Farewell, EJ&E

[EJ&ESDM809]

Well, the federal courts turned down all requests for stays in the EJ&E/CN merger. Expect CN to close the deal and assume control of the line beginning at midnight tonight. I spent all day today photgraphing the heck out of the EJ&E but it is still not a good day for Joliet railfanning.

[trainjunkie47]

What will be the likely disposition of the J power? Does anyone have a clue what will be retired and what will be relegated to secondary use around the CN system?

Seems to me that a GTW unit would clash color wise big time with a J unit.

[SD80MAC]

What will be the likely disposition of the J power? Does anyone have a clue what will be retired and what will be relegated to secondary use around the CN system?

Seems to me that a GTW unit would clash color wise big time with a J unit.

I would think those SD38's would be safe for a little while, yet look at CN retiring SD40's left and right. The SDM's and SW's seem like they'd be ripe for retirement CN wise, however. Doesn't the J have an SD18 or 2 as well?

[Racer]

Yeah Jon, they are both in DMIR paint scheme. I saw them working the hump yard in Gary from Amtrak 352 last November.

[RailCanon]

CN just rebuilt and repainted one of the DM&IR's SD38-2s (DM&IR 212). Given that fact, I think The J's units will be around for a while...some will probably get CN paint too.
The SW1200s on the other hand...

[GTW6401]

Some of the SW1200s will be retained by the Gary Railway to switch out U.S. Steel.

[AARR]

It seems to me as time goes on the GP/SD38's become more appreciated by all railroads. I believe the SD38's will be safe for years to come.

[hobojim]

From my understanding there is a lot to be said for the longevity of a non turbocharged engine when compared to an identical turbocharged one. Hence they would become more valuable in service not needing the power of the turbo.

[EJ&ESDM809]

Here is what I think will happen to the EJ&E power
SD18: Retired almost immediately, first to go.
SDM: Retired quickly.
SW1200: Half Retired quickly, half sent to Gary RR and other USS Roads
SW1001: Transfer to Gary RR
NW2: Transfer to Gary Railway
SW1500: Transfer to Gary Railway
SD38: Retired in a few years
SD38-2: Integrated into CN's fleet, most left intact for a few years due to recent rebuild
703: Rebuilt/repainted into CN paint (703 has been plagued with oil leaks this year and is dead at Gary now).
Basically I think anything older than a SD38-2 will eventually be laid up at Homewood.

As of now, the J is still independant. Rumors are circulating that it will happen today, the 29th or February 1st. Keep in mind it's not too late to shoot EJ&E trains, CN's not going to change things overnight, however, I have heard CN will begin diverting their own trains down the EJ&E within a few months if not sooner, so if you plan on shooting the J don't waste any time.

[EJE Dispatcher]

Today is the offical paper work day. The CN is training staff and familiarizing them with the line before they take over on January 29th. There is a CN office inspection train scheduled for either monday or tuesday of next week to run over the mainline, from Kirk yard to Waukegon and back. Also, as some know the CN has been expanding there office facilities in Homewood to accomidate dispatcher transfers from the EJ&E eastern and western subs. , TD2-3-4 from Michigan, and some of the remaining WC desks from Stevens Point, WI.. The current dispatch positions in Joliet will soon be gone after CN upgrades the line and adds new interchanges at Griffith, Matteson, Munger, Leithton. The upgrades include new CTC in the TWC areas of the eastern and western sub. there are already some signals in that the J installed about 4-5years ago to upgrade, but instead this merger came about and it was never finished; New running tracks through Joliet yard upgrading the current speed from 10mph to 30mph;Upgrading the spring switch at Matteson to remote controll and eventully extending the double track to Joliet...New interchange at Griffith from westbound GTW to eastbound EJE; At Matteson from southbound IC to westbound EJE;At Munger westbound EJE to westbound CC&P;At Leithton southbound WC to eastbound EJE.

[EJ&ESDM809]

Drats, that means no more track warrants! Thats how I know when a J train is coming! Are they laying off the dispatchers are just moving them to Homewood? I hope its the second option as the J won't sound right with a bunch of dispatchers I've never heard before plus the J dispatchers seem to do a nice job keeping things in orderly fashion, plus more layoffs is just what we don't need with the current economy. Trsut me I ove the motive power, but the EJ&E has so many ties to the city of Joliet, plus I'm so used to the EJ&E it still doesn't feel right to have someone else own the line. At least there is one more week left for the real EJ&E.

[EJE Dispatcher]

I know how you feel when you say it just doesn't feel right. As for the dispatchers they will stay for now, but there will be some new voices out there in the near future. CN has said it will layoff some transportation services employees in the near future as while. As for TWC, it will be around for a while, I don't see the CN having the upgrade to the TWC for atleast a year or so. So get out there shot anything that has the J herald on it because we are done in 5days and counting. Oh one other thing, if you hear the j on the IRL shot all the pictures that you can of them switching; CN has plans for that line that probably won't sit well with the industries down there. And more than likely become a shortline in a few years.

[AARR]

Any thoughts about what will happen to local business on the J with CN's take over?

[Norm]

Any thoughts about what will happen to local business on the J with CN's take over?

With CN looking only for the long haul, I would say some of them may be screwed.

[EJ&ESDM809]

CN will probably eliminate some of EJ&E's customers and cut back big on other, forcing them to switch over to trucks. That is what CN is still doing on the old WC, getting rid of local customers. Unfortunatly it seems CN thinks local customers are nothing but a nuisance to them.

[Norm]

CN will probably eliminate some of EJ&E's customers and cut back big on other, forcing them to switch over to trucks. That is what CN is still doing on the old WC, getting rid of local customers. Unfortunatly it seems CN thinks local customers are nothing but a nuisance to them.

Show me a business without local customers, and I will show you the padlock on their door.

[GTW6401]

That is what CN is still doing on the old WC, getting rid of local customers. Unfortunatly it seems CN thinks local customers are nothing but a nuisance to them.

One of the things that WC stressed when getting new customers back in the late 80s was that they could provide better local service than the Class 1s.

[EJ&ESDM809]

The WC was one of the best railroads in the country when it came to customer service. It's what they were known for and they lived up to expectations..

[SD80MAC]

Saw quite a bit of J power from the Indiana Toll Road today. Lots of SD38's and SW1200's sitting around at Kirk, an SD18 and an SDM were working the hump.

[cnw8835]

from the Skyway.

Indiana Toll Road