The Last EMDs On Canadian Passenger Trains
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- In this video we'll take a look at some of the last EMD/GMDD locomotives that can be found on Canadian passenger trains. We'll travel across the country, looking at GO Transit's F59PH, EXO's F59PH and F59PHI, West Coast Express's F59PHI, and VIA Rail's F40.
NOTE: There are a few small historical errors in this video that have been kindly pointed out by some viewers:
1.) Technically GO did not inherit CN motive power, having ordered brand new GP40TC locomotives for their inaugural service. However, CN did use these locomotives on their freight trains prior to GO beginning their passenger service as the locomotives were delivered before GO was ready to operate passenger trains.
2.) GO's electrification plan only accounts for the core of their commuter network. Longer distance intercity service will retain diesel power for the foreseeable future.
3.) EXO received their F59PHI's before they received GO's retired F59PH locomotives.
A special thank you to Sam Snider for providing footage of West Coast Express for this video.
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NOTE: There are a few small historical errors in this video that have been kindly pointed out by some viewers:
1.) Technically GO did not inherit CN motive power, having ordered brand new GP40TC locomotives for their inaugural service. However, CN did use these locomotives on their freight trains prior to GO beginning their passenger service as the locomotives were delivered before GO was ready to operate passenger trains.
2.) GO's electrification plan only accounts for the core of their commuter network. Longer distance intercity service will retain diesel power for the foreseeable future.
3.) EXO received their F59PHI's before they received GO's retired F59PH locomotives.
Sadly as well the pilot GO service to London is getting cancelled this fall.
Excellent filming. Thank you. I bet the folks in the observation car on that final "Canadian" weren't very happy to have a baggage car attached.
The current electrification plans only include 260 km of lines at the core of the GO transit network. Diesel trains will continue to be used for longer distance express trains which continue beyond to cities such as Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Kitchener and London, as well as peak period commuter service on the Milton and Richmond Hill lines.
I assume they will eventually upgrade the weight limits on the London line to support MP40 and MP54 locomotives since the F59s won't last forever.
Thanks for the info! Great to know.
5:57 you have to love that classic notch 8 sound
These videos are high quality and I find them enjoyable. Earned a sub
Thank you much! =) Glad you enjoy what I have to share
Very informative video. Well researched. Enjoyed it!
Thank you, I enjoyed every minute of your video.
Thank you so much Peter!
Hey! I just found your channel and I wanna say, this video was amazing. Sub earned :)
7:02 - GO Transit legit stop running trains beyond Kitchener to London last month. No idea why, but prob because of low patronage or something.
Anyway, nice video mate.
Greetings from 🇦🇺
2:45 Small error, GO Never inherited CN Equipment, VIA Rail was the one that inherited CN Equipment.
Just looked into this a bit more. I was under the assumption that GO's original GP40TC's were built for CN and that GO had inherited them, but turns out that CN only used them for a few months or so before GO began service since they were delivered early. Bit of a weird one!
@@therailcinema And CP would often lease GO locomotives over the weekend, so you could see them pulling freight in and out of Toronto.
@@therailcinema you may have been thinking about the reverse, when CN bought GO's GP40-2Ws
@@fuzzwork CN did infact use the GP40TC's in freight service prior to GO's inaugural service. Dated reference: www.railpictures.ca/upload/prior-to-the-launch-of-service-in-may-1967-go-transits-gp40tc-units-were-used-by-cn-in-freight-service-around-southern-ontario-here-we-see-cn-607-with-rs18s-3739-and-3673-leading-a-westbound
@@therailcinema indeed they did, those locos are now maintenance of way units working for Amtrak
You gotta be like a serious Canadian and pronounce Toronto as _Tronno_
Also, Caltrain and Metra still run a bunch of F40's, most of the original design too.
Metra EXCLUSIVELY operates EMD power. Except for Metra electric
Great video! I really enjoyed it.
Thank you Patrick!
Good video overall, however as a couple other commenters have pointed out, there are a few factual errors.
Most importantly, the privatization thing is not a "decision" by the Canadian government; it is merely a proposal. It is unlikely that it will make it through. If it does happen, VIA Rail is most likely not getting "pushed out of most of the services it operates". VIA would be the one getting privatized.
That's not accurate and this is probably more than a proposal. The High Frequency Rail project has already been incorporated by Transport Canada and a search for a private contractor is already underway. VIA Rail is not being privatized in this process. Instead the HFR will act as a private subsidiary of VIA and operate under a private contractor reporting directly to transport Canada. While it is impossible to say how this will progress and how it will affect VIA's finances, my comments in the video are a real possibility. If you'd like to read more about this, there was a news release on Dec 15th on the Canadian government site about the HFR and a great article from Railway Age about it as well.
I'd be willing to place a bet that Metra will end up with a lot of those old EMDs. Because buying actually modern and better equipment over old EMDs is apparently not an option...
Metra has been investing in more modern rebuilt freight locomotives, I doubt these will be purchased by them.
That might be. As an aside, the concept of, as a transit agency, buying used *freight* locomotives and trying to convert them into commuter train engines is just mind-boggling to me.
@@aaronmaybe497 Alaska RR has SD70s with factory installed passenger modifications.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Metra did take on the GO Transit EMD power. I think it would have something to do with maintenance commonality. Most of their fleet already has EMD 645 prime movers in them so it would be ease of maintenance on that front.
@@josephbugaj8149 the ex GO stuff has EMD 710G prime movers, more in line with the ex Amtrak Surfliner locos (710G3) Metra runs.
Montreal bought the F59PHI before it bought the second hand GO locos. The GO locos only became available when the MP40PHs started being delivered to GO. They replaced Ex-Amtrak F40PHs (one of which was also Exx-Go) in Montreal service.
Something I overlooked in my research. Thanks!
Very well done! Enjoyed your video! Any interest in the history of the train from its beginning! ??
Thank you so much Ted! Yes, perhaps down the road I will put together a general history of the railroads and their inception
Trains!
Nothing but 🚅💨
All those new Go engines if iam not mistaken, are frames of the older models that were sold to an American company that remanufactured them. Those engine cabs of these new engines are cramped, and the frigs are so small you could maybe get 6 bottles of water in them
7:19 you mentioned weight restrictions being the reason go was forced to use its EMD locos but to me this doesn`t make sense wouldn`t freight rolling stock end up being several times heavier than what go transit would be using?
10:00 thats weird.. I thought trains were supposed to dim or completely shut off their lights when passing an oncoming train going in the opposite direction
Very Good & TY 👍
Hello, do you plan on doing any videos in Florida and if so maybe we could collab if you do SunRail I'd love to do a video with you
No plans at the moment, but perhaps one day in the future! I'll keep you in mind. Thanks for watching!
Metra Chicago’s commuter rail has only emd locomotives including. F40’2, F40’3, F59PHI, MP36, F59PHI and as recent as November 2023 the SD70MACH. Metra will not buy Amtrak’s retiring P42. As long as Metra continues to operate the emd locomotives they aren’t going away anytime soon.
Only thing I gotta say is that you really gotta turn your voice up..
Rich rail history? Montreal is where the Canadian railway basically started.
GO is pretty impressive in its scale and its ambition with its improvements but I have to be honest I just don't really like the Bombardier bi-level cars. I think it's the hexagonal shape. Obviously this is subjective, and I know that they're really solid bilevel coaches, but something about them visually bugs me. I think they just don't look right for Toronto for some reason - I really can't justify the opinion lmao.
Stop following US practice. Electrify GO and get ride of those gas guzzling diesels ditch that darn bell, and embrace the European style EMUs . The airport link should have been electrified from the start.
'Manufacturing hub' ?
LOL !!
No.