone trying to shoot this, I recommend to tread lightly. I've never had any bad luck here, but I also avoid security guards like the plague. I'm sure they would evict any railfan in a heartbeat.

IC SW14 1504 is the CN Woodcrest shops switcher. She sure has seen better days. Taken on CN property with permission.

Everybody's favorite IC SW14, last used as the Woodcrest Shop switcher, looks to be ailing with capped stacks and open power assembly access doors (on the engineer's side.) Let's hope it can be fixed!

East Hazel Crest, IL

Photo by John Eagan

TPLX SW14 107 sits in Clinton, IA.

A pair of fresh Paducah rebuilt EMDs, SW14 1416 and GP11 8713 are looking sharp in the late ICG gray and orange scheme parked near the Roosevelt Road IC electric station (and former site of Central Station) in Chicago, Sept 1979. Possibly on display for some reason? Original Kodachrome transparency photographer unknown, Art Gross Collection.

I strive to be the king of shooting North Carolina's most obscure railroad operations. Being able to see things that no other railfan has seen before is always extremely rewarding and further fuels my ego. On this day, I decided to head down to the Wilmington area for the day to see a mix of Wilmington Terminal, CSX, and some of the industry switchers that can be found outside of the city. This location was one that had really interested me for a long time. International Paper in Riegelwood, a sprawling paper mill with a very large receiving yard and two very attractive EMD endcabs. I'm a huge sucker for endcab switchers, so I had made it a mission to see this operation in action somehow. I first saw it in January, but had arrived too late to get any meaningful photos of them switching the yard. My luck was fantastic this day, however, as I was able to see them assemble a cut of cars for CSX L605 to pick up later in the day. Here, we see GMTX MP15AC #339, formerly CSX 1157, as it heads towards the front of the yard to assemble its consist for interchange. This dark blue variant of GATX's livery sure is sharp. The mill also has another switcher, AKRX SW14 #1411, of obvious IC descent. I'd certainly love to see that thing working some day as well. I have to give a shoutout to the paper mill workers for being very hospitable and letting me get my photos of this operation, as they could've easily kicked me out. Thankfully, they gave me their blessings and I was able to shoot this never-before-seen operation to my hearts content.

After working the brewery in downtown Windsor the ETR heads back for home with a few tanks led by the 104.

First time I have caught one of these down here, very happy!

M20

The traditional roundhouse and attendant turntable are fast becoming an endangered species throughout the railroad industry...CN's ex-Wisconsin Central Ltd (original Soo Line/WC) shop facility at North Fond du Lac, WI is still active but time is running out. With the reconfiguration of the yard as well as improving/replacing facilities, and consolidating locomotive repair and service at just a few locations it is expected this will not survive.

For now though, this shop handles FRA 92-Day inspections as well as basic running repairs and service. Out in the circle to the left of the turntable are (top to bottom): IC SD40-3 6200; CN GP40-2W 9486; CN GP9RM 7027; WC SW1500 1566; GTW GP38-2 4928; IC SW14 1492; and CN slug 201 (both big-time roundhouse queens and in storage).

North Fond du Lac, WI September 12, 2017.

Copyright

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Alabama & Tennessee River Railway ATN102 crew departs Glencoe to head back to Gadsden with a Ex IC SW14 leading the way. Just another day on the wacky ATN.

A former IC rebuilt SW14 returns light back to the US lime facility in Marble City, OK.

A US Lime SW14 works the Kansas City Southern interchange in Marble City Oklahoma. This obscure shortline runs on about 1.5 miles of trackage between their facility across the Sallisaw Creek and the interchange here with the KCS. This operation just happened to be working when we were down here making this hard to shoot railroad worthy of a few pixels despite the flat and cloudy lighting.

The other photo from this chase can be seen here: www.flickr.com/photos/100655852@N03/53161723534/in/datepo...

A former Illinois Central SW14.

Conductor John Gelwicks flags the Ciry SW's across Caroline st. as they drag 2 loaded scrap gons out O'brien Steel, they then shove them onto runaround and shove them back to the TZPR interchange to the left. Only the 1202 was online, the 1207's batteries are dead.

NREX GP16 1852 of obvious Seaboard System heritage was bringing up the end of a rather large offering of EMDs in Iowa City in 1996.

Crandic SW14 108 and NREX GP10 7708 were also hitching a ride either to or from NRE in Silvis behind the Crandic road power consisting of CIC GP9s 100-105 as it was preparing to back onto the Crandic road job

I was going to chase this mess to Cedar Rapids, but Iowa Interstate decided to roll through town with a better mess of locomotion. IAIS CBBI was powered by a pair of GP10s, a GP38, the C420 and a M420.

I elected to chase that mess to the Quad Cities instead,

ADM SW14 1466 shuffles cars at their facility in Valdosta, Georgia alongside NS's GS&F. May 2003 (Slide Scan)