Rapido News 177 - Saving a real FP9A locomotive

Rapido Newsletter Vol. 177

Photo by David More, collection of Helmut Ostermann.

Dear Rapido Customer,

Jason Shron here, Rapido's head honcho. I hope you don't mind that I am using Rapido's newsletter to talk with you about railroad preservation, which is very dear to my heart.

When Rapido started to make money for the first time in 2015, we wanted to give back to the railroad preservation movement. So we bought a retired VIA Rail Canada sleeping car that was at risk of being scrapped. That was followed by a bunch of retired VIA RDCs - also at risk of being scrapped. Janet, our CFO, absolutely loved this growing collection of real trains sucking money out of Rapido's bank account on an almost daily basis.

Eventually some buddies and I started the VIA Historical Association (VHA), a charity with the express aim of preserving heritage VIA equipment and telling the story of VIA Rail Canada. If you're not familiar with VIA, it can loosely be described as "Canada's Amtrak." Like Amtrak, VIA is very underrepresented in our museums and heritage railways. We're hoping to change that, which leads me to the reason for this email.

The VHA is purchasing our first VIA Rail Canada locomotive, and we need your help. We've also found a matching donor who will double your donation. Please continue reading for all the info or just click here to donate!

You can also visit the VHA Facebook page by clicking here.

6539 leads The Ocean out of Halifax in 1982. Photo courtesy Bill Linley.

The Details

The VIA Historical Association is purchasing and restoring VIA Rail Canada FP9A locomotive 6539 (later numbered 6303) to lead our 2028 VIA 50th Anniversary heritage train. This will be the first time in history that an F-unit locomotive has ever been restored to operation in VIA colours.

Here's an artful tracking shot of 1400 in service in 2017. Photo by Steve Boyko.

The VHA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ontario Southland Railway (OSR) to purchase OSR 1400, which began life as 6539. As long-time supporters of heritage railway preservation in Canada, OSR places a high value on saving and restoring Canada's unique and historic railway equipment. OSR has generously offered to donate back almost half the purchase price to the VHA.

6539 leads The Canadian through Kingston, ON circa 1982. Photo courtesy Rapido collection.

The History

6539 was one of 43 FP9A locomotives built by General Motors Diesel in London, Ontario, between 1954 and 1958. Originally built for Canadian National, the FP9A locomotives hauled trains all over Canada. Mostly used for passenger service, FP9A locomotives could also be seen leading priority freight trains.

In VIA service, the FP9A locomotives operated on almost every single route, including Halifax to Montreal; the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor; northern Quebec services; all transcontinental trains such as the Canadian and the Super Continental (including the last run of the Super Continental in 1981); services to northern Manitoba and Prince Rupert; and even on Ontario Northland rails to Kapuskasing!

Rebuilt and renumbered 6303, our locomotive leads the Hudson Bay in Dauphin, MB in 1996. Photo courtesy Mark Perry.

Transferred to VIA in 1978, 6539 was one of 12 FP9A locomotives remanufactured in the early 1980s by CN's Pointe St. Charles shops in Montreal, becoming VIA FP9ARM 6303 in 1983. (Three additional VIA FP9As were rebuilt under this program by CN at Moncton, N.B.)

Among the major aspects of this rebuilding was the application of 645-series power assemblies, upgrading the unit’s original 567-series engine and increasing horsepower from 1,750 to 1,800.

VIA's first five FP9ARMs (6300-6304) retained their original side-panel configuration, with horizontal and vertical batten strips, after remanufacturing, while later units emerged with welded side panels. This means that the VHA can backdate OSR 1400 very close to its external appearance as VIA 6539, while enjoying the mechanical benefits of its upgraded engine and electrical system.

6539 rests in Moncton, NB in 1979. Photo courtesy Bill Linley.

Fundraising Goal

Our goal is to raise $250,000 to purchase, restore, repaint, move and maintain 6539. An anonymous benefactor has very generously offered to match any donation up to $125,000. That means if you donate $500, they will also donate $500, making your donation doubly effective. With your generosity and the generosity of our anonymous donor, we are confident we can reach our fundraising goal.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Please help us reach our $250,000 goal. The VHA is a Canadian charitable organization. If you are a Canadian taxpayer, your donation is tax receiptable. U.S. residents seeking to make substantial contributions can contact us to facilitate donations through an allied U.S. charity.

If you haven't seen them before, click on the images below to watch a couple of Rapido's restoration videos. On the left, Chris Fox gets RDC #6133 operational for the first time. On the right, I discover how in over my head I was by buying an old sleeping car.

We're grateful for any support you can provide. Please share our campaign and join us on this historic journey. Here's that donation link again: that link again.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I know it's not about model trains and I appreciate your kindness.

Best wishes,

Jason

Jason Shron

President

Rapido Trains Inc. (and the VIA Historical Association)

USA: PO Box 796, Higganum, CT 06441

Canada: 500 Alden Road, Unit 21, Markham, ON L3R 5H5

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