Did somebody say BL2?

So I find out in the morning that there are not one, but TWO BL2s on their way through Chicagoland on CN train 336. Unfortunately the train didn't arrive until after dark, but I set up near a well-lit baseball park on the IHB in LaGrange for a video.

Janesville & Southeastern 52 and Bangor & Aroostook 56 are headed from the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI to the Arizona Eastern Railway. They're going to be restored and used to haul a tourist train in Arizona. Both units were built for the Bangor & Aroostook in 1948 or '49 as #552 and #556. In-transit, they have been given the reporting marks MRLX.

Incidentally, on their route down the Harbor Belt, they passed within a few hundred feet of EMD, where they were built 60 years ago!

CN 2265 ES44DC
CN 2248 ES44DC
MRLX 52 BL2
MRLX 56 BL2

Taken 11/11/09

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• EMD
• BL2
• Bangor
• Aroostook
• CN
• IHB

[fullglottalstop]

Will these be used for revenue service?

[MP36er]

Only if people ride the tourist train.

[HighIronofWisconsin]

Nice catch. The last time 52 was in Chicago was the early 90s when it was in service for WICT. IIRC, the reporting marks are MRAX for Mineral Range, Inc., which owned the locomotives while they were stored at NRM.

[MP36er]

They have been stenciled MRLX, Mid America Railcar Leasing, which seems to be the reporting mark of choice whenever museum pieces are moved.

[rockinrollfan37]

awsome video! I used to live less than a mile from the old Bangor and aroostook

railyard in oakfield and I can remember

seeing these very unique looking Bl2's

running in service in the early 1980's

when i was a kid. they really stood out in

contrast to the gp7's and gp'9s that were

painted in the orange,black,and gray

of the late 70's through early 90's

hope they do a nice job restoring these units these are two of seven remaining if i'm not mistaken.

[fixierider97]

Awesome catch!!

[Railfreak78]

I've seen pics of this on my favorite rail pic site and I live in Phoenix but I am not sure of the AZER. Any direction to see these beauties or maybe a carpool? Nice catch on the vid :)

[DRGWSD40T]

well thier comin to AZER and thats an hour drive :)

[streetcarbrad]

Great video! Great catch! Thanks for sharing this.

[Miketherailfan]

You Chicago foamers get to see all the awesome stuff.... first with the Daylight now two BL2s... uber jealous.

[HighIronofWisconsin]

Oh. Ok.