Amtrak California F59PHI visits Michigan! | CDTX 2007 on the Holly Sub

Описание: For those who are familiar with Amtrak's operations on CN, you likely know that Amtrak is required to operate with a minimum of 24 axles, or five cars plus a locomotive, to ensure that railroad crossings will activate. This often results in Amtrak placing extra cars on their trains to meet the requirement. This occasionally proves to be a problem, with the railroad sometimes running short on equipment. As a result, Amtrak developed the "Shunt Enhancing Device" which supposedly combats this issue. To test the new device, CDOT loaned out one of their F59PHI locomotives to run on a small test track CN built in their Pontiac yard. Why Pontiac was chosen for the testing location and why they brought an F59PHI, I have absolutely no idea.

The unit was brought up twice early last year, both times being confined deep within the yard. Later on in September, the unit was brought up a third time. I initially thought they were going to keep it in the yard again, until they slapped the unit in front of a few horizon cars and let it loose to run the entire Holly sub. Upon hearing of the news, I went to Pontiac multiple times that week, hoping to see the test train, only to find it in the yard finished with their work each time.

The following Saturday, I heard that they were to take the consist back to Chicago that evening on train 355. I figured that they would have to make a ferry move from the yard to the station. So, after work, I hightailed it over to Pontiac and caught the consist heading south towards the station, as well as pulling out and backing up to the other passenger consist. I stayed a few more hours after, and caught the Amtrak power exchange, CN L515 heading back north, as well as train 355 heading south with the test train consist in trail.

This was something I wouldn't even imagine seeing in my wildest dreams, so I was very pleased to not only see an F59PHI separated halfway across the country from its home, but to see it leading in such foreign territory. With these locomotives being phased out in the very near future, it's very likely that this will be the only time we see this kind of thing happen in Michigan.