Fresh tiers for Canadian National

It's been about 10 years since I last experienced a new locomotive model for the first time, back when EMD introduced the SD70ACe and SD70M-2 models. Those units, long since ubiquitous on some roads, are now out of production due to federal emissions regulations.

So Thursday afternoon, I left the office with more than a little anticipation to see my first new locomotive model in about a decade. That model, GE's ET44AC, was ushered in by the same environmental law that has put the EMD 70-series out of production. With a tip from a friend in the field, I was able to intercept a southbound CN freight in Waukesha with No. 3002 in the lead.

True, the external detail changes are minor. From the front, there is nary a difference between the ET44AC and its predecessors. There is, however, a noticeable change in the radiator sections when compared with the previous model. That earlier model, the ES44AC, happened to be coupled to the new Tier 4 unit.

I could not discern a difference in sound between the two models; that test may be better performed in the future comparing "pure" recordings of each model and no other locomotives nearby.

Then on Sunday, while chasing trains on Wisconsin's famed Byron Hill south of Fond du Lac, I found another southbound freight with No. 3007 leading. While it was no longer a totally new experience for me, the unit was clean and bright, a sharp contrast to other CN power we see in Wisconsin.

That alone will be enough to keep me on the hunt for the new 3000-series on CN in the coming weeks.

For more on the the models of Tier 4-compliant locomotives, see the October 2015 issue of Trains Magazine.