Very well written and accurate as well as interesting.
Even though as a Canadian modelling the CPR I already know a lot about the topic I’ve found the main article about the CPR both interesting and informative.
The companion article about KCS is timely and of interest to CPR fans because the acquisition of KCS is a momentous event in the storied history of the CPR.
I recommend the articles to anyone with the slightest interest in the CPR and especially its future. You’ll be seeing a lot more CPR equipment down South now.
It was an interesting article and it hints at some possible changes that railfans here in Wisconsin are discussing and speculating about. Currently the major CP traffic we see is on the former Milwaukee Road, then Soo Line, rails that cut in a diagonal across Wisconsin and head down to Chicago from Milwaukee, with Portage WI being in the past an important yard and crew change point. The CP line that goes along the Mississippi River on the Minnesota and Iowa side is reasonably busy but somewhat secondary, but it is likely to see a massive influx of trains heading down to the former KCS connections. I suspect some of those towns are going to be very surprised by this and some crossings and other infrastructure are likely to need beefing up – gates instead of just crossbucks with lights and bells for example. Thte downside for those of us in Milwaukee is that the CP line we are closest to might become the secondary one.
It will also be interesting to see if this causes the CP to rethink the role of Nahant Yard in Davenport IA. They have seemingly been downplaying its importance the last few years, for example I believe they closed the locomotive repair shop. A combined CP and KCS means Davenport might also give the Iowa Interstate new access to markets what with its connections to the CP near Nahant Yd.
Hard to think that in a sense CP as we know it will soon be a fallen flag at least here in the US. But if you’re old enough - and heavens knows, I am old enough – you’ve seen this before and will get over it.
From a modeling perspective my impression is that the area around Davenport IA and the Quad Cities in general is that Rock Island, and Iowa Interstate, are big. This might invite new interest in the CP, or rather in the combined CP/KCS. And a further impact is that the big train show each spring in Davenport suddenly becomes an even more important event because of the interesting post-show railfanning at Nahant