Canadian National cowls
Six-axle freight locomotives built with a cowl carbody are a rare design when looking at the overall quantity of models built for North American service. Compared to the thousands of GP9s, SD40-2s, and C44-9Ws built, no one cowl model exceeded 100 locomotives ordered. Canadian National ordered four of the six six-axle freight cowl designs built new and acquired two additional cowl models with the purchase of regional railroad Wisconsin Central in 2001.
Canadian National’s all-time roster of cowls owned totals over 200 locomotives.
The models purchased new included EMD’s Canadian affiliate-built GMD SD50Fs and SD60Fs, General Electric’s C40-8M and Bombardier HR616s. All are off the roster today with the exception of the C40-8M.
With the purchase of Wisconsin Central in 2001, Canadian National added EMDs F45 and FP45 models to its roster. These were built for Santa Fe, with both models equipped with a 20-cylinder 645 engine. The FP45 is the same mechanically as the F45, but was built on a longer frame to hold a steam generator for passenger service. Unfortunately, their service on Canadian National was brief. The takeover of BC Rail in 2004 brought additional C40-8Ms to CN’s roster, with virtually all retaining their BCR colors until retirement.
Canadian National began shedding its HR616s first, followed by the SD50F and then the SD60F. It still rosters a single active C40-8M, No. 4609, which can be found in yard service in British Columbia, its days of mainline service most likely over.
Fortunately, a handful of CN’s SD50Fs and SD60Fs have found new life on several short lines. Midwest short line Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western operates both SD50Fs and SD60Fs, while another Midwest company, Northern Plains Railroad, owns SD60Fs. A DMVW affiliate in Montana operates two SD50Fs in captive aggregate service. Further east, Aberdeen Carolina & Western operates SD60Fs.
Fortunately CN occasionally used cowl units in coal service in and out of Mobile, AL which allowed me to see a few of them in service. I understand the crews down here didn’t care for them that much. But it was a treat for us southerners to see them at trackside.
The Aberdeen, Carolina & Western operated their SD60F’s very briefly after purchasing them in 2018. The majority have been parked since then, with a four rebuilt, repainted blue and sold to Savage Railroad.