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CN, Montreal commuter railroad at odds over locomotives
No problems with the dual modes on NJ Transit. Physical plant on NJ Transit is in great shape, hence no derailments.
If CN doesn’t like the locomotives, give NJT a bargain and let CN fund the new replacement locomotives for Montreal.
No problems on NJT or CP - send CN a bill for the delay.
Why CN doesn’t just sell the entire line, from Pointe St Charles through the tunnel to Ste Eustache, to the AMT is one of the enduring mysteries of our time. They have no use for it - I don’t even think there is a local freight west of EJ any more (and if there is, it would be a simple matter of leasing trackage rights).
Insane.
If NJ Transit uses them on joint trackage, then they are FRA-compliant and CN has no grounds for refusal. The problem is that there are no set standards for passenger locomotives in Canada similar to those imposed by the US DOT on US railroads despite the opposition of the AAR on behalf of member railroads. Transport Canada has jurisdiction on this one and they have dropped the ball. Those are locomotives bought with my tax dollars sitting idle because a privately-owned freight carrier is unduly obstructing the AMT. The suggestion that AMT may be required (by whom may I ask) to purchase or lease motive power acceptable to CN, combined with the cost overruns on this project bother me more than a little.
I would love it if CN would humor us and explain just what this “complicated technical issue” is that allows every variety of locomotive and rolling stock to use their tracks except this particular locomotive. Be as technical as you like, guys.
As for NJ Transit’s ALP-45DP’s, well… they’re also in storage, but for a different reason. NJT purchased these locomotives to allow one trains from one of their diesel-powered routes to run directly into Manhattan. Unfortunately, the geniuses running NJT failed to ask Amtrak if any slots were available at Penn Station for these trains to use. There aren’t. So since delivery they’ve been collecting bird droppings in Kearney.
Perhaps if CN can get their act togther the trains start runing, AMT would like to buy NJT’s engine. That’s assuming NJT gets them repaired.
Repaired? Yes, see, those geniuses I mentioned earlier? They also spent several million dollars on an enviornmental study to predict what areas of the system might flood that had not flooded before. They included the yard in Kearney. So guess where they left their equipment parked during Superstorm Sandy? I believe about 62 locomotives and around 150 coaches were damaged. By way of comparison, the LIRR, Metro-North, the NYC subways, and Conrail SHA moved all their equipment to high ground (some of it parked right on the main lines) and a not single piece was damaged.
I’m sorry, I digress…
There is an error in the article. It says that the AMT had to sideline all of its 20 new locomotives. At this time, and for at least 5 or 6 months, the new locomotives are used on the Montreal-St-Jerome commuter line owned by Canadian Pacific.
Thank you
Pierre Vadnais
Laval, QC
Clearly something wrong with the CN physical plant that the they still won’t allow these locomotives onto their property.