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Northern Alberta Railway

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, May 14, 2018 6:19 PM

Just got to love that dark Royal Blue..I'm so grateful I got to ride the NAR mixed before the CN takeover. 

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Posted by SD70Dude on Monday, May 14, 2018 12:49 AM

Some NAR mixed train equipment.  Some of the wooden "combooses" were renumbered after the CN takeover, and remained in service into the 1980s:

http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=33266

This poster on Railpictures.ca has a number of other shots from the area northeast of Edmonton:

http://railpictures.ca/author/Baby-Dash

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Miningman on Thursday, May 10, 2018 8:50 PM

Good eye CSSHEGEWISCH ---I had not noticed! It was being outshopped and it was rolled out for the photographer, even with still wet paint. Have to assume in this case one of the last steps is installing the side rods. 

It only ran for 6 months after outshopping, but at least it did run in regular service, so the outshopping was completed. 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, May 10, 2018 10:09 AM

Did anybody else notice that NAR 101 doesn't have its side rods in place?

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by M636C on Thursday, May 10, 2018 12:08 AM

MidlandMike

Apparently these decs were copies of Russian decs.

http://cs.trains.com/trc/f/1/t/27740.aspx 

As one of the contibutors to that discussion over ten years ago, I don't think that the NAR locomotives shared any characteristics with either the early Canadian built Ek or later standard Russian locomotives.

The NAR locomotives look like the CPR locomotives of the same wheel arrangement but I don't know if they had any dimensions in common.

Peter

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 7:56 AM

NorthWest

Yes.

Johnny

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Posted by SD70Dude on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 11:42 PM

I doubt it will stay that shiny for long, lime doesn't hide dirt very well:

http://www.railpictures.net/photoexif/616683/

A SD38-2 makes an excellent yard engine, but anything GE is an odd choice.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by NorthWest on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 11:28 PM
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Posted by SD70Dude on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 10:14 PM

NorthWest
SD70Dude
3 of the 4 SD38-2's are still in CN's employ as well, and are most commonly found switching in Lloydminster. The fourth was sold to a American dealer and I am not sure what has become of it.

It ended up pretty battered at PRLX's Waycross, GA, shop for a while, but it was rebuilt a couple years ago and is now back in Canada in shiny Cargill paint working in Nesbitt, MB as CRGX 604.

Thanks!  Glad to see it is still around, and in good shape too.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by NorthWest on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 9:27 PM

SD70Dude
3 of the 4 SD38-2's are still in CN's employ as well, and are most commonly found switching in Lloydminster. The fourth was sold to a American dealer and I am not sure what has become of it.

It ended up pretty battered at PRLX's Waycross, GA, shop for a while, but it was rebuilt a couple years ago and is now back in Canada in shiny Cargill paint working in Nesbitt, MB as CRGX 604.

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Posted by Miningman on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 8:53 AM

This scene shows the relationship between CNR and CPR which owned NAR 50/50. 
NAR 301 short nose forward CNR 1068 (on lease/loan) long nose forward and NAR 304. 
CPR 8102 one of three SW1200RS (8100-8102) equipped with controls to operate steam generator cars on NAR. 
Dunvegan, Alberta 6/25/1961 Peter Cox 

311 acq. 1/62 (ex CN 1072) unique GMD-1 Canada-only model. 1200 hp A-1-A GMD A1887 4/60 
Edmonton 8/01/1977 Sam Beck Collection 

Note: CNR was the only other road to order this model. Only NAR's units were set up for short nose forward. 

 

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 8:11 AM

Firelock76
The Russian Decs that didn't make it overseas due to the Bolshevik Revolution were sold at bargain-basement prices to several American 'roads, the Erie, Seaboard, and Frisco spring to mind.  They were well-liked too.

I like Decapods, those ten-coupled drivers are just so cool!

Western Maryland was among the roads purchasing the Russian decapods.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by SD70Dude on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 7:25 AM

NAR's GMD1's also ended up being rebuilt by CN, and I believe several are still in service.  We also have one at the Museum, generously donated by CN several years ago.

3 of the 4 SD38-2's are still in CN's employ as well, and are most commonly found switching in Lloydminster.  The fourth was sold to a American dealer and I am not sure what has become of it.

Those killed in the Carbondale crash and fire were the Agent and his family, who were all trapped inside the station when the flaming fuel engulfed it.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by Miningman on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 1:00 AM

Great info NDG...thank you. 

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 12:13 AM

 

Thank You.

 

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Posted by Miningman on Monday, May 7, 2018 9:04 PM

Handsome paint scheme, an old favourite.

Dude, do you know what became of these good looking units.

204_209 GP9 GMD A1418 12/1957 and A1540 6/1958 
Westlock Sub. Edmonton July 15, 1978.

 

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Posted by SD70M-2Dude on Saturday, April 15, 2017 11:03 PM

Beautiful, simply beautiful Miningman!  A class act right until the very end.

#73 shortly after being restored, and in her current, naked condition (she has been out of service since the late 1970s and her boiler would require a complete re-tubing to be made operational again):

110301: Cromdale AB CRHA-APRA ex Northern Alberta Railways No 73

http://www.albertarailwaymuseum.com/uploads/6/2/6/6/6266307/5421600.jpg?477

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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Posted by MidlandMike on Saturday, April 15, 2017 10:39 PM

Apparently these decs were copies of Russian decs.

http://cs.trains.com/trc/f/1/t/27740.aspx

 

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Posted by Firelock76 on Saturday, April 15, 2017 5:58 PM

Decapods had their following, reason being they could spread a lot of weight and tractive force out over light rail.  Ever hear of the Russian Decapods built here in the US for the Czarist government in Russia during World War One?  The Russians puchased them just for that reason.  So if you were a 'road with light rail and needed something with more pulling power to use on that light rail a Dec wasn't a bad choice.

Of course, the Pennsy Decapods were so big and heavy they'd have crushed everyone elses rail to powder, so why the Pennsy went the Decapod route is kind of a head-scratcher. 

The Russian Decs that didn't make it overseas due to the Bolshevik Revolution were sold at bargain-basement prices to several American 'roads, the Erie, Seaboard, and Frisco spring to mind.  They were well-liked too.

I like Decapods, those ten-coupled drivers are just so cool!

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Posted by Miningman on Saturday, April 15, 2017 2:30 PM

Have to admit that Elesco looks huge for the locomotive, but it is a Decapod! Funny how Decapods, a very old early design, lasted so long on several roads until the end, including the Pennsy. 

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Northern Alberta Railway
Posted by Miningman on Saturday, April 15, 2017 12:33 PM

Here's one for SD70M-2Dude: Fresh out of the shop. So fresh in fact the painter was concerned the varnish on the tender was not yet completely dry! Nevertheless, the shop foreman had the engine brought out for the photographer. 

This was the last NAR steam engine to be outshopped. Six months later it was retired on September 30, 1960. 
Note: 2-8-0 74 continued in yard service until October 22, 1960. 73 was the last to be retired six days later. 
Dunvegan, AB. April 7, 1960 Peter Cox

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