I’ve heard that Canadian Pacific and Canadian National are sharing track in the Fraser Canyon, running trains to Vancouver on one side of the canyon, eastbound on the other side. Any truth to what I heard? Where do trains make the switch to the others tracks?
absolutely true. Canadian Pacific and Canadian National each have a single track main, on either side of Fraser Canyon. In a remarkable display of cooperation and intelligence, they agreed some years ago to operate that stretch as a double track main line. Not sure where they join…
The Fraser River Canyon requires some criss-crossing here and there, with the most famous being at Cisco. Generally, to the best of my knowledge, the two companies only share tracks when there is an absolute requirement, such as a derailment or a wash-out/landslide or substantial closure for MOW. I don’t know where all the interchange(s) are, but I can tell you that they each have dedicated and owned rights of way, and that there is a connection at Cisco…according to some sites I have seen.
Here is some info: http://www8.cpr.ca/cms/English/Media/News/General/2006/Service+improvements+at+POV.htm?wbc_purpose=basichelp
-Crandell
According to the 2007 Canadian Trackside Guide, all eastbound traffic (including the Canadian) runs on the CP from Mission [east of Vancouver] to Basque [west of Ashcroft], and all westbound traffic runs on the CN between these two points. This information is found on the page under the CP’s Cascade Sub (Canadian Pacific Alberta Service Area). The same information is found under the CN’s Yale Sub (CN Western Canada Region)–“Directional running with CP sees traffic moving eastbound on the CP from Mission to Basque on the Thompson Subdivision, with westbound traffic normally on CN’s Ashcroft and Yale subdivisions.”
This went into effect in 2006.
There is also a joint operation in Ontario, between Boyne (CN)/Reynolds (CP) and St. Cloud/Wanup, with northbound traffic on the CP and southbound traffic on the CN. The Canadian also uses this stretch. This information is also found in the 2007 Canadian Trackside Guide.
The following excerpt is taken from the CN January 26, 2006 press release headlined “CN and Canadian Pacific Railway to implement further service improvements at the Port of Vancouver”. That release announced further cooperation within the Vancouver terminal (only), for traffic to/ from the North Shore and South Shore of the Burrard Inlet, and Roberts Bank coal loading area to the south. This release - the CN counterpart to the CP announcement that Crandell referenced above - is at:
http://www.cn.ca/en/media-news-20060126.htm
"Under the agreement:
- CPR will handle all trains of both railways from Boston Bar, 60 kilometres north of Hope, B.C., and 200 kilometres from Vancouver, to Vancouver’s South Shore using CPR train crews. CPR will also improve the coordination of train movements and will switch all traffic into and out of terminals on Burrard Inlet South Shore.
- CN will handle all trains of both railways from Boston Bar to Burrard Inlet North Shore in Vancouver using CN crews. CN will also improve the coordination of traffic switched into and out of terminals on the North Shore.
- CPR will also handle coal trains of both railways from Boston Bar to the Roberts Bank coal port, helping improve efficiency for coal terminal operator, Westshore Terminals.
CN and CPR have a long-established directional running zone extending west of Ashcroft to Mission, B.C., in the Fraser Canyon. All westbound trains of both railways operate over the CN line, and all eastbound trains of both railways operate over the CPR line, improving operational fluidity over the 240-kilometre zone." [emphasis added - PDN]
I believe this is technically known as a “paired track” or “directional running” arrangement.
Apparently, after the announcement was made on January 26, 2006, the details of the operation were worked out, since the employee timetables indicate that the transfers are made at Basque (mp 55.9 on the CP Thompson sub; mp 57.47 on the CN Ashcroft sub) and at Mission Jct. (mp 87.0 on the CP Cascade sub). The timetables do not state how the CN trains get to Mission Jct.; apparently they use the CP track between Matsqui Jct. (87.9 on CN Yale sub; mp 1.4 on CP Mission sub) and Mission Jct. (mp 0.0 on CP Mission sub). There is a note to the Mission sub, “Passenger service: Matsqui Jct. to Mission Jct. (eastbound) VIA…” There are conflicting notes as to passenger service appended to the Cascade and Westminster subs, which may indicate that the Canadian actually joins the CP at Sapperton (junction with the BNSF) instead of at Matsqui Jct., but these notes may be from a former operation. The notes in the 1997 edition are even more confusing.
Additional mileposts
CN: Ashcroft sub–Kamloops 0.0; Boston Bar 125.5 Yale sub–Boston Bar 0.0; Vancouver 131.8
CP: Thompson sub–Kamloops 0.0; North Bend 121.5 Cascade Sub–North Bend 0.0
Johnny
CN and CP have a similar directional running agreement in northern Ontario between St. Cloud (just southeast of Sudbury) and Parry Sound. Southbounds take the CN between these two points and northbounds use the CP line.
Hi All
The usual VIA passenger route eastbound from Vancouver, BC is via BNSF tracks (which serve the VIA psgr depot at Terminal Ave and Main St in Vancouver) eastbound on BNSF through Willingdon Jct to Sapperton Yard (connection to CP) and eastbound from there on CP to Mission, Agassiz and points east. Any other routing AFAIK will take the train through CN territory which is directional (and westbound). Westbound trains AFAIK go through on the same route in reverse. (CN via Matsqui Jct, Mission Jct to Sapperton Yard and via BNSF to Vancouver) Any other westbound routing would be exceessively complicated and counterproductive as far as passenger scheds go.
Charlie
Chilliwack, BC
The two interchange points are at Mission, east of Vancouver, and Basque, west of Ashcroft. The only intermediate link is at Cisco where the two railways exchange sides of the Fraser Rivers, but this is only used in emergencies and connects in only one direction.
Westbound CP trains occasionally cross to the CNR line at Kamloops instead of Basque to allow uninterrupted work blocks. That is a specific detour arrangement, not part of the directional running arrangement. For CN to do the equivalent requires a back-up move of several miles so it normally only happens when their line is completely blocked by derailment or slide.
No interchange is possible at the crew change points, North Bend / Boston Bar, since the stations are on opposite sides of the Fraser River. However a CP train that is heading to a Vancouver destination served by CN may get recrewed by a CN crew that can take it directly to the destination, and of course vice versa for a CN train destined to a CP destination. This avoids having to interchange the traffic in Vancouver and benefits both railways since it reduces terminal congestion and saves crews. This of course can only occur if all the cars have the same destination, usually bulk trains such as sulphur or grain.
When there is a scheduled work block on the CN line, CP will sometimes keep a westbound priority train on its own track through the directional running zone rather than accept a delay of several hours. CP has kept all the passing sidings in service which makes this quite feasible. CN will have greater difficulty trying to do the equivalent since their sidings are shorter and I understand some have been removed.
John
Thanks, Charlie, for giving us the correct information as to the routing in the Vancouver area. Now, I will correct the milepost information which I will carry on our proposed trip next spring, when we will go east from Vancouver (adding new route miles). As I remarked in a previous post, the information in the 2007 Canadian Trackside Guide is confusing–and you have cleared the confusion out.
In the spring of 1987, we went from Vancouver to Toronto, and had to ride a bus to Kamloops because of a washout on the CN, and there was no detour arrangement. We arrived in Kamloops just as #1 came in, and after the cars were quickly made ready for us, we boarded. I am not certain, but apparently the same crew that brought the train in had to get their rest, so we left Kamloops 1:35 late, just as I woke. We arrived in Toronto 53 minutes early.
My finger slipped in my last post on this topic; it was 1997, not 1987 that we went to Kamloops by bus from Vancouver. We felt sorry for the people who were going to have to spend the night in bus seats and not in berths or coach seats.
Johnny