Seeking info on Canadian rules

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I am about to take an exam to qualify as a train dispatcher on the Canadian portion of my territory. Could any Canadian railroaders tell me what type of train needs a caboose in Canada? I can’t seem to find the info anywhere. Thank you so much.

Terri

PS I posted this in another forum by mistake – I meant to post it here.

2

Please let us know if you get an answer, I haven’t seen a caboose on a train in Canada in 15 years, and remember, we drive on the left up here ! ! LOL

3

Hi Terri, I took a quick look through the Canadian Rail Operating Rules and can find no such requirement. Currently they are used for heavily switched branch locals where the crew and/or equipment requirement would be higher than what is permitted in the cab of the locomotive (usually no more than three - engineer, conductor & trainman). They might be used if the crew is expected to exceed their maximum hours (12 hour clock, 18 hour clock etc.) No, I don’t work on the railroad, but I’m in the process of starting one and have become quite familiar with the details as we have to follow the running rules of the host railway. Darcy

4

I saw a van on the CP train, north from Calgary last month. Switching all the oil depots along the way. First one I have seen for a while.

5

In Calgary, we get cabooses on locals with a good amount of switching, like the one Pathfinder mentioned. There are quite a few roving around the city…here’s an example. (Sorry about the horrible sidelighting, I was experimenting with pushing my film that roll)
This is either the turn that goes to this sattelite yard, or the turn to the gas plant to the west.

6

Thank you all. Like I said, I have to take an exam on Canadian operating rules and if there have been cabooses on any of our Cnandian trains then I wasn’t aware of it. It may be a trick question but since part of my territory extends into Quebec, I figured there might be special circumstances or something. I knew that if there was a rule that someone here would probably know about it.

Thank you all so much, again.

Sincerely,

(“soon to be an offical dispatcher”)Terri