Train with 21 locomotives!

Watch this train with 21 locomotives traverse the northern Illinois countryside from four locations on the CN Dubuque subdivision. This train is one of only two scheduled trains on this route, this being the eastbound CN M338.
Discord server: / discord

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Hey! I got a few comments about the shaky camera. I was super excited to see the train and did not focus that much on the camera. At 4:04 I get a tripod and it gets much better. Thank you all!

[@doddyvanstraaten2774]

Next is a microphone with a higher SPL rating, that way better audio that is not clipped.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

@@doddyvanstraaten2774 I use my iPhone right now but am working on getting a camera with a good microphone.

[@TexasPacificProductions]

@@railfanningetc.4252 by the way that’s called a funeral train

[@roadrailmediagroup]

Sometimes you just have to get what you can. Rather have something - nice catch!

[@theseventhgeneration6910]

Like being run through by 50 ancient spirits. The stories those old horses could tell, the people, the history that they've witnessed at every crossing, every delivery, every day for decades.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Interesting!

[@frederickschulkind8431]

First 3 locomotives (CN, UP, CSX) were running. That is an interesting consist in itself.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

That is! My personal favorite was the blue CN one behind them, hopefully they can save that one.

[@dr.toxicgamingmadscientist]

I've seen a few Cn Trains with a working Illinois Central Locomotive and a Norfolk Southern too,

[@jthev]

I know almost nothing about trains but I have toured the old McAdam train station and hotel in New Brunswick. In fact, we spent an aditional hour there as there were two CN trains that were switching cars on the spurs and we were unable to cross the tracks in order to get into our car and head back to Maine. I routinely see Illinois Central and CN trains waiting at a grade crossing very close to where I live. In 9 years I've only had to wait for a train twice during the day. They must have been adding cars as the trains just moved forward a bit then backed up all the way off the roadway. There are two rail tracks fairly close to each other and I'm not sure which of the pair is the one where I see the waiting CN and IC engines. However, I hear them all night long and have seen a few 75+ car trains at one of the other two grade crossings during the night. I've been told that the tracks are leased or owned by CN and are used to bypass Chicago. One of the lines used to be the EJ&E (Elgin Joliet & Eastern) because those letters were on the bridge we drive under before it was revamped when the roadway was widened to 4 lanes. An EJ&E caboose (522?) is in the next town west (Morris, IL) and belongs to the Grundy County Historical Society. It is open for tours on the second Saturday from May through October in the early evening, coinciding with Morris's cruise nights which attract over 900 cars.

[@jharvey248]

All of those dash 8 variants are my age or a few yrs older and I'm 31 so think about how long locomotives such as SD40-2 have been around and are still currently in service

[@DRrailfanning3115]

@@railfanningetc.4252 Sadly, this is what is known as a Dash 8 Funeral Train. All of the C40-8s, C40-8Ws, ad C40-8Ms were DIT with no horns or traction motors, and have all been scrapped.

[@DonLuc23]

Wow, have never seen that before. I'm not a huge railfan, but I do find some of them very interesting.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I agree! I just got back into railfanning after a few months and it is a lot of fun!

[@m1sterhockey]

This was fantastic!!! A railfanners dream!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Sure was!

[@j.m.youngquist419]

Fantastic footage, great job, thank you for the video.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@molossis]

If im correct, these locomotives were bound for Port Huron Michigan for scrapping.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Interesting!

[@sicilian12345]

Nope. Welland, Ontario, Canada.

[@user-dq3xp2dk2o]

I remember when it wasn't that long ago, really, that CN purchased the C40-8 locomotives from UP, that were ex CNW, and did a rebuild on them then repainted into CN colors. They say they are short on power, but yet they are scrapping these out already??

[@everybuddy5924]

Not necessarily being scrapped. They could be just leased units being moved where needed. Or they being taken to a shop to be turned into slugs.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yea, the life of a diesel locomotive can be very interesting, and full of weird stuff indeed!

[@trainchasersatwork]

Ta ta da!!! Nice catch! Liked and subscribed. Happy railfanning!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thanks! You too!

[@andrewilson453]

That was a super cool and fantastic lashup on this train

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I agree! I was super excited when I caught it.

[@dmorgan28]

Cool video. Loved all those old locomotives. I subscribed. Thanks 👍❤️

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Awesome, thank you!

[@BlueWaterRailfan]

I remember filming a lot of those engines when they were in service.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Wow! It must be sad seeing them going to be scrapped.

[@BlueWaterRailfan]

@@railfanningetc.4252 It was, especially for the Zebra Stripes since that is my favorite CN paint scheme.

[@RLKRAILTIES]

I hope one of the GE 40-8CM gets saved those things are unique

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I know! That would be great, but the railroads would rather scrap them. It's sad.

[@ginaspielman7320]

That's amazing!!!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Isn't it?

[@KManXPressTheU]

Ah, A Funeral Train..

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yep... it's sad that they are being scrapped.

[@ShawnCalay-hi6gy]

Far from it....the dash 8 standard cabs are headed to north Africa and 4 of the cowls to Brasil for parts sources ....

[@ShawnCalay-hi6gy]

Far from it....the dash 8 standard cabs are headed to north Africa and 4 of the cowls to Brasil for parts sources ....

[@railfanningetc.4252]

⁠​⁠@@ShawnCalay-hi6gyWhat are the dash 8s doing in Africa?

[@ShawnCalay-hi6gy]

@@railfanningetc.4252 for moving iron ore, they already have 31 CP SD40-2s....they are power hungry and can only budget for so many BB40-9s...just like BRASIL 25 years ago buying CP SD40-2s and SP as well as DRGW SD40t-2s....

[@stantonscrossings]

I really liking those BCRail Units and CN2462, thanks for sharing

[@railfanningetc.4252]

You bet!

[@midwestmodelrailroadz4022]

Great catch.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thanks!

[@justanaveragedork]

Who else thinks its weird to see the locomotives but hearing them as railcars?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I do!

[@SoFloRR1018]

Great catch! Just subscribed!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Awesome, thank you!

[@RailfanGamer748]

Greatest Railfanning Catch Ever

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yea, and to think, I caught that completely on accident is just crazy.

[@tonymckeage1028]

Great Video, Yes I did notice the shake, Thanks for sharing

[@railfanningetc.4252]

No problem!

[@zeph_bet_1522]

Like that ex-ATSF C40-8W at the end of the funeral train. Love to see one preserved, but who knows.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yea, not going to bring my hopes up, before we know it they might be scrapped. 😢

[@zeph_bet_1522]

Indeed. I’m not getting my hopes up either, but I’m glad they worked for the time they did on ATSF through BNSF. Best I can say is we’ll just have to wait and see.

[@jamesburnside3023]

Going to miss those BC cowls

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Me too

[@melvinlee1614]

Incredible 😮

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Indeed

[@IndianRailwaysjourneys]

Ah, great video! Never seen a train with so many locomotives!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thank you very much!

[@KevinRichards-my5oj]

Imagine getting stopped at a railroad crossing by a train with that many engines at the front. It'd make you think there are 4,000 railcars & probably a couple of DPUs too behind those engines.

[@Jammer90210]

"Do you like train engines??" "Mmhmm." "Then have all the train engines in the world!!"

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yep, I was completely amazed when I saw that come into view.

[@TheMetGuy]

That is a KILLER lashup right there

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I agree!

[@ronparrish6666]

Did you know that those BC Rail units used to run with 4 ditch lights on them 2 would be straight and 2 would be criss crossed they really lit up the tracks at night time

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Interesting!

[@ronparrish6666]

Yea when they would run British Columbia and up near Alaska there were a lot of Mouse

[@orbitsrailfanvids]

@@ronparrish6666the lower pair are called rocklights.

[@arthuridis]

@@ronparrish6666 Mouse? They're gonna get pulverized by one ...that's if the cats don't get them first. MOOSE! MOOSE!!!

[@ronparrish6666]

Moose Moose big thumbs

[@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp]

Cheers Sanford Gruhn.... Thanks for connecting with me Subscribed

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thanks for the sub!

[@lorenzomcleggan5556]

Wow I like this lovely 🚧 locomotive. Thanks! 4🏆💯

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Glad you like it

[@kitchener2200]

Great video. I subscribed to your channel as well!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thank you!

[@bhigdaddymark]

Thanks for such a nice video that says quite a bit on the aesthetic charm and sheer beauty of the American landscape and its small towns and beautiful railroads and fortunately for us, a dedicated and superb railfan. How many tankers and other rolling stock followed the locomotives? How big was that consist? Absolutely LOVED IT and must subscribe and thanks for reminding me that I must add the CN road name in various locomotives to my HO stock!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Glad you enjoyed it! Over 700 axles behind those locos, not sure how many cars. Turns out that is the longest train I have seen to date, along with the most locomotives I have seen to date.

[@sernajrlouis]

Cool video and channel just subscribed

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thank you!

[@user-jf4nj3ez2k]

Me and my youngest nephew Nathan saw this train in Freeport, Illinois that same day. It was in the evening when it came through Freeport.

[@user-hb4uz6vx6v]

The engines hooked together OS called the lash up while the freight cars are called the consist

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Interesting!

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

THAT, is astonishing. TY

[@railfanbryan7225]

I think I saw at least 2 of those BCOL units in Bakersfield CA in the last year or so. RIP

[@railfanningetc.4252]

RIP

[@moviewatcher1239]

Oh my goodness I've never seen that many locomotives before i may be a train connoisseur but that's amazing

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Glad you enjoyed

[@moviewatcher1239]

@@railfanningetc.4252 I know right?

[@Darryl6636]

Awesome I hope he has them all online

[@railfanningetc.4252]

All except the first three are offline and going to get scrapped.

[@gl2251]

21 locomotives?! 🤯

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yep!

[@conceyullena]

Very nice video, greetings 🚂👍👋🙋‍♂️

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@blackhouse4421]

Always makes me sad seeing old locomotives being transported for scrap. As a former locomotive electrician, it made me think of one time when I flew home two years years ago and going past my old locomotive shop & seeing old locomotives, unmoved in years, seeing the locomotive numbers and remembering work I had done on many of them including one I was injured on while replacing batteries before they were replaced by newer locomotives. It is a very strange feeling watching locomotives go by silently, not a sound any railroad repair person likes to hear.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

It's very sad.

[@gta-railfan2832]

I seen this one when they came to Canada with only 20 engines tho

[@railfanningetc.4252]

That’s awesome! Do you have a video about it?

[@ColinFilmsTrains]

Awesome catch!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thanks!

[@Herman-ej4xn]

🎉Good recycling material!!!!!!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yes!

[@peterchristensen9585]

My personal record was 8 locomotives in the Mohave Desert in the 50s. Never come close to it since!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Wow!

[@hughsmith790]

I bet some railroad museums would like to have some of those older cawl units with BC Rail on them. That’s a great lash up of old power.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Agreed

[@renardohunter8602]

Talk about a power move! 😲

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yea!

[@darknessdanger]

Possibly those G40-8CM locomotives will go to Mexico since the railway company Ferromex is in very poor shape with locomotives and had to rent some

[@railfanningetc.4252]

That would be cool!

[@KevinRichards-my5oj]

I like the red, white, & blue paint scheme on those BC Rail engines.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Me too!

[@LanternSignals]

I laid down with a hospital train once. We were not allowed to put the engines that were sold online. Mechanical told me to put one online and I had some explaining to do. “Mechanical told me to!” Is what I kept saying.

[@dr.toxicgamingmadscientist]

The real star of that entire lineup, The Blue Devil CN Loco

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I have never seen anything like it!

[@dr.toxicgamingmadscientist]

@@railfanningetc.4252 I technically have only once though, and just as fast as it appeared, it was gone, like a spector in the night and a ghost in the day.

[@vuurvrrailfanner4656]

i wish i saw that funeral train because i have seen CN once

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Awesome!

[@stephenpowell5912]

Such a shame about the Diesel locomotives 😢Great video ,But sad end here also 😢😢Greetings from Scotland ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇲

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I agree

[@carlruge9141]

Hey just discovered this channel.I am 100% blown away at 21 locomotives in the front.I was just curious we’re they all ‘on’ and pulling together?Or deadheading?How many were actually pulling the load?

[@everybuddy5924]

Deadheading, only the first 2 or 3 was running.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

The first three locomotives were running. All the others have covers over the exhaust and are not running, just being transported. Thank you for the comment, I love answering questions!

[@slynigglewiggles]

Noticed all the transported ones have covers and no horns in locations. Only 3 up front are operational.

[@carlruge9141]

@@everybuddy5924 Oh thank you for responding.😎

[@carlruge9141]

@@railfanningetc.4252 Thank you for responding.That was quite a video to see that many locomotives in a line:😎🤷‍♂️

[@albanyrailfan]

That is a lot of engines. My record is only 6 engines.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yeah, not sure how I can top this.

[@ThatFoxythePirate1993]

So there’s 16 CN 1 CSX 1 UP And 3 Bcrail In total that does make 21 trains

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yep!

[@railfansammy4974]

Nice catch

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thank you very much!

[@billegoat6242]

I luv the f1_ f2 vintage santafe

[@markwalker1144]

Power moves

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yep, we are going to miss those...

[@marcospires-mt9xv]

Beleza de vidio,meu amigo.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Obrigado!

[@jamesa6272]

That engineer had to bail off for 84 seconds if he used the air brakes. 😂

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yea!

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

Galena is actually fairly far west, and more central than north. Doesn't affect the actual video though.

[@mauricelucas1826]

I would like to know how many of those locomotives were Actually pulling the train ? Can anyone out there answer my question

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Only the first three.

[@mauricelucas1826]

@railfanningetc.4252 thank you

[@Carolb66]

Ah that such a shame those beautiful locos being scrapped, all that history the places they been I find it very sad. 😢

[@railfanningetc.4252]

It is very sad.

[@j.m.youngquist419]

Are they being stored, scrapped or sold?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Scrapped, from what I have heard.

[@MW-xm1rc]

With all that weight, HOW did the tracks not buckle??

[@railfanningetc.4252]

They must be some good tracks. They were also going slower when they got onto the single tracked mainline in Galena

[@hayttom]

It's not as if there were 21 locos stacked vertically. There is no unusual weight per axle.

[@TimSmith-uc4pk]

Can’t any of those units be rebuilt and modified?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I am not sure. I have heard otherwise so far.

[@jappedut9009]

How many actually had the motors running ❓️

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Only the first three locomotives were running.

[@class50thrasher]

Lots of sd40's and sd60's (I don't know my american locomotives so train sim tells me whats what)

[@railfanningetc.4252]

From what I can tell, the only EMD in the consist was the lead locomotive (SD70M-2) and all the others are GE's.

[@armandoperez7967]

I hope that at least one of the Dash 8-40CMs got saved.

[@markfout3093]

It was not unusual for an engine consist to have 10 Rock Island locomotives in the early 70’s. We were lucky if half were still running by the time we reached our destination.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Interesting!

[@johnkeviljr9625]

How long was the train?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Over 700 axles, not sure how many cars though. Still takes the cake for longest train I've seen!

[@johnkeviljr9625]

@@railfanningetc.4252 Thx!

[@GEVOlutionCPKC]

WOW increíble captura amigo

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thank you!

[@cjmueller5455]

I want one!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

They are probably pretty expensive!

[@dieselgaming9609]

there goes more cowl body bc rail locomotives

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yep, and they are headed to the scrappers torch.

[@AmericanRailwayTowns]

Wow 🤩

[@VincentCowboysAndTrains]

The CSX train isnt getting scaped.. right?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

No, the first three locomotives are just pulling the train, not being scrapped thankfully.

[@brianmcgill7314]

How many cars was it hauling / Where some of the locomotives going to pasture ? 🤔

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I am not exactly sure how many cars the train had but when it went past milepost 122.3 (Eleroy, IL) The train had 772 axles which makes it the longest train I have caught to date. All except the first three locomotives in the consist were going to be scrapped.

[@brianmcgill7314]

@@railfanningetc.4252 Thanks for the reply m8 👍

[@ShawnCalay-hi6gy]

@@railfanningetc.4252 no they are not, they are head to north Africa....4 of this batch will be going to Brasil for parts though....

[@ShawnCalay-hi6gy]

@@railfanningetc.4252 no they are not, they are head to north Africa....4 of this batch will be going to Brasil for parts though....

[@railfanningetc.4252]

@@ShawnCalay-hi6gyFrom what I have heard, all locomotives in the consist except for the first three locomotives are going to be scrapped. Thank you for the info though, I appreciate it!

[@trainmanjosair]

Even though I can see those Dash8’s being Saved(If NS picked them up not Cowl Units) most of the Units will be scrapped

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I agree

[@sheilatrachtenberg8997]

I personally would like to learn of those parts and materials in those old locomotives being recycled into new machines. Just the same, it would be interesting to see some of them get a second life like Amtrak's F40PHs that were converted to cabbage cars.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Thats interesting!

[@dangeary2134]

I guarantee a few will be saved, as there is a market for old, serviceable locomotives. The scrapping will be intensive, as metals are separated out. Steel, both sheet and cast, plus the copper in the wiring. The copper in the trucks is high-grade, and worth a lot. A lot of individual parts will also be sold off as well.

[@Golddoubloonsirens]

So what year was the zebra stripe train built? I've never seen one before.

[@gp40railfan44]

R.I.P Dash 8s

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I know, it's sad.

[@UltimateGigaChad6969]

isn't Union pacific supposed to be in America and Canadian national in Canada?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

There is some overlap. There is actually quite a bit of CN in America.

[@UltimateGigaChad6969]

@@railfanningetc.4252 oh!

[@brandedmcgowan9414]

​@@UltimateGigaChad6969CN has trackage rights after the purchase of Illinois Central (runs deeply in the south to Louisiana) and Wisconsin Central and many other railroad companies in the US. Canadian Pacific is another that purchase Kansas City Southern back in March (the recent big merger of a class 1 railroad) that will run to Mexico.

[@ConwayTruckload]

Probably going to be rebuilt

[@railfanningetc.4252]

That would be cool!

[@darkriverracing22]

Some of those dash 8's had prretty fresh paint, as if they were recent rebuilds. Are you sure they were going to scrap? Seems wasteful.

[@hisaddle]

some comments here mentioned some of them going to Africa and Brazil. Either way all that metal and copper, etc. will be used again in something.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I agree.

[@cesararmando484]

y cuantos vagones eran

[@railfanningetc.4252]

No estoy exactamente seguro

[@lawrenceeytcheson1317]

Why are the canadian ones scrapped in the u.s.a.?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I do not have a solid answer for that but my best guess is that there is just a better deal for them in the US ??

[@lawrenceeytcheson1317]

@@railfanningetc.4252 and we all know what the canadian economy is like! Thanks for the prompt reply.

[@TunningCarsYT88990]

That Conductor Really Likes Trians 💀💀 That Why There Is 21 Locomotives

[@railfanningetc.4252]

That would be cool if that was the case! Some of those are actually being scrapped though.

[@kennethv5250]

its kinda sad to see all these old horses being put down for glue but i guess sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet

[@JONMPG]

hmm I lived in Waterloo, Iowa most of my life.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Cool!

[@James-gr5rz]

UK here, always sad to see locomotives going for scrap. Give them to a heritage railway.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Railroads in the US sadly don't usually want to sell them to museums.

[@martindavis9930]

What are all those Canuck locos doin in America ?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

I assume you mean Canadian, they are going to be scrapped.

[@generationll]

Couldn t they have been donated?

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Maybe one can be, but most are being scrapped.

[@dallasspotting]

Dash 8 March

[@railfanningetc.4252]

All but the first three locomotives are heading to be scrapped, its depressing.

[@dallasspotting]

@@railfanningetc.4252 yeah, sad to see how the dash 8’s have gone so fast

[@gl2251]

@railfanningetc.4252 Are they Gina be gone forever?

[@thecomfuseddash9.807]

How?! How do you see that much locomotives on a train?!

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Most locomotives are out of service and are on their way to get scrapped.

[@CalebTV-wq7kg]

That’s kinda like a new record.

[@douglachman7330]

Obviously a scrap metal trip. 18 engines offline heading for a scrapper yard, my guess. Unless multiple companies sharing the unit transfer trip.

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yep, they headed to meet the scrappers torch.

[@Sand_YT8]

goodbye to some BCOL C40-8M

[@Sand_YT8]

alive BCOL 4625 and 4609

[@railfanningetc.4252]

Yea, sad.