Glorious Day, F-units are back!

[gabe]

Some of you may recall my post asking if there were any F-units operating in regular freight service on a regional or shortline railway--i.e. not some grain elevator or in a museum, etc. How sad, though unsurprised, I was to hear the answer was no. Then, in a Lazurus-like manner, out of nowhere, I hear that F-units will be reactivated to move iron pellets!

I don't know how I am going to manage to find time off work to see this. But let me tell you sportfans, this is just something we have got to see! This is likely the last of them, not everyone has the luck of having a swansong; take advantage! I have just got to see them.

There should be some huge meeting or something. "F-fest?"

If anyone knows the specifics of dates/times/locations of operation, I would be most greatful.

Gabe Hawkins

[ShaunCN]

on the GEXR(railamerica) in Goderich Ontario they use two FP9A units numbered 1400 and 1401. Also I think Ontario Northland has some F units on freight and passenger service

[Anonymous]

Gabe, I had missed your original post about F units. I have seen the Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) trains on the CSX line running F units in Baltimore, MD on their Camden Line. It has been about a year or so since I've last spotted them.

[Anonymous]

I think CDOT still has a few operational FL9's.

[Anonymous]

I've never liked the look of F-Units.

[DRBusse]

Um, maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but I can't get excited about flying to Minnesota to do Erie Mining when the US Steel F's in Run 8 at Atlantic City, Wyo., (A-B-B-B-B-A) are forever etched in my memory. 21 years ago? Yikes!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by macguy

I've never liked the look of F-Units.

HOW there the most beutiful things made of steel

[RudyRockvilleMD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by amtrak-tom

Gabe, I had missed your original post about F units. I have seen the Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) trains on the CSX line running F units in Baltimore, MD on their Camden Line. It has been about a year or so since I've last spotted them.

MARC hasn't used F units on their trains in several years, unfortunately. When they used F units they also used them on the Brunswick Line. MARC does, or did have one F unit, # 7100, but it was used as control cab car; I don't think it had any propulsion equipment.

[athelney]

The West Coast Railway Assn F unit #4069 was used all summer in excursion service out of Prince Rupert on the CN mainline - does this qualify as everyday service? It will be heading back to Vancouver over CN (ex BCR) tracks on Sept 25th will our other F unit 1404 dead in train due to electrical problems.

[choochin3]

RudyRockvilleMD is right about the MARC 7100. It is a cab control unit,and it also is HEP equipped.The cool thing is that the 7100 is still riding on home rails as it is a former B&O F7[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by choochin3

RudyRockvilleMD is right about the MARC 7100. It is a cab control unit,and it also is HEP equipped.The cool thing is that the 7100 is still riding on home rails as it is a former B&O F7[:D]

Yes, Have seen photos of her in all her B&O glory. It was a shortline in Idaho I think that removed the prime mover, and when MARC bought her, 2 other F units, and some former BN E units, they decided not to repower her.

Why is it whenever she is in town my camera won't work, or she is parked behind the Ex-Metra gallery cars? [:(], but I can't complain since I have a poster of her above my lionel shelf.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DRBusse

Um, maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but I can't get excited about flying to Minnesota

Actually, I was thinking that might be one of the only reasons to fly to Minnesota.......

QUOTE:

(A-B-B-B-B-A) are forever etched in my memory. 21 years ago? Yikes!

I feel the same way ..those Swedish babes were hot!

[dharmon]

Sorry DR, Couldn't help myself.

I'm a big fan of F's, just look at my transcripts.....

Seriously though, I'd love to see a "working" F unit again. The F unit to me is the very symbol of US RRs.

[gabe]

I know this sounds grandiose, but I think someone should organize something with regard to the F-units. I think this is big. I am not knocking railroad historical societies; they are great. But, isn't it better to see actual history than a recreation of history? I cannot understand why twice as many railfans wouldn't flock to this as opposed to a historical society meeting. To see F-units moved the way they were intended and built for is almost too much even to contemplate.

I have never been to Minnesota, so if anyone knows a good place to view them from, I would be most appreciative.

Thanks,

Gabe

[Anonymous]

CSX Brunswick Line, that's the one (got that one confused with the Camden). I had seen it traveling over the 95/495 bridge in Silver Spring, Md. That was longer ago than I was remembering!

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ShaunCN

on the GEXR(railamerica) in Goderich Ontario they use two FP9A units numbered 1400 and 1401. Also I think Ontario Northland has some F units on freight and passenger service

Actually apparently the ONR scaped the F units. Last night at my club's monthly meeting, I asked our president who is a big ONR fan and he said they stopped using them. They primarily use the EMD diesels and even the passenger trains like the Northlander sees anything from a GP38-2 to a SD75I for power on it.

[Grinandbearit]

The ONR F-units were parked next to the maintenance shop in North Bay about a month ago. A friend is rail fanning up there right now so will know for sure when he gets back next week.

[gabe]

Thanks Mark.

[Junctionfan]

I saw some CN F units on a CN business train once, they looked brand new. I think they are ex IC. Does anybody know if CN repainted any IC or ICG Funits?

[gabe]

Are you sure the F-units you saw weren't really E-units? I am not saying that is the case, but I am not sure the IC had that many F-units, as GM&O had retired most of them before the merger. However, IC had no shortage of E units, and they have been used on IC business trains.

Disclaimer: yes, I know ICG did have some F units from the GM&O merger, as some were even painted in the orange and white. My point is I think they were so few that they could not have possibly survived--unlike the E-units, which did survive.

Gabe Hawkins

[Randy Stahl]

The Monteal Maine & Atlantic has an F-3. I'm looking forward to returning that to service.
Randy

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

Are you sure the F-units you saw weren't really E-units? I am not saying that is the case, but I am not sure the IC had that many F-units, as GM&O had retired most of them before the merger. However, IC had no shortage of E units, and they have been used on IC business trains.

Disclaimer: yes, I know ICG did have some F units from the GM&O merger, as some were even painted in the orange and white. My point is I think they were so few that they could not have possibly survived--unlike the E-units, which did survive.

Gabe Hawkins

Yes you are right. I checked out to see the model and they are units 102 and 103 which are E9As. I don't know who they used to belong to though. I'm assuming they are IC.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Randy Stahl

The Monteal Maine & Atlantic has an F-3. I'm looking forward to returning that to service.
Randy

I thought MMA was going towards an all GE roster. They had the ex-DRGW tunnel motors for awhile, but had read that they sent them elsewhere and were focusing on single builder. Is the F3 an old BAR unit? BAR was running F units and I think even thier BL2s up into the 80s.

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

QUOTE: Originally posted by Randy Stahl

The Monteal Maine & Atlantic has an F-3. I'm looking forward to returning that to service.
Randy

I thought MMA was going towards an all GE roster. They had the ex-DRGW tunnel motors for awhile, but had read that they sent them elsewhere and were focusing on single builder. Is the F3 an old BAR unit? BAR was running F units and I think even thier BL2s up into the 80s.

Montreal Maine and Atlantic has in its roster 14 F40s

[Anonymous]

It's really great to hear about Eire Mining is going back to using their F units again!

As for other F units still operting, there are of course those that pull CP's Royal Canadian Pacific excursion train. Of course, these are for special trains and don't work regular CP trains, but they are still F units that are owned and operated by a Class 1.

AMT (Montreal's commuter rail system, where Kevin works) retired their FP7's in 2002, but #1300 got sent to Quebec City to do switching for their commuter system. It is interesting to note that this unit is ex-CP 6700, the lead unit on the train in the movie Silver Streak. I think that it is still working there. I'm not sure whether Quebec City actually bought it or just leased it from AMT.

[Randy Stahl]

The MMA f-40s are being dismantled for use in Estonia. The F-3 is the only BAR one left as far as I know...don't see to many F-3s these days. The BL-2 s are stored at the Green Bay Ry museum , maybe someday we can take them home to Maine.
Randy

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by amtrak-tom

CSX Brunswick Line, that's the one (got that one confused with the Camden). I had seen it traveling over the 95/495 bridge in Silver Spring, Md. That was longer ago than I was remembering!

7100 operates all of the MARC lines I thought. I know its commonly used in NEC service since it has NEC cab signals.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Randy Stahl

The MMA f-40s are being dismantled for use in Estonia. The F-3 is the only BAR one left as far as I know...don't see to many F-3s these days. The BL-2 s are stored at the Green Bay Ry museum , maybe someday we can take them home to Maine.
Randy

What was the rational behind the CDAC/MMA F40's, cost or the peculiar Mainer love of the unusual. Were they rebuilt internally when the nose job was done?

[ericsp]

If you like F units go to the Fillmore and Western Railway (Fillmore, CA -- northwest of LA, eastnortheast of Ventura). They run an excursion train on weekends (all year). It is a 3 hour trip to Santa Paula and back (with a 30 minute layover). When I rode it there was a F7A on one end and a GP35 on the other. The GP35 pulled the train out and the F7A on the way back. I got to sit in an open air car that was immediately behind the F7A and on the front seat. The F7A was still in LIRR paint but with the lettering removed.

It is funny, even trough F units were almost entire regated to excursion service by the time I became a railfan, I have always liked them. Of course I like almost every EMD model (except the BL2 and everything after the SD75M).

http://www.fwry.com/

[Anonymous]

12 ex-METRA F-40C units are currently being rebuilt by WVM at Paducah . These are HELM locomotives which will be leased to the Kansas City Southern to ease their power shortage until the 30 SD40ACE's KCS has on order form EMD begin to be delivered late in 2005. METRA is to the best of my knowledge still running the remaining 2 or 3 of the only 15 F-40C which were ever built.