Throwback Thursday - Two For the Road

CN 2029, an MLW C-630M locomotive, is leading a westbound freight in front of the London CN/VIA depot on January 05, 1988.

By Peter Mumby. 

Canadian National's 2000-2043 series C-630M locomotives were assembled in Montreal during 1967/68.  Twenty years later, by the time of today's photo, their visits to Southwestern Ontario were becoming infrequent.  When we did notice them, they were normally in a trailing position behind one or more General Motors units.  So, to find class MF-30b number 2029 leading a freight at London with a stablemate second up was a bit of an occasion, from a railfan's perspective.  All forty of these locomotives were retired between 1992 and 1996, with some of them moving on to second owners.  In 1993, a group of eight went to work for Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway, where they retained their CN numbers and were individually named.  The 2029 became the "Sir Richard Maitland."