Join the discussion on the following article:
Detroit River tunnel project moving ahead
I can see how a larger tunnel between Windsor and Detroit would benefit the Port of Montreal, where the CPR does a lot of business. But how would it increase traffic from Halifax, which is only served by CN? CN already has a tunnel between Port Huron and Sarnia that has no height restrictions. I could imagine that intermodal traffic from Saint John, New Brunswick might grow, if the CPR had not sold everything it owned east of Montreal a few years ago. That route is not in great condition, its sidings are short, and its CTC was removed shortly after it was sold. And the “future passenger service” doesn’t sound very likely.
2 double stacked containers? That would be 4 high. Did the law of gravity change? Some new kind of physics? Probably should have read “containers double stacked” or “containers stacked 2 high.”
It is true. Domestic containers are longer, wider, and taller than ISO containers. Which puts our private capital railroads way ahead of the government run European railroads when it comes to moving freight.
A new tunnel could translate into more intermodal freight in and out of Chicago. But getting all those domestic containers past border security could take several days per train if they treat each container the same way they treat the average 53 foot dry van. These border crossing people on the American side are not too bright. Speaking from first hand experience.
Toronto-Chicago could be a good use of the Ren fleet.
An Amtrak/VIA thru passenger train would be nice. Of course, DHS/ICE would spoil that.
There two size standards for shipping containers, “international” and “domestic”. The size standard is same width. The length for international containers are usually considered 20 or 40 feet. Domestic containers are usually 48 or 53 feet to fit on container chassis for highway use. The biggest main difference is the height. International intermodal containers have a standard height of 8 feet, 6 inches. Domestic containers have a standard height of 9 feet, 6 inches. If you see a container with black and yellow hazard paint at the corners, this is a sign it is a 9 foot, 6 container. The Detroit Windsor tunnel can accommodate two double stack 8’6" containers, but not two 9’6" high containers. That combination would be two feet higher. All 9’6" containers have to ride single.
The talented R&R mag cartoonist would probably like to send an illustration of the “2 double-stacked containers” entering the “tunnel between Port Hur…that has no height restrictions” from that celestial roomette he’s in.
International containers width match domestic, but they otherwise fit in stacks in ships when their lenghth is 20 ft or 40 ft----inherent ship stack-anchorage/support hardware and design. Longer than 40 ft boxes have interbox connecters at 40 ft intervals, but imagine in a ship putting a 53ft container in a stack, the stacks fore and aft of it are topped-off.
Domestic, implying generically, max height cars need a space 21 ft high that is on each side 5 ft 5 inches from the center line of the rails. The international containers fit. Many domestic boxes don’t when stacked on many railroads. Also, many motor vehicle transporting cars are too tall.
Think to agree or dis…
That the international dimensions of containers is not metric.
That there is/was a White Pass and Yukon container on the front lawn of the Skagway shop. The container fit a 3 feet guage flat car, it wasn’t much less than 11 feet wide Let us go to find other conrainer.
This is guessing: way back…the container invention/concept blossemed in WP&Y land and 20/40 feet lng containeres instead of metric measurement long international containers and there was Hawian stuff in that time moving on Pacifc…
I thought that container sizes were standardized. what is the difference between a domestic box and an international box?
I thought that container sizes were standardized. what is the difference between a domestic box and an international box?
The MC tunnel would make a nice Amtrak/VIA connection.
Would also help the unemployment rate in what’s left of detroit.
Prior to 9/11 I could take VIA rail from Guelph Ont. through Port Huron to Chicago.After 9/11 the US Gov,stopped the through service.Hopefully once the new tunnel at Detroit is completed VIA RAIL will offer through service on the old MC tunnel, with trains originating in Toronto to Windsor, Detroit, and Chicago. I will keep my fingers crossed !!!
I have lived and crossed the USA Canada border for over 50 years. What was once a few minute crossing is now hours long as Homeland Security and overcrowding make the crossing almost impossible. Detroit and Windsor are one international city with a now highly troublesome border between them. A rail crossing is what everyone needs. America used to stand for such greatness, time to be great again. Whoever is behind this project needs to be thanked.
Sure would be nice if the old tunnel serves future passenger service that also utilizes a restored Michigan Central Station. One can dream can’t they?
It seems strange for all the rant Jeff Guse makes about government that he shows no opposition to a government-sponsored project for building the new downriver bridge to divert traffic off the Ambassador Bridge, which is privately operated. The rail tunnel makes sense since this is mostly from the private sector, and why the libertarians won’t support it puzzles me.
Apparently, the libertarians have a selfish motive to benefit the toll hogs running the Indiana Turnpike so they can divert truck traffic off of I-94, a freeway, and route it to the more expensive toll road so we can pay more for our groceries, appliances, clothing, etc. to benefit the bankrupt toll hogs.
jeff Guse, you have to be one very stupid trucker to believe that toll roads will benefit the industry. Like you, I have a CDL, and been there, done that, crossing the border, and for all the spending of billions in technology to get us across the border faster, it has not worked, and even forced us to mkae a dditional stops. That’s really successful when shippers refuse to fax paperwork to customs brokers so we have to make another stop at a truck stop enroute to do that, and then, make another enroute stop along the way to pick up an incoming fax for your portal sheet. and even if it’s all correct, the smallest of any errors is unforgiving by US Customs. What a waste of time and money. No wonder why most of the international freight will be diverted to the rails, and poetically speaking, will probably save some truckers a trip to the jails!
How does traffic get from CN or CP in Ontario to this new tunnel. The old Michigan Central line which used to serve the tunnel (with usage granted to other railways); right now they have a fast tunnel via Sarnia, ON and Port Huron, MI.