WelcomeToCatcliffeDemon

Some classic F-units of the Ontario Northland.

AN IN-YOUR-face view of Ontario Northland Caterpillar-repowered FP7Au No. ONT 2001 as it switches its trains at Cochrane, Ontario, Canada, on April 13th, 2002. Three of these great looking machines still remain on the ONR stocklist (ONT 2000-2002), along with a few of their unrebuilt FP7 forebears, but all are in store or long withdrawn.

The era of the FP7s on the Ontario Northland, which powered the Canadian regional’s small number of passenger services for nearly five decades, has now come to an end, finally replaced in the early 2000s with HEP-fitted GP40-2s. This scene recalls the last couple of years of operation, as FP7Au No. ONT 2001 switches at Cochrane, Ontario, on April 13th, 2002, with GP38-2 No. ONT 1801.

Built in October 1953 by GMDD as FP7 No. ONT 1521 (the last to be delivered), rebuilt and re-engined Ontario Northland FP7Au No. ONT 2002 was just over a year away from its 50th birthday when it was photographed at North Bay shops, Ontario, Canada, on April 11th, 2002. These classic units were last used regularly on ONR passenger trains in 2003, although ONT 2001 soldiered on into 2004.

The last of the Ontario Northland fleet of GP9s to be constructed, at General Motors Diesel Division’s works in London, Ontario, No. ONT 1605 was looking the worse for wear as it was recorded out the back of the regional’s North Bay shops in Ontario, on April 11th, 2002. The ONR ‘chevron’ painted ‘Geep’ was being moved by FP7Au N. ONT 2002.