[dowlingm]

I mean, Metrolinx is refurbishing those old cab cars. So a move like this shouldn't come as a surprise.

It's interesting how they sold some of their original F59's to EXO, only now to be buying some more back from Caltrain.

My only concern with the F59's is they're limited to moving 6 coaches. Unless the plan is to have two F59's per train. How many coaches can two F59's move? Without sacrificing speed.

You have your Californian transit agencies mixed up - Caltrain (San Francisco area) is disposing Tier 0 F40s and it seems that they cannot be sold in operable condition under condition of the grant to buy EMUs.

Metrolink is a diesel only operation in the Los Angeles area, operating EMD F125s, F59s and MotivePower MP36s.

 

[dowlingm]

So this is doing the rounds on Facebook this AM. Evidently GO has purchased some F59s from California and will have them rebuilt in North Bay. Take with a grain of salt.

View attachment 605778

855 is noted in Wikipedia as written off after Chatsworth, so that’s… odd.
The remainder appear to have been already disposed to San Luis Potosí Locomotive Works - SLPX.

Could be that there is some sort of face saving involving exporting old locos to Mexico rather than reselling within US/Canada direct from Metrolink?

 

[Allandale25]

So this is doing the rounds on Facebook this AM. Evidently GO has purchased some F59s from California and will have them rebuilt in North Bay. Take with a grain of salt.

View attachment 605778

Another example of the post on this theme is here:

 

[dowlingm]

The only reason that jumps out for me why this might work is that if GO Transit can create additional slots to operate shorter consists (Stouffville double tracking, LSE restored to full throughput?) this would allow some MP40s to start coming off the line for ETCS install and proving work. The F59s are a known quantity to GO and there are the cabs recently back from refurb to pair with them, and they won’t need to last forever, just long enough for deployment at which point they can be resold again or scrapped.

 

[Metroscapes]

Another example of the post on this theme is here:

View attachment 605939

'Transit agency directed to sabotage the resale value of sellable assets for environmental reasons' sounds juicy, but quite sus to me.

 

[Bibi L]

What timing. I ask about the F59PH’s and this happens!

 

[Bibi L]

Are they going to paint them in the old or new scheme?

 

[SaugeenJunction]

'Transit agency directed to sabotage the resale value of sellable assets for environmental reasons' sounds juicy, but quite sus to me.

Metrolink sold some F59s back in 2023, link to site here. It confirms that the locomotives had their engines disabled, and if any purchaser brings them back to life, they must be Tier 4 compliant. NCDOT did exactly this.

The rule comes from the State of California, and logic here is that they funded new T4 locomotives for Metrolink to reduce emissions, and don’t want older more polluting locos sold and existing on other railways.

So according to these rules, the F59s GO allegedly bought will have to be made Tier 4 complaint. Lots of work ahead for Ontario Northland’s shops.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Are they going to paint them in the old or new scheme?

They’re 100% going to be in the new scheme.

 

[Bibi L]

I drew over a picture of an F59PH with the new paint scheme.
Source for the original photo.

 

[WB62]

It's interesting how they sold some of their original F59's to EXO, only now to be buying some more back from Caltrain.

GO didn’t need dozens of extra old engines back then, weren’t they mostly retired by 2010?
Not only is there likely no space in the yards for that, but it would have been a money pit to sideline and maintain the old F59’s for 10-15 years until more engines were needed.

Keep in mind GO Expansion and what equipment will be needed for it is only being finalised now, and is a lot more ambitious than it was planned to be 10 to 15 years ago. The future was also supposed to be EMU’s back then so most existing equipment was expected to be on its way out by the time electrification came, why save old stuff when what was planned at the time was a entirely new fleet?

 

[SaugeenJunction]

The Metrolink F59PH units that GO bought are on the move, headed to North Bay for an extensive rebuild.

 

[Bojaxs]

So much for all those folks who keep telling everyone/themselves electrification of the GO network is only a few years away.

 

[cplchanb]

So much for all those folks who keep telling everyone/themselves electrification of the GO network is only a few years away.

There was an internal report that detailed pushing the completion date back by 6+ years....

 

[generalcanada]

There was an internal report that detailed pushing the completion date back by 6+ years....

2037?