TerraTransport RS18 rebuild program...

Take yourself back to 1988. TerraTransport, at this stage a division of Canadian National, takes on the Hopewell and Sydney subdivisions as well as the old Halifax and South Western in Nova Scotia. CN transfers a number of ageing MLW units into the division including RSC-14, RS18, C-630M and a lone M-636. Up until this point TT has been successful in transforming operations on Newfoundland, and in terms of locomotives inherited the narrow gauge EMD G8, NF110 and NF210...

Products of MLW whilst new to TT, were not to its ‘new’ employees and the large 6 axle units were in reasonable condition however both the RSC-14 and RS18 were nearing 30 years old. TerraTransport had to make do and mend with these units, using the worst examples to keep the others operational with the work carried out at the shops in North Sydney by the experienced workshop staff. 

Chris and I have been discussing various parts of the 'TerraTransport' proto-freelance story for a few months, and a recent diversion has been considering what 'we' would do faced with the motive power challenge. Of course, this is a somewhat well researched flight of fancy, but nevertheless we’re hopeful it helps fill in another piece of the jigsaw. What do you think Chris?

Just about any of these locomotive options would be MLW-era ones and the plus/minus list would be things like "sure there's lots of them available as CN purges these from their roster" and "but that also means that new parts are harder to get so repairs of broken things requires us to either make replacement parts from scratch or harvest them from other, equally old, engines."

By the early 1990s, in need of more reliable motive power TT approached parent CN yet were only offered first refusal on the growing ‘dead line’ of RS18s gathering at Moncton. The NAFTA agreement theoretically made it easier to import units from the US (and it is this route that led to the ex Seaboard/CSX U18B arriving at Bridgewater in 1994) however a visit to Squamish to see the BC Rail in house RS18 rebuilds was an important turning point in this story. 

CN MLW RS-18 3831 with an un-common hood over the radiators parked in the MLW dead line, at Moncton's CN Gordon yards September 05, 1988. Roger Lalonde photo.
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/560013/

We were surveying the landscape of what would be available to us (TT) and our situation is perched between the grim realities of the Gordon Yard dead-line and the frankness of our own budget. Despite the size of the nation itself the community of railroading is still small and the progress BC Rail was making with their RS18 rebuild program sounded enticing. Their resources were not unlike ours and we thought this might be our own viable option too...

BC Rail were proud to share their experiences and specification for these extensively re-engineered units. They had retained the frames and trucks with overhauled traction motors whilst replacing the prime mover, electrical and ancillary equipment to produce a modern unit at a price comparable to the second hand and US rebuild market. Their energy and enthusiasm for the program and openness to share knowledge combined with a real world demonstration of the CRS20s capabilities on both yard and local work around Prince George was enough of a catalyst for TT to embark on their own prototype.

One of the ‘dead’ RS18, number 3716 at North Sydney was selected. The rebuild used a similar specification to the BC units, however the dynamic braking was removed altogether when the short hood was lowered, the controls reconfigured for short hood forwards operation to improve crew visibility. A CAT engine and Kato alternator were shoe horned in and as with the BC Rail program this arrangement meant the engine fresh air intake and exhaust moved forward. The radiator arrangement copied that of BC Rail, replacing the mechanically driven and troublesome mechanical MLW system with electrically driven cooling fans in a radiator section salvaged from a dead M420. The first unit, numbered into the TT system as 2001, was released for traffic in May 1994 and tested extensively across the length of the CNS. 

In 1995 CN and TT are privatised, and the option to buy additional RS18 at ‘knock down’ prices means the TT re-engineering plan can begin in earnest. TT undertakes to initially rebuild 15 units, the first 5 started in 1996 are completed at North Sydney, however resources and space at North Sydney prove to be a bottle neck. In 1999 the project is handed to IRSI to complete, and an additional 15 units are included in the program. The last unit is handed over to TT on Tuesday 25th June 2002.

Timeline:

1988    

• NAFTA begins to make it easier to import second hand locomotives from the US.
• Newfoundland railway is not abandoned, instead continuing to hold it's percentage share of freight on the island after moving towards complete containerisation.
• CN transfers Hopewell, Sydney, Chester and Liverpool subs to TerraTransport.

1989  

• CN hands the PEI railway to province, and TT takes on operation of the Tormentine sub, as well as local terminal operation around Moncton.

1990    

• BC Rail completes first CRS20 #609

1993    

• CN retires the last of its RS18's. They were stored in Moncton for some time following this date.

1995    

• CN and TT are privatised.
• TT take on operation of the PEI railway.

1999    

• IRSI takes over CN's Moncton diesel shop.

2002    

• TT take on DA from W&H.

This isn't a complete TerraTransport timeline yet, it still leaves questions around operation of the New Brunswick Southern and Dartmouth Terminal to resolve. However, I think there is the possibility that as TT takes on newer power in the mid to late 2000s we sell off some of the early rebuild units...

So many ex-CP RS18u's are now in shortline service (Ontario Southland, CF Laudeniere, CF Sartigan, etc.). I think this is really too early to ask if this TT-IRSI MLW rebuild program is something other Canadian shortlines develop an interest in but if we're rebuilding them successfully here maybe we do others?

That is a fascinating question! I wonder what happens with Newfoundland's aging power? Can we look at a program to re-engineer / upgrade those units with CAT power too? 

This poster is in my own collection, saved from an open day at North Sydney back in 1994.  James Hilton photo.

Today, TerraTransport still rosters 20 RS18Cs, and 9 of the remainder are in service with other shortlines  across North America (unit 2013 was scrapped following an accident in 2013(!)). The units form a key chapter in the success of the Canadian enterprise, and they continue to earn their keep nearly 25 years after construction. 

Technical Specification:

MLW RS18 (as built)

Engine: Alco 251 v12 1800bhp

Alternator: GTA 6PAI

Main generator: C.G.E. GT-581

Aux Generator: GY-27

Traction motors: 4x C.G.E. 752

TM blower: 2x Sturtevant Mech drive

Cooling fan(s): 1x Mechanical drive 

Brakes: Westinghouse 24L

BC Rail CRS20

Engine: Caterpillar 3516 Turbocharged v16 2075hp 

Alternator: Kato 24254 (rectified output, max voltage dc 1250V, max cont. current 4400A) 

Aux Alternator: Kato (rectified voltage dc 74V, 73-200VAC, 15kW capacity) 

Traction motors: 4x GE752

Cooling fan(s): 2x EMD Motor driven

Brakes: Westinghouse 26L 

Gear ratio: 74:18

Max speed: 65mph

TerraTransport RS18C

Engine: Caterpillar 3516 Turbocharged v16 2075hp 

Alternator: Kato 24254 (rectified output, max voltage dc 1250V, max cont. current 4400A) 

Aux Alternator: Kato (rectified voltage dc 74V, 73-200VAC, 15kW capacity) 

Traction motors: 4x GE752

Cooling fan(s): 2x Motor driven, in rebuilt radiator housing.

Brakes: Westinghouse 26L 

Have you enjoyed the story so far? Would you like to get involved? Has it inspired you to model a section of the TerraTransport empire? Chris and I are very excited about this whole project, as are others involved including Andrew and Chris Cardinal. Leave us a comment and get engaged. 

Where should we take it next? There are a few more 'line histories' to write, but perhaps a Podcast or video could take things forwards? More soon...

Sources:

Rapido Masterclass for RS18's

Here's some notes for the foundation for our TerraTransport RS18 rebuild program (n.b. "CN retired its last RS-18 in September 1993") - note that for some reason they've totally overlooked the BCR and TT rebuild programs(!):

MLW RS-18 Master Class | Rapido Trains Inc.

CNRHA

A short feature on the RS18, has fairly easy to comprehend list of orders vs road numbers:

http://www.cnrha.ca/node/206/

http://www.cnrha.ca/node/208

IRSI (Moncton Shops)

This article gives us the timeline when IRSI is running the shops in CN's Gordon Yard in Moncton. Starting April 1999 and ending with IRSI's bankruptcy in 2015. 

Revitalizing-New-Brunswick’s-Rail-Sector-Report.pdf (transportactionatlantic.ca)

CRS-20 program

I remember this article from Andy's blog but it's now summarized into a complete article on MRH: 

Non-Flash version: http://mrhpub.com/2016-05-may/online/html5