Does anyone know of any more double track being removed from CN’s network by Mr. Harrison and his gang at CN? I know that in the past several years the track to Niagara Falls was singled, sections of the GTW in Michigan, and sections between Edmonton and Vancouver. If you could tell me how much mileage, where and when it was removed I would be greatly interested.
In 1999 the Strathroy Sub had CTC installed from Ridout mile 0.22 to Blackwell mile 55.6. During this time the sub was single tracked from Poplar mile 14.8 to School Road mile 22.7, from Kerwood mile 25.7 to Watford West mile 35.4, and from Wanstead mile 41.4 to Mandaumin mile 51.0. [:(][:(!][V]
In 2000 the Chatham Sub had CTC installed from Komoka mile 7.1 to Bloomfield mile 63.8. During this time the sub was single tracked from Hugill mile 32.1 to Riverview mile 45.0. [:0] The sub was always single track from Komoka to Glencoe East mile 27.3 (former Longwood Sub). From Bloomfield mile 63.8 west to Tecumseh Road mile 99.13 ( Lacasse) has been owned by VIA for years. Soon after they purchased that section of the Chatham Sub it was single tracked from Bloomfield to Tecumseh mile 101.1. Also sometime after 2000 the north track from Chatham East to Bloomfield become the north service.
Fortunately in 2001/02 when CTC was installed on the Dundas Sub from Paris West mile 32.6 to Frauts mile 74.0, common sense prevailed and the double track escaped unscathed. [:)]
The only portion of the Grimsby Sub away from Hamilton itself that was single tracked a few years ago, was from Jordan mile 16.6 to Nelles Road mile 26.8.
A Canadian in the Signal Department of the Canadian National Railways. [;)]
Out here, with the directonal running on CPR and CN on the Yale Sub the sidings at Stout, Trafalgar, Cheam View were pulled out. However they just recently put part of the siding back in at Cheam View.
Rumour has it that they plan to double up sections of the Strathroy Sub that was single tracked in '99. [:)][;)][:0][8D]
Clique of One.
Does anyone know about the line between Edmonton and Jasper? I recently saw a picture at Henry House east of Jasper that was even ironically used in their promotional material before showing rail on the ballast that was originally doubled in the 1980’s. How much else did they rip out in their infinite wisdom?
With respect to re-doubling the Strathroy sub it shows that this was a classic case in 1999 of orders coming from up high regardless of common sense. Obviously CN has a top down management approach which does not allow for any sober second thought. In 1999, a mere 7 years ago traffic was already booming on the Strathroy sub.
Back in the early months of '99 when we were prepping the new signal locations on the Strathroy, we had many non-believers to the fact that we were indeed going to single track portions of the sub as CTC was installed. The ones we had a hard time convincing were the train crews, the dispatchers, the farmers who were sometimes blocked at their farmers crossings by stalled or broken down trains, trains stopped because Sarnia Yard was full or the crews had come to their limit of hours. Even the general public who had to use all the level crossings on the sub were incredulous when informed about the removal of the second track, especially in Strathroy where there are no bridges at all. When the Track Maintenance crews were informed about the single tracking, they wondered how they would ever have the time to do not only major, but minor track work as well in the future. Another thing. Until we actually got hold of prints showing some track coming out we also thought it was a backdoor rumour. It seemed to me and others that this project was kept secret from not only the public but the majority of the employees as well. I never ever did see an official document as to the project until I saw our prints. Never found out who made the decision on single tracking. Even the news media were kept in the dark. Usually the railway likes to brag about what it does. But not this time. Maybe it was something the company wasn’t that proud of.
A Canadian in the Signal Department of the Canadian National Railways.
CliqueofOne
Do you know anything about the status of a section of double track in Northern Ontario? I believe it was between Longlac and Armstrong that was built in the mid 1970’s which was done as part of a re-alignment project.
Your comments were interesting concerning how things were done. I remember at the time that there was talk of singling the Strathroy sub but I never thought it would happen given the traffic volume. I think the only reason why CTC was installed was due to safety issues after several derailments at the time, some of them involving Via Rail. I thought at one point there was enough pressure on Mr. Harrison to reverse his decision to single track the line but obviously he is single focused.
enr2099
Are there any substantial stretches of double track leading into Vancouver or is it alternating sections of single and double track? The last time I took Via Rail to Vancouver ( and I won’t tell you how long ago that was, only that it was when the Canadian ran on CP tracks) I was surprised at how little double track there appeared to be in the Vancouver area.
enr2099
With respect to the directional running in the Fraser Canyon, has CP also eliminated sidings ? I guess it only makes sense since the sidings are really only required for reverse direction when one line is out due to derailments, slides and major maintenance. I presume it is highly unlikely for one train to pass another going the same direction.
cliqueofone
Do you know if CN and CP have done similar things between Parry Sound and Sudbury?
Why did CN rehab what was two streaks of rust snaking through mud from Waterloo, IA to Albert Lea, MN?
In co-operation with the Minneapolis and St. Louis from Albert Lea north, this stretch was once the Illinois Central’s Chicago to Twin CIties less than direct route of little note. Is CN looking at this as again being a connection from the Twin Cities to Chicago?
There never was any double tracking done on the Caramat in the '70s. In the last half of the '70s, sidings were lengthened and power switches replaced the spring switches on the Caramat and on the Ruel and Bala Subs as well. I spent 3 years on the project. Half of that time in boarding cars in the middle of nowhere. In the winter you really had to get along with everyone since there was no place to go and after 8 plus days we were climbing the walls. On the way home on the VIA Trains the bar car was where our seats were. We were a rough bunch back in those days.
Clique of One.
It’s all single track in the Canyon, where terrain permits in the Valley and through Surrey and Burnaby the Yale Sub is double tracked.
This line ends far away from the Twin Cities, and trackage rights to St. Paul (if the UP would ever grant them) would seem quite costly.
Is the focus of their efforts between Lyle and Waterloo?
A future purchase of DME/ICE would make this corridor ideal for coal, although at this point seems to be jumping the gun a bit. Unless CN would plan to step in anyway if DME can’t secure the loan for the PRB expansion.
Why on earth was Sarnia tunnel designed for single track only?
“Why on earth was Sarnia tunnel designed for single track only?”
Because of it’s size. Extremely huge when compared to the old one. I was involved in the running of F/O in the new one. Walked through it before the track was laid. Did a lot of work in the old one in the early '70s running signal cable through it. To bore another one or bore one large enough for two tracks would have cost Big Bucks. At the time we were still a crown corporation and didn’t have the deep pockets that we have now. [;)]
Clique of One.
There was double track put in Jasper National Park in the 1980’s. There was a stretch from about m.206 of the Edson sub. to Valemount BC about 103 miles except for a bridge about 10 miles east of Jasper at Henry House. HH removed about 10 miles from the east side of this bridge to Devona. He also removed about 6 miles on the Albreda sub. west of Jasper from Fitzwilliam m.25.2 to Grant Brook m.31.9.
Barry
That is lunacy on the part of HH. Of any part of CN the section between Tete Jaune /Redpass and Edmonton is the most likely to see increased growth or at least sustained volume due to its location. When the container facilities are in operation at Fairview Terminal in Prince Rupert this will add more volume to the line. If anything the long term goal should be to double track the entire route between Tete Jaune/Redpass and Edmonton. There is sufficient volume on line to keep all existing portions of double track. Obviously HH’s only goal is to keep the investors on Wall Street and Bay Street happy and also keep them in the dark about what is really going on at CN. HH seems to treat trackage as a disposable commodity like he did at ICG. Double track should be added after careful consideration and should only be removed in rare circumstances. I don’t think the annual maintenance costs on 20 miles of track on a busy mainline is going to have an impact on the operating ratio.
“Why on earth was Sarnia tunnel designed for single track only?”
In addition a larger tunnel for two tracks would meant boring deeper, thus needing longer approaches. Leaving the approaches somewhat the same length with the increased grade would have resulted in less tonnage, or more engines to get those trains through without stalling. I remember when I was in the old tunnel hearing the ships overhead. The sound may also have been boulders rolling downstream. My foreman used to say it was the anchors dragging on the river bottom. I doubt if they could have bored any shallower because of the river and foundations of the buildings on shore.
Clique of One.