BNSF U-TNDCXP makes its way past Cicero Metra after getting a light out of Clyde Yard. CN M348(?) from the WC moves down the Belt Railway of Chicago's Kenton Line.

Recently, the totality of CSX's GE C40-8 standard cab roster has been retired and sold off. Some sold for parts, some sold to class two roads, such as PanAm, to live out their retirement doing what they always do...which is to blow up, probably. Looking back it is definitely lucky we spotted this Dash 8 duo (with TEVO for trip insurance).

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Minnesota Commercial is a shortline railroad centred in the Twin Cities, dedicated to switching out local customers in the Roseville, Hennepin, Hugo, and Hiawatha Industrial District areas of St. Paul as well as Hudson and Fridley, Minnesota. At their shops, we see MNRR T-2, a former Southern B23-7 now road slug, and MNRR 1978, an ex-Conrail B23-7. Both of which sit dormant in the 'pen' set up to keep equipment protected.

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MNRR local job pulls a string of cars off the ladder at Midway Yard on a chilly Minnesota morning.

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A Thunderbird Mine train kicks up powder, dashing through the snow in the dense woodlands of upper Minnesota.

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What can be said about this locomotive? BCOL Dash 8-40CM 4601 trails second on CN M303 bound for Edmonton, seen here at Snider on the CN York Subdivision.

Delivered in 1990 to the British Columbia Railway, this General Electric C40-8M served its mountain masters out of North Vancouver, BC, hauling lumber, paper, and general merchandise products up and down the west coast between North Vancouver, Prince George, and Fort Nelson, BC. In the divestment of BC Rail by the provincial government in 2003, and the sale of the property and assets to CN in 2004, 4601-4626 moved homes and hauled CN trains for the remainder of the 2000's and 20teens. The dash 8's were spotted in different regions on the system like the prairies, the gulf states, and even out in the maritimes on occasion.

Unfortunately, time catches up to everything eventually. Within the last year, handfuls of BCOL and CN dash 8's of various shapes, sizes, and former owners have turned up in deadlines in Welland, Ontario and Markham, Illinois, pending sale or scrap. As ever-evolving emissions standards prove older power inviable or not worth expenditure for rebuilds, another common pedigree of diesel-electric is here today and gone tomorrow. In early 2021, 4601 and a select few of her sisters still put in their days and nights work plying the miles, sometimes in the lead, but mostly trailing newer power. The future of the CN cowls doesn't look bright either. A handful have been spotted in recent months occasionally leading large trains and living out what is likely their final months in service for the noodle road.

Hopefully I can spot more of these fatso's before the curtain closes on this species forever.

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