The Story of the CNW Twins (CNW 8646 and 8701)
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- čas přidán 29. 12. 2023
- The Chicago North Western was once a Class I railroad serving the Midwestern US, until it was absorbed by Union Pacific in 1995. All equipment and trackage would fall under UP branding, although.... 2 Dash 9s would keep there original identities intact. No renumber or re-patching for many years. How did they survive? What escapades did they get into? Find out in this History video covering the CNW Twins.
Closing off 2023, we have a mini-documentary which I gave a slight foreshadow in one of my BITE Sized Oddities. I started work on scriptwork in October, and begun filming and editing in November, although was delayed a handful of times due to college, burnout, and working on other videos. It took a while for the video to get finished, and I felt like it would be delayed for January 2024 when I got back from Christmas Break. Although, I managed I managed to get the video finished just hours before I left. I hope it was worth the wait, and I'll see you all in the New Year!!!
Music used:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears
Pick up the Pieces - Average White Band (1974)
Juicy - The Notorious B.I.G
Slideshow - Wii Photo Channel
Nas is Like - NAS
And So it Begins - LoFi Artifical Music
Martian Underground - YUME NIKKI
The Regatta Parade - TUGS (AceofTrains: / the-regatta-parade-tugs )
This Feeling - mylane
Love Live! Sunshine! OST
Its Raining Somewhere - Undertale OST
Everybody Votes OST
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
A couple of facts you may not have known... The head of UPs motive power was a former CNW employee named Mike Iden. He was directly responsible for protecting those units all of those years. They were often deferred from maintenance that would have required them to go to Little Rock. The Proviso shop kept them from getting patched and ran them in "captive service" with strict instructions to keep the units in either the twin cities-butler- proviso pool, or the West Chicago turn. They were never supposed to journey far from Chicago. I was told that the IRM deal, originally was so the units would be there for a CNW historical society meeting. The IRM took great care of them, including application of new decals and touching up the CNW paint....and supposedly didnt charge the UP storage to keep them there. When Mr. Iden retired, Omaha wasted no time in scheduling them to go to the paint booth. They went into longterm storage because they never received the PTC install. They are now just more UP junk roaming the system. The last time i was in Butler, there were still 3 patched cnw units in the deadline... Google earth shows them still there, but im not certain on that.
Ah so thats the man behind their seige against the paint booth. Wish it could've gone a step further towards preservation given how little UP realistically used/needed them. Last I was told the twins are in an Idaho storage line.
@@nigelrichardson4327actually wrong 9805 Fort Worth got her and did UPs bidding
@@zachpetersen9425 Oh you’re kidding… say sike right now
This Mike Iden dude deserves respect, he helped keep these historic dash 9s unpatched
Bless Iden's heart and soul
The amount of emotion I felt watching this is unreal
Fr bro
I agree
Fr!
So true 😢
It truly felt super emotional. CNW #8646 and #8701 were repainted and then renumbered #9750 and #9805 which almost made me cry
The iconic CNW Twins get attention. They had a good story. They were repainted into UP colors and renumbered. They are still legends even if they're repainted. They're unfortunately still in storage awaiting uncertain fate. Who knows whats next for the CNW twins? Preservation or rebuilding? We'll never know for sure. Only time will tell their fate.
Preserve them 8646 8701 hand over IRM restore them back original CNW colors
@@atsf855sanbernardinocounty85 they should do that it would be a great preservation project!
Sell them to rhma
Why do i see u everywhere
There are a total of 4 CNW units in original Paint owned by UP, UP 9696 stored in Butler Wisconsin, UP 9741, & UP 9771 Stored in Grand Junction Colorado. UP 6706 is the last CNW painted AC4400, and the only one of the 4 remaining CNW units in service. Currently UP 9805 (CNW 8701) is apart of the rebuild program and as of now will be getting rebuilt at Wabtec in Fort Worth Texas. UP 9750 still sits in storage to this day in Marysville Kansas with no future plans of rebuild as of now.
This was unfathomably well put together. Everybody wants to rule the world as the intro and outro tied it all together. And the lyrics "nothing ever lasts forever" went so well with it
I can confirm that 8905 and 9750 are awaiting rebuild at the Justin,Tx Wabtec faculty!! THE TWINS ARE BACK
I can’t tell if this is good or bad
@@FreedomRailfan1776bad cuz the original cab will be swapped for gevo cab so no chance of irm buying them
Bro single handedly made the repainting of a locomotive seem really sad. I'm definitely going to miss the CNW twins. 😔
Have a faith Union Pacific would announcement of CNW twins make donate them to IRM by Union Pacific
@@atsf855sanbernardinocounty85as 1 is Now A Rebuild I don't think so
I'd really recommend auto correct..@@atsf855sanbernardinocounty85
But they might not
This is the most emotional mind blowing video ever, thank you for this masterpiece, truly a CNW approved video. Also whoever thought of repainting both of them in Omaha, *YOU ID-*
Whoever told them to repaint them. *bell* off
The fact that these locomotives got to be on charter trains, railfan events, and at the IRM’s Diesel Days makes these two absolute CNW legends! *cough cough* 1385 and 175 *cough cough*
Jokes aside, what a brilliant documentary to end 2023 on!
Such an interesting story for these hard working twins of the railroad. It took me a while to remember about them then I remembered that I rode on that 2009 excursion in Des Moine, Iowa, not in a passenger car though, rather the cab (thanks to my grandfather being friends with Steve Lee and Lynn Nystrom)
NGL, I love the IRM. My neighbor used to be the IT director there. He ignited my love of tech and model railways. Wally was my tech hero...
16:28 I actually saw UP6706 yesterday! I was in Boone, IA taking pictures of UP1111 (which, I might add, was on a siding next to the road. It was all by itself. Almost like UP put it there for this specific reason), and I hear a horn. A train goes by. The train has two DPUs in the middle. The second DPU is 6706. As soon as it passes, I , along with my grandmother and uncle, jump in our car and chase after it! Unfortunately, it got away, and I didn’t get a picture of it up close, but I did get a picture of it from afar when it was passing by the yard! I’m glad that UP still lets some of these unpainted locomotives slip through the cracks. It really makes us railfans all the more happier!
*Absolutely incredible video!!* I apologize for not getting around to watching this masterpiece sooner, but out of all my years of watching train related videos on youtube, this is undoubtedly the greatest locomotive documentary I've ever seen on the site. The impeccable music choice also made this video the most dramatic of its kind, as there were times where I almost shed a tear for the twins. All of that combined with focusing on the lesser known journeys of these units during the early 2000s, and you have one of the greatest videos on the entirety of youtube. Bravo once again on this masterpiece, and I can't wait for what's in store for the channel.
The twins ending up repainted and then rotting in a dead line almost immediately after is like a kick in the gut. As you said, in the long run, it was UP's decision to repaint them, however with how increasingly monotone and bland the Class 1s are now (yes yes they're a business first and foremost), seeing something of actual fallen flag units, not gimmicky heritage units, roaming around was such a brief deviation from all of that. Like now more than ever I wanna try and capture as many remaining ATSF Warbonnet Dash 9s as possible before BNSF turns them all into RCO units.
There's plenty of them here on the Phoenix sub, and still a decent number of Freightbonnets and BN units, at least out in Galesburg, but I saw a BN SD40-2 pair recently.
Will one thing Union Pacific needs donate CNW 8646 8701 at IRM and UP would just fined brand new units that doesn’t intact with former CNW RR and make a announcement of CNW twins donate in IRM a lot sooner
ATSF did have C40-8W the 800 series my favorite unit has to be Santa Fe #855 a C40-8W
Please do, BNSF has a east-west intermodal line through my hometown and growing up mid 2000s I loved seeing the red silver war bonnets and the occasional blue and yellow, now it's all pumpkins, occasionally a old war bonnet. Begging to be repainted
Me and my brother are huge CNW foamers and we felt a lot of emotion seeing this video, thank you for sharing it my guy!
Excellent documentary my friend. Funny how we get attached to these big old machines. I remember seeing one the twins coming into montreal! It was a pretty cool day to be a Canadian rail fan.
Beautifully done! Bravo!
3:34 9771 is not the only ex CNW dash 9 in storage. UP 9696 is also in storage in Butler, WI.
9741 is with 9771 also
Love the fact that you played everybody wants to rule the world it really goes with the twins story! I like that because I like 80s music
Absolutely Killer Video 💪😤
Nice! Glad you covered these units!
Awesome.
Great job, Halton!
Loved this documentary!
The beats are on point. The history is thorough. The graphics are excellent. Great video.
CNW 8701 (UP 9805) ive heard is now slated for rebuild while 8646 (9750) has not yet
I miss them so much
I can confirm that CNW 8701 (UP 9805) is in line at Wabtec in Justin TX for rebuild. It may already be leaving the shop as I write this as the rebuilds have been getting finished quick since I went through the whole line a month ago and took photos of every dash 9 in their original form. They now get rebuilt with a more modern cab and a car body more similar to that of an ac44. 8701 looks like it will be taking a return back to the rails soon. Most of the rebuild line that I saw were actually ex-CNW, and a lot of the older repaints had their CNW paint bleeding through on the tops of the cabs, but the rebuild program will guarantee a fresh repaint as well.
I think I saw CNW 8646 in line last week!!! THE TWINS ARE BACK!!!
UP 9805 is actually back in service. My friend @MattTheUPRailfan2006 caught it going through Kinder, Louisiana 2 days ago.
I love that mini-documentary!
Fantastic video! I remember someone from UP said some stupid thing saying that because they didn't have anything official heritage unit related, they were not considered heritage units
OH NO THEY ARE
The amount of hardness you went on this video was absolutely mind-blowing and I thank you for it; All the music, the elements, shout out to the IRM...
You did your homework sir and you have a new subscriber.
"Heritage unit leading REAL Heritage." Cant say I have ever heard that said in the rail faning community till now...I absolutely have to model this pair and their EMD tribute locomotive...👊❤
Fantastic video! Got to see the Twins 💛💚
UP 9805 is rebuilt & back in service it was seen going through Kinder, Louisiana 2 days ago.
That’s a great documentary and the stories for the engines are cool.
This is fire ass production🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Nice work, and thank you for crediting my photos 😁
GREAT video!!!
Amazing Everybody wants to rule the world introduction to the two units!
I was lucky enough to see these two in service on UP’s Proviso to Rochelle intermodal local and various times at the IRM. Excellent documentary on these iconic engines. Love Live the CNW Twins!
Great video! Greetings from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
13:00 was definitely the most emotional part of the video
Some of these units from CNW are going to be rebuilt to AC44C6Ms, but I heard somewhere that UP would donate the two engines upon retirement to the IRM.
For real Union Pacific would retire the CNW twinsticks to IRM when will UP will announce put them back original CNW 8646 8701 colors
@@atsf855sanbernardinocounty85 *twins
5:37 AMAZING PHOTO!!!!
Great choice of music for the intro and outro
I was a fireman oiler in proviso and eventually a conductor and locomotive engineer on the illinois division. I got to service and operate the twins and the 1995 in fact I might've serviced the 1995 when it was first delivered to the diesel ramp in proviso around 2006. I operated jobs like ig2g3 with the twins and mprnp with the 1995. Needless to say I'm saddened to hear the twins were repainted. Just this past year i got to see the 1995 at ihbrr Burnham yard parked with a kcbx coal train. I work now for the ihb locomotive engineer at blue island. So I've got some soul ties with the twins and the 1995. Thanks for the memories.
I love that they got back with the new rebuilds of dash 9s
I'm mainly a steam guy. But this video just made me appreciate diesels a bit more.
I cried while watching this...great video and its good to know that two CNW lasted long in service...Hopefully one day the get put back into revenue service or as you said be rebuilt by wabtec into service!!!😮😊😢
Nice little setup Halton to the other previous vid of the F7 duo
CNW was one of those paint schemes that both stands out but looks good. But hey thats coming from a guy who likes the bn cascade green schemes.
Whoa, you even included one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite artists for the video, too! 😂
Rumor has it and I’m not so sure it’s a rumor, just fact, is that former CNW execs in Chicago watched over the Twins. They led a privileged life, operating on former CNW track and often together. They were painted in 2017 when a UP executive sent out a general order to paint all units not in armor yellow. Originally they were only slated to be given PTC, but when they arrived in Iowa for repaint the shop noticed they were unpatched and still in CNW colors. By that time most of the CNW execs had retired so there was no watchful eye over them and they were repainted. Both of them are currently in deadlines somewhere on the UP system, rotting away. Hopefully UP does the right thing and repaints them and donates them to the IRM, especially since they have no plans on reactivating 30 year old dash 9s but I wouldn’t hold my breathe.
I am lucky enough as it is that I have seen both of them lead individual trains on different days out of Global 3 on 12/29/2014 for 8646 and 1/19/2015 for 8701. Also to add, 8701 or 9805 is converted to C44ACM😢.This was a good documentary to close out 2023. Happy New Year Cowl Unit Productions.
Dope background music 🔥🎵🎶💯🔥
I was wondering if this would happen! I remember when one of my friends saw the Twins sitting at the IRM-UP interchange years ago and I guess some Foamers were scared the units were getting repainted or scrapped as some parts were stolen off the units and UP ended up billing IRM for it I think. Hopefully UP or someone else in the near future can make the story of these two units live on regardless if it’s preservation or not!
If you consider rebuilding sort of preservation then 8701 is slated for rebuilding, 8646 hasnt been sent yet
@@Flowercityrails wait, what?????? 8701 is going to be rebuilt?
@@UP6706_Central_Iowa_Railfan yeah i heard it somewhere
shame that they were repainted I remembered when I caught before they were repainted had they have been at the IRM long enough they could have met Chicago and North Western 7009 a EMD SD50
also that demoman short laugh made me laugh
Sadly, 9805 is now in the rebuild program for UP, and is in the process to be rebuilt into an AC44C6M. Just in the past month or two, GE has rebuilt several Dash 9s from UP, and I won’t be surprised if all of UPs Dash 9 fleet is rebuilt. As of right now, only 4 CNW painted units remain on the UP roster. Of those, only one is active, that being AC44CW #6706. The other three are Dash 9s, 9696, 9741 and 9771. 9696 is stored in Butler, WI and the other two are stored in Colorado. It is likely that these three will also be rebuilt in the future, and since UP has been rebuilding many AC44s it’s likely 6706 will be rebuilt soon too. Once these last 4 are rebuilt, all of the CNW Dash 9s and AC44s will be repainted. It’s unfortunate none could be saved
Lucky I saw 6706 when I had the chance
Very nice mini-documentary! A couple of notes on historical information: The CNW was directly responsible for the Dash-9 coming into existence. It was pleased with the performance of the Dash-8 but wanted something that was both stronger and more comfortable for crews, thus working with GE to create the C44-9W. Another note is that there are believe to actually be 3 CNW Dash-9s left in storage, those units being 9771, 9696, and 9741. As for their current fate to my knowledge the CNW twins were only painted; never got PTC, and are in storage in Idaho. In terms of their repainting I think the rise in vandalism had something to do with it given their number boards were stolen and 8701 had its dtich lights smashed while on IRM property. Rumor was that UP took them out out of spite for their equipment being treated as such, not just Omaha finally wrangling them in. In a perfect world I hope for them to get the same preservation treatment as 6847 as the twins would be great museum pieces given their historical significance, but alas we'll just have to see. Keep it up!
WEST CHICAGO MENTIONED!!!!!!🎉🎉🎉🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥
Great video btw!
In the Belleville & Western Universe, around Mid 2023, a CRISIS happened! A lack of larger engines forced B&W to rent some UP engines, including the CNW twins. Both CNW Twins were later bought, though 8646 was the first. He started to miss 8701, so B&W bought 8701 and a few SP C44-9Ws. Soon, both engines got their CNW colors back and now, they roam on B&W tracks, even the former CNW ones! Both still run with other engines. That is in another universe though.
We need 8646, 8701, 8601, UP 6736 (with CNW OLS logo), 8804, and 8671 to be preserved
I actually caught 6706 leading a train a few years ago!
I caught it leading the WB UP M-LIEW a few months back!!!
Got them at IRM not long before they were pulled from storage, glad i got them when I did
3:43 also not just 9771 is in Storage and still in it's CNW Colors but 9741 is also Stored with 9771 also still in her CNW Colors.
Wow, this is actually very sad... :(
RIP C&NW twins...
Where can I find info on certain locomotives. I’m planning on making a series where I go into the history of locomotives that I think are great
Great video! You should be getting way more likes and Subs for your work! 🔥👏😎
bro single-handedly inspired me long story short i dropped 300 bucks on 1 athern Genesis model and a blue box
UP still has 3 CNW units, other than the CNW heritage SD70ACe. Those being UP 6706, UP 9771, and UP 9741. UP 6706 is the only UP / CNW unit active on UP. The 9771 and 9741 are supposedly on a deadline or just stored. Their original numbers are:
UP 6706 - CNW 8804
UP 9771 - CNW 8687
UP 9741 - CNW 8637
Butler UP 9696
@@zachpetersen9425 what
Butler Yard in Milwaukee, WI is where UP 9696 is
Boy I love the C&NW!
I really missed them two that is my favorite locomotives on CNW
I would recommend checking if there is a new Lionel catalog and if there is, can you do another video on it please?
I caught 9750 in Houston, TX with a bunch of other Dash-9s going to wabtec in 2022!
As someone who loves the Chicago & Northwestern this was heartbreaking to watch
I got a Donold & Douglas vibe from this
The twins will never be forgotten ❤
I once actually saw UP 1995. I didn’t know what it was at first, mainly because I was very young and not very familiar with railroad heritage units, but I did some research on the internet and found that it was in fact CNW 1995.
Bets music taste. Keep it up!
I’m not crying you are
i'm F"cking crying
If these units ever get preserved the IRM would probably be the top option
I just saw up 9696 in a deadline in butler Wisconsin which is one of only three dash 9s in CNW paint
Glad to know it's still there
UP 1995 and The Twins were paired together after 2010*
The Twins and UP 1995 were heading east from Council Bluff, IA, after the 2015 CNW Historical Society Convention on train MCBPR 07. Power was UP 8897, CNW 8646, CNW 8701, UPY 520, and UP 1995.
*UP 1995 was a single mid-DPU so there's your technicality.
the Tears for Fears clips at the beginning and end were the best moments in cinema in 2023.
I wish their when their still paint in this hard to belive they were so special to the union pacific
My dad worked for the cnw, as well as the Milwaukee road. It's cool to watch for me. He lived in clinton Iowa around the time the famous trio was there. He may remember it.
That's nice
CNW was a great Iowa railroad I loved watching as a kid and it was fun seeing how long these two units survived. One note, please correct your pronunciation of Des Moines.
UP’s long term rebuild program may also bring 6706’s CNW paint job to a close, in favor of the UP’s Armor Yellow paint scheme.
UP #9741, #9771, and #9696 are the last CNW-painted units on UP's roster as of 2024.
6:01 It’s kinda funny that 2446 has ended up being the only CN Dash 8 left in Council Bluffs, with only a road separating the yard it’s in from the former CNW yard in CB.
The twins got repeated but my friend saw 6706 in this town in NJ
Off topic but at 1:17, you can see a C&IM SD38-2 in the power pool of CNW units.
3:43 nope! UP 9696 A ex CNW c44-9W is still in CNW paint as of 2023
And UP 6706, CNW 8804
@@PittsburghRailroader31 6706 was an AC44, 9696 and other were C44-9Ws!
@@PittsburghRailroader31 no they are AC44s
there is 1 more cnw ge in existence up 9696 it currently sits in butler wi in the yard by the shops it is visible form the bridge but easer to see with a camera with some zoom
Something he forgot to mention: UP 1995 and 8646 we're paired up on a autorack.
Union Pacific should make announcement of retire UP/CNW 1995 hand to IRM with the CNW twins go with it see three CNW units be on youtube videos everywhere
What?
Those CNW Twins deserved to be preserved. #SaveTheTwins
i so agree and this is coming from a brit [me]
Is that Noisestorm - This Feeling on 10:20
one question. what is that game you used for the trains and other stuff?
I’d like to know also!
ill speak for most people here and i might not be american. but! i'd personally bring these 2 units out of storage and restore them to their former glory. even though that would be alot of money plus alot of work and most likely take sevral months. this story was just so emotional and though i may be UK and proud ill always remember them as the CNW twins for many years.
fun fact: there is a few more cnw locomotives like 1385 and 175 411 and metra's cnw heritage unit
If possible especially with the views you can obtain I would say make a push to save them and get a petition or something UP is not opposed to Donating things as seen with the steam equipment I would just assume they have other priorities right now. But if we all banded together there definitely would be a greater chance of them surviving unchanged and being saved from the rebuild program for preservation.
Here in Kansas we get ALOT of former CNW AC4400's and "Some" Dash9's almost every day coming through Manhattan.