Canada's Railway Magazine since 1945 THIS MONTH IN RAIL AND TRANSI-T" 3 THE END OF THE EXHIBITION EAST STREETCAR LOOP One of Toronto's best-known transit locations is demolished

TRAVELLINC BY IN BRITAIN Slam doors, tube , and reasonable routes; NUMBER 545 - JUNE 1995 observations by Scott Haskill on British railways 7 PUBLISHED BY PERE MARQUETTE WRECK AT Upper Canada Railway Society WALKERVILLE ^Tiecu

2 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 THE END OF THE EXHIBITION EAST STREETCAR LOOP Saturday, June 17, 1995 was the last day of operation at the Toronto Transit Commission's Exhibition East streetcar loop. The next day, demolition and salvage began as the site was cleared for the construction of the National Trade Centre. For almost eighty years, the loop has been the main transit facility at Exhibition Place. In recent decades the Bathurst streetcar route has operated between the loop and the Bloor-Danforth Subway. During major events such as the Canadian National Exhibition, Caribana, concerts, and fireworks, the loop is used as a fare-paid facility, the special-event 521-Exhibition East streetcar route is operated to the St. Andrew and King stations, and extra cars are put on 511- Bathurst. The loop has seen huge crowds over the years, and its fare control gates, large passenger waiting area, double-crossover (added in a 1980 rebuilding), and storage tracks made it an efficient facility. The loop is practically surrounded by the CNE midway, and its prime location gave the TTC a prominent position at Exhibition Place, and allowed customers to be carried right into the heart of the site. The first Exhibition East loop was a large single-track loop, opened August 25, 1916 to serve the newly-developed eastern part of the Exhibition. Toronto Railway Company tracks reached the site from Bathurst Street at Front Street, running along the north side of Fort York. In 1931-32, the TTC built new track farther south along the new Fleet Street, and in July and August 1933 rebuilt the loop to occupy less land than before, and to allow more efficient operations. The top view, taken on July 11, 1933, looks west and shows the new loop tracks bisected by the old large loop, still in place. Passenger loading and unloading at the old loop was done on the north side, just beyond the Coliseum, the building on the right. The middle picture also looks west, and shows the completed loop on September 28, 1933. The unloading area is to the right, where the three tracks join together, while the photographer is standing on the loading platform. The small coniferous trees were later replaced by deciduous trees that were large and mature by the end of the loop's life. The lower view was taken on September 11, 1936, and looks west at the loading area, with two Peter Witt cars and an ex-TRC wooden car in view. Just beyond the distant Witt is the inspectors' building and control tower, which lasted until 1980 when it was replaced by a new tower. A new streetcar loop is planned for a location north and west of the present loop, next to the Exhibition CO station. The new facility should be finished by mid-1996, and until then all TTC service to Exhibition Place will be with buses. -7TC Archives photos

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • 3 TRAVELLING BY TRAIN IN BRITAIN

By Scott Haskill first train 1 boarded was old, as is much NSE equipment; j a Capital Coast Express, from Brighton to Victoria Station, i Two trips to the United Kingdom in the last two years gave which I joined at Clapham Junction ("Welcome to Britain's me the chance to make everyday use of , and, Busiest Railway Station," as the platform signs say). The to a lesser extent, London Underground. Railways remain train was made up of electric multiple units to a 1950s an important way of moving people about in Britain, and design, although they could have been built at any time up the number and variety of passenger trains is impressive. to about 1970. This was also my first experience with an Britain's railways are also in the midst of a drawn-out and archaic piece of BR technology - the slam door. No \ controversial privatisation, and my trips came both before power-operated sliding doors here - you reach out, turn and after a milestone in that process. the handle, swing the door outward, and get on in the car. I wasn't there specifically to ride trains, but they If you're the last person boarding, its expected that you'll formed a major part of the trip because they were the slam the door shut behind you. If you don't, the train may main way we got around. We didn't go the more- pull away from the platform with one or more doors open, economical route of a BritRail pass purchased in Canada, although the train guard and platform staff look out for more out of poor planning and organisation than anything this. Because of the real chance of being struck by an open else. We purchased tickets at the local station as we doors on a moving train, it advisable to stand outside the i needed them, sometimes at a higher price than if we had reach of the doors when on station platforms. done so in advance. Britain is expensive no matter how Even though obsolete from about the 1930s, slam ^ you go, so we figured we wouldn't miss a few more doors were retained on British Railways because of their pounds. lower costs and maintenance requirements, and fast The first visit to the U.K. was in January 1994, and we operation; many crowded commuter trains roll to a stop in stayed much of the time with friends in London, south of the London terminal stations, with already half the doors the Thames near Clapham Junction. Transport between on the train open, and a quarter of the impatient oux bed and breakfast and our friends' flat was on customers ready to jump out. Inside the car there are no Network SouthEast (NSE), the name at the time for British door handles; you have to lower the door window down Rail's London-area commuter operations. The trip from into its recess, reach outside, and turn the handle to Wandsworth Common to Clapham Junction took only unlock the door. This is intended to stop people from ' three minutes, and traiits ran about every ten minutes, accidentally opening the door by leaning on it. Still, j between Victoria Station in London and many points to the people die each year in falls from trains, most caused by south of England. In this area, NSE functions as the local passenger negligence when using slam doors. To prevent provider, especially in the neighbourhoods this, at least the intercity trains with slam doors are having • closer to London; the Underground has never had a strong electric secondary locks fitted that activate whenever the I presence south of the Thames. The several railways that train goes faster than about four miles an hour. first built south of the Thames began electrifying their While NSE runs many old trains, most of them busiest lines with DC technology early in this approaching retirement age, it has taken delivery of • century, and the vast majority of the NSE operations have hundreds of newer-design commuter trains. Deliveries from | been electrified for many decades now. the late 1970s borrowed bodyshell designs from the NSE runs a tremendous number of trains, as would be intercity passenger cars of the day, and introduced power- expected from a system that is in many ways more an operated swing or plug doors, and two-and-three seating urban public transit operator than a main-line railway. The inside. The newest NSE trains, the Networkers, have been built since the early 1990s and feature higher performance, lower maintenance, and a distinctive An Intercity 225 train at King's Cross Station, London, ready to depart northbound to rounded, streamlined appearance. While overall an Scotland on the East Coast Main Line. improvement compared to the older trains, the higher -Photo by Dove Porker density seating on the Networkers is less well liked. Most commuter trains in the London area wear the NSE livery of medium blue sides with white and blue stripes. London Travelcards are daily or weekly passes that are accepted by NSE, London Undergroimd, and the bus operators in London. For about £3 a day, we had the run of the transport system between Clapham Junction and London. The main railway terminals in London are a must- see, and are hard to miss anyway if you're travelling by train. Victoria and Waterloo are the two stations that serve the area south of the Thames, and both are huge, busy, noisy, and easily capable of occupying me for an hour or two. We ended up buying daily travelcards for several consecutive days, and of course would have been better off with a weekly card. Still, that was part of the price of seeing London, and part of the experience was using trains to do it.

I 4 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 I My second visit to Britain was over New Year's 1994- are made up of Mark IV series coaches, representing the 95, and this time we stayed in Richmond, to the west of fourth generation of passenger stock designed by BR. The London, and made more t^e of London Underground, for coaches run in apparently fixed formations of about ten sightseeing in the city. The tube is impressive simply for cars, and are hauled by a Class 91 electric engine, usually the effort it must take to keep it running; famously at the north end of the train. A baggage car fitted with a extensive and heavily used, much of the system looks as cab (known as a "Driving Van Trailer") is at the south end old as it is, and the scale of effort needed to make it all to eliminate turning at the terminals. work is daunting. They seem to pull it off, as the trains are The "225" in the train designation is the design clean -(although the stations somewhat less so), we maximum speed, in km/h. This is a bit of a misnomer, as escaped any lengthy delays, and there is a fair bit of new the trains actually only go 125 m.p.h. or 200 km/h, as the and rebuilt rolling stock present. Customer information extra cost of upgrading track and power supplies to 225 and signs are very well done. Fare control is up-to-date: all km/h (140 m.p.h.) speed has not yet been justified. Until central London tube stations require tickets to enter and electrification, the IC125 diesel-propelled trains gave the leave, which reduces fraud with London's zone fare system. bulk of the service on the ECML, at 125 m.p.h. For the Self-serve ticket machines allow fast fare purchases. name of the new trains, switching to metric instead of Tickets for British Rail journeys that require a transfer imperial for the numbers following the 'TC" was a clever between BR stations in London have the appropriate LU bit of marketing that made the new trains sound faster fare encoded in the tickef s magnetic strip, and every BR than they are: ticket issued anywhere in the country can fit into a London Journey times have been reduced with the Underground turnstile. electrification, because of their better acceleration of the One of the LU lines we used often was the Northern IC225 trains. The fastest London-Edinburgh trains make Line, which still relied on cars built in the late 1950s and the trip in just over four hours. IC125 diesel trains early 1960s. Although regularly overhauled and still giving continue to be used on the trips that go north of the wires good service, the floors of grooved maple wood, the at Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness. stained wooden panelling around the windows, and the Intercity trains on the ECML leave from vmder an rattle of the doors as they grind open doesn't fit the image impressive vaulted trainshed at London King's Cross. At the a "decently modem metro," for which LU is aiming.' New north end of the station, outside the trainshed, there are stock has just recently been ordered for this line. always several loco spotters, -writing down the number of The second Underground line that we used frequently every in sight. The ECML is a busy route, and was the District Line. This route, with four west-end we foolishly took the ad-vice of the ticket seller, and didn't terminals, one east-end terminal, and a stub shuttle bother purchasing a separate seat reservation when we service, uses taller and wider trains than the very low- bought our London-Edinburgh tickets in advance. 'When profile trains used on the "tube" lines. The small tube we arrived at King's Cross and blithely walked along the stock is typical of LU, with barely enough headroom for train minutes before its departure time, there wasn't a taU customers to stand without stooping. The larger-profile single seat available, let alone an unreserved one. We "surface stock" lines were in many cases built before the ended up waiting in line for the next train, an hour later; smaller-profile lines, as steam railways that ran partly and had to scramble for the few unreserved seats. underground. The obvious problems of operating steam A BR ticket gives you the right to travel over any locomotives in tunnels led to electrification as soon as it reasonable route between the points sho-wn on the ticket, was jxDssible. The "surface lines" retain their larger loading but does hot guarantee a seat. For many trains, a gauge today, and some of the lines have joint running with reservation can be purchased for about £1 extra, at any BR trains. On the few sections where surface and tube time up to about two hours before departure. The trains serve the same stations, the platform levels are built customer gets a small card -with the car letter; seat to a compromise height, requiring a step up to' board a number, and seat direction, and then looks for the surface stock train, and a step down to enter a tube train; assigned seat on the train. Reserved seats are marked with We headed out from London on several longer computer-printed reservation labels stuck in a slot at the journeys. One trip took us for two days in Canterbury, to top of the seat. Stem warnings are printed on the label see the sights there. We left from London Charing Cross regarding unauthorised removal (£200 penalty), and Station on a longer-distance NSE train, again slam-door unauthorised occupation of the seat (£50 penalty). Next stock from the 1960s, this time rebuilt (in the early 1980s, time, I'll pay the £1 reservation cost. judging by the orange interior). The 90-minute ride Having survived the unreserved seat debacle, we through driving rain was not especially memorable, except enjoyed the northward trip on the first high-speed railway for glimpses of Channel Tunnel line construction, and the I've been on. The train makes only a few stops, and sight of a Class 08 side-rod diesel 0-6-0 labouring accelerates quickly to the 125 m.p.h. cruising speed. There past us as we stood at a station. The driving wheels on the are several tunnels in the London area, and the train was switcher looked huge, especially as they were on a diesel fast enough that uncomfortable air pressure changes locomotive. I swear I saw the loco slip at least a quarter accompanied the entry and exit from the tuimel, similar to rotation as it started from a stop. a quick descent in an airliner. The Mark IV cars are the The highlights of our longer journeys were two trips on newest Intercity accommodations, but -with the heavy use the East Coast Main Line, the Intercity link between they get on the ECML, they already were looking a bit London and Scotland, at Edinburgh. The entire route is wom inside. The decor and amenities are not quite up to now electrified with overhead wire at 25 kV AC, thanks to the standard of a VIA LRC coach - the seats are close work done in the late 1980s, and is worked primarily by together, they don't recline (those that do are uncommon Intercity 225 trains, built for the electrification. The trains on BR), and the seatback tables are very small. There was

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • diesel multiple units (DMUs), self-propelled cars along the lines of Budd RDGs. Regional Railways largely revitalised the market for secondary trains by re-equipping from the mid-1980s with new DMUs, which replaced wom out second-hand intercity coaches and ancient DMUs from the 1950s. While the first types of modem DMU shared design and manufacture with contemporary buses, and were uncomfortable and not all that well-received, the latest DMUs in the 156, 158, and 165 classes are quite spiffy. The Dundee and Glasgow trips were on Glass 158s, the fastest DMU, with the newest and nicest interior. These trains have all mod cons — air conditioning, telephone, buffet trolley, plug doors, and a 90 m.p.h. top speed. We also made a trip to Glasgow on a Glass 158, then transferred to a Glass 156 for the three-hour trip over part of the West Highland Line to Oban. The Glass 156s are slightly older and slower, and have fewer amenities than The approach to Edinburgh Waverley Station. A ScotRail train of Class 158 diesel Glass 158s, but were well suited to the scenic route, as the multiple unit cars is departing the station. —Photo by Scott Haskill shorter seats allow a better view out the windows. Out of Glasgow, the train for Oban is combined with one for Fort a buffet-restaurant with a take-away counter towards the William, farther up the West Highland line. Our two-car rear of the train, separating the first-class from standard- DMU for Oban was split from the rear two Fort William class section, and the attendants made a few sweeps cars at Grianlarich. This is a very scenic line, with the through the train with a tea cart. Glass doors between cars Qords and submarine base along the Glyde out of Glasgow, swing aside noiselessly as you walk the train - there are a good view as the line skirts Loch Lomond, and the sensors under the carpets in the vestibules. highlands themselves. Oban is the stepping-off pxaint to the For its slightly worn image, the IC225 does move fast, Western Isles, and a popular summer holiday destination. a point underlined whenever a southboimd train passes at In town, a new, smaller station has been built, and half speed. All of a sudden to the right of the train comes a the platforms and tracks had been removed, evidence of flash of yellow, then repeated banging as each coach in how much leisure traffic BR has lost over the years. The the passing train pushes its own shock wave into our station is close to the Western Isles ferry dock, but the bus coach. VIA Trains 66 and 67 passing at Kingston Mills from Glasgow gets even closer to quayside, and has a don't have quite the same effect. faster running time as well. The scenery along the ECML is fine, especially north of We made other trips in the course of getting from Newcastle on the approach into Scotland. There are good Scotland back to London, all on our retum ticket, and views of the North Sea, and our only daylight passage over making full use of the "any reasonable route" allowance. this section was on a clear, sunny day. Waverley Station is A trip on dirty-windowed Glass 158s over the Pennines Edinburgh's main railway point, and is cleverly sunk into from York to Manchester was anti-climactic after the West a park that separates Edinburgh's old and new towns - Highlands. The West Goast mainline (Glasgow- both of which predate the railway itself. There are timnels Manchester/Birmingham - London), upgraded twenty years on the approach to Waverley, near the castle and under earlier than the East Goast line, delivered us on time and the linear park and gardens, but trains come out into the in unspectacular comfort. A ride from Oxford to London in open for the last stretch into the station. a brand-new Glass 165 DMU was suitably fast, and it was Edinburgh is a beautiful city, with relatively little ugly disappointing to know that buses have capttned much of post-war commercial development in town, wonderful the Oxford-London student market. residential neighbourhoods from the Georgian era, and the Many of our trips made use of the services of more medieval old city, with castle and palace. We stayed with than one of the BR passenger business sectors, although if friends who lived within walking distance of the station. we didn't know that was the case, we scarcely would have This gave us the opfxjrtunity to make several short trips noticed it. This will change as privatisation advances. As of throughout Scotland, both by road and railway. A April 1, 1994, all BR track and infrastructure in Britain worthwhile trip was from Edinburgh to Dundee, with the came under the control of a new body, Railtrack. The attraction of travelling over two of the most-significant passenger sectors have been split up into smaller units railway bridges anywhere - the Forth Bridge, just a few than the former Intercity, Regional Railways, and Network minutes outside Edinburgh, with its massive cantilevered SouthEast arrangement, and some of the businesses are construction; and the long, low Tay Bridge, at the scheduled to be franchised to the private sector within the approach to Dundee, which collapsed under a train late in next year. There is considerable concern in Britain about the last century with great loss of life. We also rode the the outcome of privatisation of the passenger services: frequent trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow, leaving tickets may become less valid between different operators; every half-hour from dedicated platforms at Waverley and through fares may be harder to get; wasteful competition Glasgow Queen Street. between raOways may distract from competing with cars These trains were operated by BR's ScotRail business and buses; and privatisation may be used as the culprit for sector, not the Intercity mainline passenger railway. As abandoning whole routes. While little of this was so far with Regional Railways, the ScotRail equivalent in evident on my trips, there may be substantial changes by England and Wales, most secondary trains are made up of the next time I ride a (former) BR train. •

6 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 PERE MARQUETTE WRECK AT WALKERVILLE SPEEDING TRAIN SMASHES BUILDING

By Bill Reddy line and passed over the switch. At 4:03 p.m., Number 4 came out of Walkerville and passed over the switch. At Lefs step back in time to Augiist 17, 1926, and witness a 5:25 p.m., the local from the east arrived.and passed over derailment at the Imperial Oh Company refinery at the switch. It was concluded that the switch was properly Walkervhle, Ontario, involving Pere Marquette Rahway lined and locked for the main line at these times. mixed train number 21. The train was headed by Engine After the accident. Conductor Hays of Train 21 183, a 4-6-0 buht by Brooks. The accident, at about 11:10 inspected the switch. He found it set for the spur, with the p.m., caused a freight car to be pushed through a buhding lock lying on the ground beside the switch stand. After at the refinery resulting in considerable damage. pulling the train out of the spur with the yard engine, he The speed restriction in the Walkervhle yard territory set the switch for the main line and locked it with the was 10 m.p.h. for passenger trains and 6 m.p.h. for freight same lock. The lock was inspected and showed evidence of trains. Subsequent investigation revealed that on this dents on both sides where it had been hit with a piece of particular evening, Train 21 was far in excess of the speed iron or stone. Hays took a small hammer, held the lock, limit, and was running late. and upon hitting it on the back could easily unlock it. It In his statement after the accident, the engineei; was then determined that trespassers must have unlocked Thomas Brown, stated that .the mixed train had set off two the lock and set the switch for the spur. The police cars at Walkervhle Junction, departing there at 10:58, 18 department was notified and an investigation was begun. minutes late. When going through Walkervhle yard, the The damage to the Imperial Oil plant was considerable. interlocking with the Essex Terminal Rahway crossing was The one-storey brick building was 100 by 60 feet, with a not clear; and Brown appUed the brakes. The route then basement three to four feet deep. When the box car went cleared, and Train 21 moved on. When approaching the through the bmlding it knocked down the entire rear end Huron Street public road crossing, Fireman Waite shouted and weakened the walls on both sides. The car tore from his seatbox a warning of an oncoming automobhe. through the building, jamming and breaking cans, cartons, Brown applied the brakes and stated that they were and other contents. The basement of the building was working properly at that time. The automobhe cleared the completely filled with oil and grease, much of which had crossing. Brown released the brakes, and the train to be sent back to the plant at Samia and put in proper continued. shape. It is needless to say that the Imperial Oil Gompany In the next minute or so, when he was 75 to 100 feet and the Pere Marquette Railway Gompany would have to from the switch leading to the Imperial Oh plant, Brown come to some sort of monetary settlement. discovered, too late, that the switch was set for the siding. Mr. R. S. Black, the railway's assistant superintendent The lamp in the switch stand was burning, but was dim. in St. Thomas, felt that it was the engineer's fault, and The train entered the siding. There was a box car standing also attempted, unsuccessfully, to hold the fireman in the siding about 224 feet from the s-witch, and 188 feet responsible. Since the switch light was on the engineer's from the buhding. The siding ended at the buhding, and side, there was no way that the fireman could see the light was not protected by a stop block. When hit by the train, in the switch stand. The eventual recommendation was the car smashed into and nearly passed through the suspension from service for Engineer Brown, who served buhding, three-quarters of the car extending out the other 60 days, and was then reinstated. end of. the buhding. The engine also went into the Gorrespondence between the Imperial Oil Gompany buhding, as far as its tender. the railway, and the law firm of Furlong Brackim Furlong The initial impact knocked some barrels out of the box . and Riordan continued for almost a year. The railway was cai; and from this it was concluded that when the engine concerned about losing the valuable Imperial Oil business hit the box car the train must have been travelling to either the Michigan Gentral or the Wabash. An intemal between 25 and 30 m.p.h. The tracks were covered with letter from the freight agent in Ghatham, to the office of oh, and the brakes did not work effectively, which the freight traffic manager in Detroit, noted the importance contributed to the accident. No other cars on the train of Imperial Oil as a PM customer. The letter was vised to were derahed. There were no passengers on the train, and help determine a quick settlement to the claim. Traffic none of the crew was injured. from Imperial Oil for 1926 was: • There was an investigation regarding the switch being CARS REVENUE set for the siding. It was last used by the yard engine crew Outbound 4960 $279 214 total $56 per car at 10:38 a.m. when they placed the box car in the siding. Inbound 1888 $1 10 412 total •$60 per car Brakeman Brooks, who was working on the yard engine, Total 6848 $389 626 total let the train out and closed the switch. Conductor On December 30, 1926, a cheque from the Pere McGarvey did not directly observe Brooks locking the Marquette in the amount of $24 080.64 was delivered to switch, but was sure that the brakeman would have done the Imperial Oil Gompan^s headquarters in Toronto. Some so correctly as Brooks was a careful man whom McGarvey additional correspondence continued for the next few had observed on many occasions correctly locking main years, and the Pere Marquette's file on the case was finally line switches. At about 2:00 p.m. a yard engine passed closed in November 1929. Engine 183 was used for several over the switch on its way to the Company more years after the accident, and was scrapped in St. plant. At 3:40 p.m., the section men came in off the main Thomas in February 1934. •

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • CN TRAINS THROUGH THE ST. CLAIR TUNNEL

Eastbound 152 390 382 392 388 150 398 270 384 396 Fr Daily Daily Daily Daily We Daily Daily Daily Daily Chicago Qcero 14:00 6RC Clearing Yard 17:00 IHB Blue Island MP/UP Yard Centre |;o(i:b||

Battle Creek ;j9:-r5?i ;ti;7pi WM

Flint 13:20 14:20

Detroit Flat Rock |08:3Q;:; |:|;l3p|: Moterm

Port Huron tboi;jl;; WMo% :'92;3p| iSs-bpl iPpP'i^ Sarnia |i;4ff5| ::;|;fpo| M&fi: London |2:i::2Ps IliisSi Brantford ;iP3l:S!

Aldershot ;i3:3Ci:l a-30 ippif ipppi |p|i|i Oakville iiiPpiPP?: |o|i30|; Toronto BJ.TJMalport |:98:2QS Snider WMfi Osbawa MacMillon Yard Wfsi iiii-ooi Hipi Belleville ;::;Ti;-i5;; 11.15 iPT-pol 11:45

Montreal Taschereau Yard iWfM ;il2;45:s Turcot 16:35

Notes: • Where two times are shown at a station, the first is the arrival time and the second is the departure time. In Montreal, Toronto, and Detroit, only the departure times are shown, unless the train ends there, in which case it is the arrival time that is shown. • Freight train schedules are not the same as those of passenger trains. They are not part of the railway's operating timetables, but are targets for loading times, connections, and delivery of customers' goods. They are often modified or augmented day-to-day for traffic conditions, track maintenance work, or weather.

Train ISO — Double-stack containers for CSX Aldershot), and GM at Oshawa; also chemicals Train 382 - Carload freight from Flat Rock, Intermodal, previously handled via Buffalo. from Union Pacific to Dow at Durand. Samia, and Aldershot (cars set out by Train Operates to TUrcot as required. Train 271 — Auto traffic from GM at Oshawa 392) to MacMillan Yard. Also lifts at Brantford Train 151 — Double-stack containers for CSX and Flint to Union Pacific; also DDM plastics if Train 396 is late. Replaces the former CN Intermodal, previously handled via Buffalo. from London to Durand and chemicals from Trains 382 and 410 and GTW Train 381. Train 152 — Double-stack containers for CSX Dow at Durand to Union Pacific. Train 383 — Carload freight from MacMillan Intermodal, previously handled via Buffalo. Train 273 — Auto traffic from GM at Oshawa, Yard to Flat Rock. Train 153 — Import-export containers from Ford at Oakville, and GM at Flint to Chicago Train 384 - Carload freight from Flat Rock to Tbrcot to Detroit and Chicago. and North Western. Oakville, Oshawa, and Taschereau Yard. Train 155 — Import-export containers from Train 275 — Auto traffic, as required when Train 385 — Carload freight from MacMillan Turcot to Chicago. heavy traffic volumes late in the week are more Yard, Aldershot, and Samia to Flat Rock. than Train 273 can handle. Replaces CN Train 389 and GTW Train 380. Train 159 — Import-export containers from Train 387 - Carload freight from Samia to Flat Halifax and TUrcot to Chicago. Train 277 — Auto traffic from GM at Oshawa Rock, for connections to Norfolk Southem, CSX, Train 270 — Auto traffic from Union Pacific to and Ford at Oakville to Flint and the Chicago and North Westem. Operates if only one train is and Conrail. Operates as required. GM at Flinq Ford at Oakville (set out at required, replacing Trains 271 and 273.

8 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 Westbound

395 387 273 277 IS9 385 155 153 275 399 151 391 383 271 Daily Daily ExSu Su As req. Daily As req. As req. Th Fr Daily Tu Sa Dally Daily ExSu Halifax 12:00

Quebec Joffre 13:30

Montreal Turcot 16:15 ilspi ISM Taschereau Yard 9Wf 01.15 Belleville lis Zl;15 WIM 06-20 llifli 21:40 WSI WMM 06:45 Toronto MacMilhn Yard itPiSPI 19:30 21:45 22:30 01:45 13:15 12-30 Oshawa WMfi 23:00 01:00 15:00 Snider |:o||il 01:15 i:Pilli 02:40 10:30 16:30 BIT/Malport 'ISM 19:30 WMM WSI 1 1:00 Oakville WMM: iPiPPi 02:00 Aldershot 23:30.

Brantford 05:05 06:05 Kitchener WfdM London 17:55 ;:;i20:25l; 21:10 Samia ;^;p:pp/ 04:30 ;|09iPo| •;ii;i5oi 06.40 l&iM iliiil Port' Huron iffiP:? ipisoi 07:10 ilifsi IMS. MWIi ii3:ipO| MMM 20:20' 23-15 WWM WiMl WSi WWM 09:15 IMiM WfM Ills ISM ISM 23.59 Detroit Moterm Flat Rock sill ISM 01:30 Flint WMf IMIM. iPsSf WMM imm 21.30 01:45 09:50 16:45 22-30 02 45 Durand 17:20 03-15 18:20 04.00

Lansing Wdlm 11:25 IMM 00:15 05-15 1Z-2S 12-25 00.45 06:15 Battle Creek ipp: 13:25 13:25 14.45 14:05 WMM 20:30 23:00 02 00 07 25 IMM 15:15 iisi l&lf liilii IBM 08-30 Pavillion WIS 09:55 W&M 10:25.

Chicago • Griffith Bedford 05:00 MPfUP Yard Centre 16:00 CNW Proviso Yard 01:00 01:00 IHB Blue Island BRC Clearing Yard 10:30 Railport 23:00 01:00 01:00

Train 388 — Carload freight from Flat Rock to Train 396 - Carload freight from Battle Creek VIA Train 85/685 - The International from Samia, including traffic for Train 362 to Coteau. and Brantford to MacMillan Yard; also flyash Toronto to Chicago. Operates as required. empties from Durand to Brantford. Replaces VIA Train 88/688 - The International from Train 390 — Carload freight from Indiana GTV7 Second 388. Chicago to Toronto. Harbor Belt and Battie Creek to Taschereau Train 398 - Carload freight from Battie Creek, Loser Train 140 — Containers and trailers from 'Yard. Bellevue, and Flint to Samia. Replaces GTW Moterm to B.I.T., Mondays only. Third 388. Train 391 —' Carload freight from Joffre and Loser Train 142 — Containers and trailers from Taschereau Yard to Samia, Detroit (set out at Train 399 — Carload freight from MacMillan Railport in Chicago to Conport at MacMillan Samia), Union Pacific (set out at Flint) Flint, Yard to Brantford, Samia, Flint, and Chicago Yard, daily except Mondays. and Belt Railway of Chicago. (set out at Battle Creek); also wings from Laser Train 143 — Containers and trailers from Malport to Chicago and North Westem (set out Train 392 — Carload freight from Belt Railway B.I.T. to Railport in Chicago, daily except at Flint for Train 461) and flyash from of Chicago, Flinq and Aldershot to Taschereau Sundays. Yard. Brantford to Durand. Train 277 — Auto traffic from Oshawa to Train 395 — Carload freight from Taschereau Chicago and North Westem Proviso Yard, as Yard to Oshawa, Flinq and connections at The trains in the next column also mn through required. Chicago; also auto frames from Kitchener. the tunnel, but are not shown in the tables.

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • 9 Research and Reviews

Just A. Ferronut's working days of the closing, the Val-Royal Mills. Most of these road maps show Dal• Railway Archaeology station had been demolished, and all track housie Mills as being about two miles north and overhead in the area had been removed. of Dalhousie Station. These maps show Art Clowes An inspection a week after the train Dalhousie Station on the railway and in 1625 Quest, boui. de Maisonneuve, Suite 1600 shutdown revealed a single track through the while Dalhousie ..Mills is shown in Montreal (Quebec) H3H 2N4 area with the foundations for new catenary Ontario. A check of a 1941 CPR timetable E-Mail: 71 [email protected] towers in place. The area was all graded and doesn't help, as it defines the station as ready for work on the new Bois-Franc station Dalhousie Mills. Without making guesses, we Another year is reaching the halfway point. and on the Boulevard Marcel Laurin (former• will leave this confusion as a question. With a spring vacation behind me, it was ly Boulevard Laurentien) grade separation The water tower is a circular wooden time to watch the final shutdown of Canada's that will be below this new station, just west tank on a stone-and-concrete base, on the Oldest Operating Railway Museum on Jime of the old Val-Royal site. north side of the track. The area is open 2, 1995 - Montreal's Deux-Montagnes com• enough to permit the inclusion of the water Montreal's Central Station muter service. I don't propose to dwell much tower in afternoon photos of westbound A year ago, in the June 1994 Rail and Tran• on the electrified line or its operations — trains. your editors are developing that for next sit, I mentioned about Montreal's Central 1 can only guess what generation the month. WMle arrangements were made in Station's concourse getting a sprucing-up. wooden tank comes from. The first-storey April to have a matched set of CN's black and Over the early part of the 1994-95 winter, foundation is made of very large cut stones. white coaches pulled by CN 6710 the walkway from the concouise southward The top of this stone foundation has during and 6711 make a mn for the benefit of a towards CN's headquarters building and some rebuilding been redone with a concrete group of enthusiasts, it was June 1 and 2 La. Gauchetiere Street was totally redone. For cap. The wooden tank is made of vertical that saw the major influx of enthusiasts. I the last several months, CN Real Estate has timber with heavy metal bars forming hoops joked that this closing probably drew enough been cancelling the leases for most of the or bands around the tank. Indications are people to show a blip in Montreal's tourist shops in the various passageways connected that this tank is presently used for the vil• figures. to Central Station, and these areas are now lage's water supply. If you are in the area, it in the process of being remodelled. I took the opportunity to ride a morning is worth the short side trip. Dalhousie is only Now, another restoration is underway at train from Vertu into Central Station and a a stone throw's west of Highway 325, north• the south-west end of the concourse. For round trip on the last train early in the even• west of Coteau-Station, Quebec. ing of June 2. A reasonable number of enthu• more years than I can count, the window and siasts were on these trains. I hope someone the fairly narrow bas-relief mural under it Equipment questions videotaped the right-of-way from the train on have been hidden by a giant, billboard A couple of questions relating to railway the last day to record the multitude of enthu• extolling the virtues of commercial products. equipment have been forwarded my way. The siasts, with aU types of devices, recording the This billboard and its frame are being first question is from Bill Reddy concerning trains. While station platforms and road removed, and the original window and the some U.S. Army 0-6-0 locomotives. According crossings were the most crowded, overhead bas-relief murals have been exposed. I expect- to Bill, there were three surplus locomotives bridges and about any open space along the that within a few weeks, they, like the rest of involved in a deal that took place in the hne had someone or a group photographing, the murals around the concourse, will have second half of the 1940s following the sec• videotaping, or just doing sound recording of their figures highlighted in buff on a blue ond world war. Two of these three locomo• the passing trains. background. tives were sold to the Pacific Coast Terminals While work on upgrading this 19-mile A second change presently being made at Railway. Bill's question relates to the third hne was started two summers ago, this sum• Central Station is part of the Deux-Mont• one, that some people consider may have mer probably has the heaviest and tightest agnes commuter service renovation. Work is been sold in Quebec to perhaps a lumber schedule of work to get ready for the new underway to close the stairway from the company. The group of roster collectors that service in the fall. This year's work had main concourse to Tracks 7 and 8 below. The Bill associates with have discussed this loco• started between trains as soon as the weather railing around this stairwell has been motive, but have not been able to exactly would permit and included removing the removed and a new slab of concrete poured determine its final owners. So the question is, catenary south of Central Station on the over the stairwell opening to form a sub-floor does anyone know anything about this U.S. viaduct, and the removal and replacement of and permit a refinishing to match the sur• Army surplus locomotive that was built by the laDs, ties, and ballast. Howeveq the fuU rounding floor. either Schenectady or Lima and may have shut down of commuter service on Jime 2 headed for Canada for its golden years. DaJhousie Mills water tank has permitted things to go into high gear. The second question was raised by Keith A couple of times last summeq while out Pratt, a former P.E.I, railroader. Keith raised A critical spot in this year's work is the pacing trains on CP's Winchester Subdivision the point that a number of narrow-gauge area around Vai-Royal. This station is at the near the Quebec-Ontario bordeq I noted what locomotives from the Prince Edward Island jtmction of the Mont-Royal and Montfort looked like a railway water tank down the Railway went to Newfoundland following the subdivisions and the old Cartierville Spur. No track. The other day I finally got a chance to standard-gauging of PEIR in the 1920s. He work has been done over the past two sum• check it out. CP Rail defines the location as was wondering if anyone knew any details, mers on the station, the rail, or the catenary Dalhousie Mills, Mile 41.6 on their .such as numbers, of these engines, since he mounted on over-track bridges supported by Winchester Subdivision. Various road maps had not been able to locate any of these details. steel towers. Howeveq within a couple of show a Dalhousie Station and Dalhousie

10 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 Research and Reviews

So, should anyone be able to shed any bridges, mostly east of St. Thomas, slowed Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay and Lake Erie light on either of these equipment questions, the completion of the line. While there are Railway. Effective April 1, 1893, the Grand I am certain it would be appreciated. reports that trains were operating in Water- Tmnk, Georgian Bay and Lake Erie was one ford during the latter part of 1872, indica• of the fifteen companies that were amalga• La Salette, Ontario tions are that June 23, 1873, was the date mated into the Grand Tmnk Railway Com• Several years ago, Ross Gray forwarded me a for the start of through Canada Southem pany of Canada. photo he had taken from a early post card of service between St. Thomas and Fort Erie. the railway junction and associated buildings Village history Canada Southern's original line was single- at La Salette, Ontario. I knew I had copies of The name La Salette comes from the alpine track. a couple of track layouts, and other material, village of La Salette in . The original Around the same time, the Port Dover to for this railway junction, but as you know it village in France became well known within Stratford line that eventually became part of often takes me considerable time to get the Roman Catholic church following a the Canadian National system was con- things married together. apparition on September 19, 1846. The stmcted by the Port Dover and Lake Huron The first railway through what we now railways first called their crossing Port Dover Railway. The 40.25 miles of track between know as La Salette was the Canada Southem Junction. The local church parish was called Port Dover and Woodstock that crossed the Railway. The Canada Southem had started Our Lady of La Salette for the above men• Canada Southem at La Salette was opened constmction on their line east of St. Thomas tioned apparition. In 1877, the church peti• on October 7, 1875, three months before the in the fall of 1870. By July 31, 1872, the tioned Ottawa for the establishment of a post line was completed into Stratford. In 1881, Canada Southem had their first locomotive office at the railway junction. The govern• the Port Dover and Lake Huron and two operating on limited trackage through St. ment granted this petition, and the La Salette other companies were amalgamated into the Thomas. Constmction of a number of large post office was established in 1877. In 1879, the first Roman Catholic church was built in the village. A small history of La Salette pub• lished in 1949 by the church stated that the village ". . . always boasted one general store, one blacksmith shop, one school, and one church, but unfortunately two hotels." The Foley Hotel, just east of the railway tower and burned about 1908 was known as ". . . the happy meeting grounds for the boys." This 1949 booklet also stated that "It was a real thrill for a visitor to be in the (railway) tower when one of the fast-moving New York Central passenger trains passed, from its vibration due to the concussion of the air between the train and tower."

Tower and interlocking What the original crossing looked like or exactly how it operated would be a matter of a guess. However, my records show that a A Plan of La Salette, Ontario, by Art Clowes. 33-lever Canadian Switch Company-built interlocking was put in service on July 22, T An eastbound New York Central train passes the La Salette joint station and approaches the 1893. The plan for the Port Dover Junction GTR track and the interlocking tower in the early part of the 1900s. The two-storey building interlocker shows a single track Grand Trunk to the left of the tower would be the McElhone Hotel. The photo is from a postcard in Ross line crossing a single track (later the north Gray's collection. track) Canada Southem line, with a intercon• necting track in the northeast and southwest quadrants. This plan shows a second track on Malioli i'i I'lntct, la Sildt, OiU, the Canada Southern starting about 100 metres west of the diamond and the exten• sion of a second track eastward as proposed. This second track would be south of the first Canada Southem track. The breakdown of the levers was 12 for the Grand Tmnk, 16 for the Canada Southern, and five spares. The 1906 plan that I used for the sketch shows that by then all 33 of the levers were in service, 18 by the Michigan Central (suc• cessor to the Canada Southem) and 15 by the Grand Trunk Railway. Another interesting feature on the 1906 plan was the approach circuits. The distance between the approach signals and the home signals on the double- track Michigan Central was slightly over a half mile. On the Grand Tmnk, the distance

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • 11 Research and Reviews between these signals was slightly less than Formal approval was given by the Board Bill McGuire's a quarter mile. This indicates the faster train of Railway Commissioners on September 26, Diesel Locomotives speeds on the MCRR as compared to those on 1934 for the Canadian National and New the GTR. York Central to remove the diamond crossing 77i/J is the first of a coiitinumg series of coi- During the 1920s the New York Central and dismantle the interlocking plant. This unuts about diesel locomotives aitd modern (successor to the MCRR) expended large piece of paper officially ended the railways' train handling, by Bill McGuire. Tfiese columns amounts of money on upgrading the Canada tower operation that had been carried on for appeared oripnaily in Telegraph Lines. Southem to permit fast trains, especially 59 years in the village of La Salette. While This column was conceived as a method of passenger expresses. Part of this upgrading the diamond and interlocking were removed, passing on information about the diesel was the construction of "track pans" at sev• no doubt to help the NYC run its crack trains locomotive for both railfan and modelling eral locations along the Canada Southem across the Canada Southem at top speed, purposes. The columns will draw upon infor• that permitted steam locomotives to take Canadian National's line remained through La mation obtained from various prototype water without stopping. By 1927, electric Salette for another 21 years. The 13.96 miles magazines and manuals, railfan books and locks had been added to a number of the key between Simcoe Junction through La Salette magazines, and information obtained from levers at La Salette. Comments in 1931 show to Otterville was abandoned on August 10, present and former railway employees. that the approach circuits on the Canada 1955. A glossary of terms will begin in this Southem had been approved to be extended Today, the remaining Canada Southern issue and continue until completed. Reference to provide about a mile and quarter between line is owned by CN and CP and the La will be made whenever possible to follow-up the outer approaches and the home signals. Salette section, operated by CN, sees very information, for those who wish to pursue a The distances on the Grand Tmnk were still limited traffic. This may become even less particular subject. the same as in 1906. now that CN have their new tunnel at Sarnia opened for traffic. Diesel history The first was produced in 1892 by Dr. Rudolph Diesel, a German scientist. Denis Taylor's and Alex Campbell's The first successful commercial engine was produced in 1897, and generated 25 horse• Stations power. The first North American diesel was a 60-horsepower model, used in St. Louis at the turn of the century. Due to their heavy weight, these first engines were used in fixed installations. The early diesel weighed more than 250 pounds for every horsepower produced. By comparison, the modem diesel engine now achieves one horsepower for every 12 to 15 pounds of engine weight, and is used in all modes of modern transportation. The first railway was built by Ingersoll-Rand for the Central Rail• way of New Jersey, and was delivered on October 22, 1925. It had a 300-horsepower engine and was used as a switcher. In Canada, the Canadian National Rail• ways received the 32nd diesel produced, in 1928. No. 9000 was the first diesel-electric road locomotive in North America, and boasted 2600 horsepower in two units. The took delivery of its first diesel-electric, No. 7000, in 1937. it Bredenbury, Saskatchewan, CPR - This station is still in service, with CP Rail trucks mustered 600 horsepower, and was intended parked outside. The station is of brick constmction, built to last. With the absence of its for switching service. Of the two pioneer platform, the building looks a little tall. New steps and railings have been added to make Canadian diesel-electrics, CPR No. 7000 still up for what one can assume was a wooden platform surrounding the building on all sides. exists, at the Canadian Railway Museum at The Bredenbury station comes close to what Bohi would have called a Type 10 station, Saint-Coastant, Quebec. although the dormers and roofline are somewhat different. The upper storey, where the station agent and his family would have lived in the early years, has been boarded up. The Railway glossary turret dormer in the centre of the track-side roof is quite Xinusual on the CPR, and it more A6 vo/ve - The operating device used on freight resembles something found on a Grand Tmnk Pacific station. The street-side centre dormer cars for charging, applying, and releasing the car does not follow the turret design, but is a simple two-window flush design instead. air brake. Another interesting detail for station buildings of this type is the limestone block Accelerated emergency release - A release fea• basement. Note the basement windows - one set still had glass, but the other was blocked ture for car air brake equipment which allows in with wood. The roof of station buildings is something we don't often see from the each car to assist In recharging the brake pipe by ground, but this photo shows the staining and markings that accumulate over the years. permitting emergency brake cylinder pressure to Note the long grey streaks emanating from the peak of the roof, and the tin chimney. flow Into the brake pipe during the Initial por• -Photo by Alex Campbell tion of the brake pipe recharge.

12 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 Transcontinental Railway and transit news from coast to coast

junction with its Gait Subdivision main line, COLLISION ON NORTH TORONTO SUB. and Orangeville, and has applied to abandon One westbound CP train ran into the tail end the section north of Orangeville. CP counted of another at Mount Pleasant on the North losses between Orangeville and Owen Sound Toronto Subdivision just after noon on May at an average of more that $1-million per 18. The first train, with 89 cars, was stopped, year from 1991 to 1994. Declining traffic and and the second, with five cars, was travelling revenues, higher operating costs, and at about 40 km/h when it hit the stopped ^STfRN CANADA increases in municipal property taxes are train. Two empty covered hopper cars were responsible, they say. The line is currently derailed, and the engine of the second train, Gordon Webster served by "The Moonlight," a freight train GP9 8210, was damaged. One track was Pat Scrimgeour running three times a week from Toronto to opened that afternoon and the second later CP RAIL SYSTEM Owen Sound. that evening. -Toronto Star, Toronto Sun Municipalities along the line had con• SHORTS SALE OF EASTERN LINES sidered hiring a consultant to investigate CP is again actively searching for purchasers CSX changed in February its designation for whether they should purchase it, but have CP trains running on its lines between Chica• of its lines east of Montreal. On offer are the concluded that they should not. The munci- sections of the and Sherbrooke go and Detroit. The trains had previously palities have not made any objections to the been given CSX numbers and a prefixed of subdivisions from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to NTA about CP's proposed abandonment. Lennoxville, and the connecting Newport and "R," but now retain their CP numbers and are Three investors, one of them RailTex and one preceded by a "Z." So, CP Train 501, which Lyndonville subdivisions from Brookport a volunteer on the South Simcoe Railway, south into , along with the Saint- was previously CSX Train R201, is now CSX have expressed interest in buying the section Train Z501. Guillaume Subdivision to Sainte-Rosalie and north of Orangeville, but CP says they want Canadian Pacific is sponsoring two new the Stanbridge Subdivision. The lines serve to be sure that a buyer has a reasonable exhibits in the Canadian Museum of Civili• 50 customers which generate about 10 000 chance of success before they would agree to sation's Canada Hall. One exhibit is a re• carloads of freight each year, and the lines sell, rather than abandon, the line. also cany about 25 000 carloads of bridge creation of a westem railway station, with a —Knight-Ridder Tribune, traffic to the Canadian American Railroad video theatre addressing the evolution of FinarKial Post, Le Soleil, Toronto Star (CDAC) at Lennoxville. At present, there are railways in Canada, and the other is a rail• 74 employees on these lines, 28 of whom are SOUTHERN TIER way siding with a 1920s boxcar. The exhibits based in the United States. CP has contacted CP Rail System has said that it is interested will be a permanent part of the museum in previous prospective purchasers, and expects in purchasing Conrail's Southern Tier line Hull, Quebec. to select a finalist by mid-1995 and to com• through New York and into New Jersey, if CP has acknowledged that it is reviewing plete the sale before the end of the year. Iron Conrail decides to sell. In 1992, CP's its senior management structure, but denied Road Railways, owner of the Windsor and Delaware and Hudson was close to a deal to published rumours that a reduction of staff of Hantspoit, CDAC, and Bangor and Aroostook, buy the line until talks were cancelled by 30 percent is planned. No changes are and holder of trackage rights over the CP Conrail. Conrail is considering shedding many expected before January 1. lines towards Montreal, is well-placed to be of its secondary lines in an effort to increase -C7C Board, Canada News-Wire the next owner. profits. CPE&T BECOMES INTERLINK Efforts by Jean-Marc Giguere to buy 382 DERAILMENTS IN QUEBEC Canadian Pacific Express and Transport kilometres of the abandoned Quebec Central One locomotive and two cars derailed at the Limited, which its employees bought six Railway lines from CP continue. Mr. Giguere east end of the yard in Farnham on May 28, months ago, has become Interlink Freight was expecting to make a final offer to CP at blocking a highway crossing for most of the Systems Incorporated. The company's ter• the end of May, after having hired the con• minals will have new signs within a few morning. This followed by only a few days sultants Canarail to evaluate the condition of weeks, and trucks and trailers will have the the derailment on May 24 of a locomotive in bridges on the line. His chief competitors for new logo and colours within 18 months. nearby Stanbridge. the purchase are U.S. firms who are looking Many trucks have already had the new logo On June 24, a train derailed at the CP-CN at the rails on the QCR for re-use. Giguere applied, but temporarily retain the light blue diamond in Lennoxville, Mile 65.95 of the CP said abandonment of the line makes the colour of CPE&T. The employee buyout was Sherbrooke Subdivision, a few metres west of purchase process more complicated. "Since one of the largest in Canadian business his• CP's connection with the Canadian American the line was abandoned in December 1994, it tory. Shares were issued in September 1994, Railroad. Seven cars derailed, three of which falls under provincial jurisdiction. We now based on salary levels, in the first instalment have to fight so that CP Rail System won't were empty propane cars. Two hundred of a six-year disbursement program. More dismantle the line. The fact that the Quebec people were evacuated as CP burned the shares were sold outright, raising the $2- government has no railway legislation to residue propane in the cars. The derailment million the employees needed to take over speak of further complicates matters." blocked the CN Sherbrooke Subdivision, CPE&T. Interlink says the freight and tmck- delaying trains between Montreal and the St. CP is also planning to sell or abandon the ing business is picking up because many com• Lawrence and Atlantic Railway. The CP and Owen Sound Subdivision between Streetsville panies are contracting-out deliveries so they CN lines were reopened early in the morning and Owen Sound, in Ontario. CP has offered can concentrate on their core businesses. of June 26. —Presse Canadienne for sale the section between Streetsville, -Calgary Herald

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • 13 Transcontinental Railway and transit news from coast to coast

it is flatter and 75 km shorter than CP Rail's OTHER PRIVATISATION MATTERS CANADIAN NATIONAL and passes through fewer populated areas. CN has agreed to sell TransTech, the remain• CN and CP incurred losses of $9.9-milIion on ing part of its once-extensive Moncton Shops, GOVERNMENT PLANS TO SELL CN their Ottawa valley lines between 1990 and to MEM Industries. TransTech now manufac• The Conunons in June passed Bill C-89, 1992, the NTA calculated. tures domestic containers for CN, and MEM authorising the government to sell the Cana• Spokesmen for both railways said the plans to continue and expand that business, dian National Railway Co. by offering shares status quo in the region is untenable because taking on between 70 and 90 current CN in the company. The bill is now in the Sen• there is insufficient traffic to support compet• employees and hiring up to 100 more. ate. The government plans a financial ing lines through the Ottawa Valley. CN A group formed to protect the Quebec reorganisation of CN, followed by the share spokesman Mike Matthews said the railway Bridge has asked the federal Minister of offering this October. The government hopes may look at re-routing traffic out of the Canadian Heritage to designate the bridge as to bring in $1.5- to $2.5-billion with the sale valley, but stressed that no decisions have a national historic monument, and is trying of CN, an amount which is far less than the been made about the fate of CN's line. CP to persuade or force the government to value of its assets but is set instead by com• Rail spokesman Paul Thurston said, "I can't exclude the bridge from the sale of CN. parison with the earnings of the railway. foresee for very much longer that there will The City of Waterloo has agreed to buy The sale will likely be of the railway only. be two duplicating lines in the Ottawa Valley. its city hall from CN for $7.2-million. The Side businesses, such as Canac International, Something will happen. But what exactly city has occupied half of CN's Waterloo City AMF Technotransport, the Hotel Scribe in that's going to be we're not able to say." The Centre since the building opened in 1987. CN Paris, the CN Tower in Toronto, and CN Real railways may end up selling viable segments turned down an offer of $9.7-million from Estate, will either be sold separately or of their Ottawa valley lines to short-line the city in 1991. retained by the government. The government companies, and route western Canadian PDS Rail Car Services of Calgary is nego• may buy the real estate from CN in order to traffic to or from Montreal via Toronto. tiating to buy from CN the Grand Trunk allow CN to reduce its theoretical debt, then The announcement ends almost two years Westem shops in Port Huron, Michigan. PDS combine it with surplus land from the closing of sometimes-bitter opposition to the propo• specialises in maintaining and rebuilding tank of Canadian Forces bases and begin a large- sal. The Brotherhood of Maintenance Way cars, and is interested in the shop because it scale land sale. Employees challenged the merger, pointing is close to the petrochemical plants in Samia. The legislation requires CN to maintain not only to the 60 jobs threatened by this The CAW released a copy it had obtained its head office in Montreal and to continue to particular closure, but also to another 3 000 of the 1986 agreement under which CN sold offer services in both of Canada's official jobs imperilled if the plan was extended to its trucking operations to a company which languages, and also restricts a single share• other lines. Shipping customers, who operated them as Route Canada, until it shut holder from owning more than 15 percent of mounted the other legal challenge, feared down 17 months later. The union says that the company. The legislation makes no requi• that the lack of competition would mean over SlOO-million in land was sold for only rement against foreign ownership of CN. higher prices, although both CP and CN $23-million, and suspects that mortgages on Canadian Pacific has said that it supports planned to use the line. There was also this land paid for the purchase. This spring, the sale of CN into private hands but objects opposition to the plan because it would two Route Canada executives were found to the government paying to reduce CN's increase railway traffic through Algonquin guilty of defrauding the company of $3.2- debt. Naturally, any money which goes to CN Park. million. works against CP's.interests. -Canadian Press, Financial Post, Ottawa Citizen -Canadian Press, Le Soleil, Kitchener-Waterloo —Canadian Press. Toronto Star Record, Knight-RidderITribune Business SALE OF AMF PROPOSED OTTAWA VALLEY CN is negotiating with the European com• and Market News CO-PRODUCTION CANCELLED pany GEC-Alsthom for the sale of AMF Tech• DERAILMENTS On June 12, CP and CN announced that they notransport, the current name of CN's F'ointe Train 420 (Noranda-Montreal) derailed have scrapped their joint-venture agreement Saint-Charles railway shops in Montreal. twice in one month on one short section of to establish a single shared route through the GEC-Alsthom is known as the manufacturer the La Tuque Subdivision. On May 6, two Ottawa Wiley. The two railways blamed the of the TGV in France, but its predecessor cars of the train (with units 4026-9303-EML termination on court appeals of an NTA also built the Z-4-a electric 806, 74 loads and two empties) derailed at decision to approve the partnership, and their locomotives that were recently retired from Mile 94.6 and were dragged to Mile 91.7. To inability to devise alternatives. The railways service through the Mont-Royal tunnel. repair the track, 7000 new ties were agreed in June 1993 to operate a joint route In trying to become a self-sufficient arm required, and the bridge at Mile 93.7 needed of 590 kilometres between de Beaujeu, in of CN, AMF has gained outside contracts for attention. Then, on June 2, three cars of the westem Quebec, and Yelleck, near North Bay, rebuilding equipment, from VIA, the STCUM, train (with units 9419-9595-9509, 67 loads, Ontario. The "co-production" venture would U.S. railways, and even CP Rail, but its and two empties) derailed at Mile 89.9. Two have enabled the two railways to consolidate revenues do not yet cover its costs. AMF has cars went into the nearby river and the third operations and abandon under-utilised track, been trying to reduce its labour costs by remained upright on the tracks. In both and was originally scheduled to take place on unsuccessfully denying that it is covered by cases, some freights were diverted over the July 1, 1994. CN collective agreements, and more recently Ontario Northland and others were held. As part of the deal, CP Rail was to aban• in negotiations for a new agreement. AMF's Train 1113Q-10 (Brampton-Fort Rouge) don its Ottawa valley lines between Smiths biggest competitoi; Morrison-Knudsen's MK derailed at Canyon, Ontario, at Mile 90.2 on Falls and Mattawa, except for a small seg• Rail, has had severe financial difficulty in the the Redditt Subdivision, at 11:45 on May 11. ment between Pembroke and Camspur. CN last few months, and any related uncertainly The intermodal train had SD40-2 5320 and was to abandon three kilometres of track in could help AMF to get more work. GP40-2 9414 pulling 37 loads and five North Bay. In November 1993, the NTA AMF is Montreal's largest industrial empties. The trailing unit derailed east of the approved the agreement. The 440 km CN employer, with 1300 workers. east siding switch, causing a break in the fuel route was chosen to be maintained because -Montreal Gazette, Canadian Press tank which led to a fire, which was quickly

14 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 Transcontinental Railway and transit news from coast to coast

extingtushed. The line was reopened at CN GETS MAIL CONTRACT make it a very successful business," said 03:00, but eastbound trains 218, 114, 102, CN has won- a contract from Canada Post Serge Belzile, president and chief operating 204, 116, 112, and 102, and westbounds Corporation to move about 13 percent of its officer of the SCFQ. "Being locally-based is 101, 111, 211, 115, 215, 203, and 219 were long-haul mail over the next three years. important because we are more able to see delayed. From Montreal and Toronto to Vancouver, and respond to the needs of customers and Seventeen cars of Train 3853M-21 CN will carry 25 percent of the mail. CN will potential customers." The owners of the derailed on May 22 at Mile 13.6 of the GTW cany publications, advertising mail, and SCFQ also bring particular strengths to its Mount Clemens Subdivision in suburban parcel post in containers; first-class mail management as a transportation company, he Detroit. The train was hauled by GP40-2s continues to move long distances by air. added: "For example, the Groupe Jean Foum- 9673, 9515, and 9470, and had 26 loads and -Financial Post ier owns a Baie-Comeau tracking company; 17 empties. The 11th to 27th cars derailed, they know the region and its shippers very NORTH SYDNEY LAYOFFS with the 23rd and 24th cars blocking High• well. Central Westem Railway, with two lines Marine Atlantic will cut eight jobs in October way 1-696. The highway was closed for 21 in Alberta, has experience operating short when it stops unloading containers from CN hours. Following the derailment, the U.S. lines since 1986. Logistec has a stevedoring cars onto femes crossing the Gulf of St. Federal Rahroad Administration placed tem• operation at the Port of Montreal." Lawrence. Eight longshoremen and two porary slow orders on much of the Mormt Other partners include the FFI Group, equipment maintenance employees in North Clemens Sub. which caused lengthy delays to headed by Montreal businessman Pierre Sydney will lose their jobs. Marine Atlantic is trains imtil the track could be inspected and Martin, and the Caisse de depot et placement squeezed between fixed costs and declining repaired. du Quebec (Quebec's pension ftmd). rail container traffic. The $ 1 -million price-tag A CN train derailed 11 cars at about The new railway has 14 employees, some to replace aging eqttipment is considered to 05:30 in Moncton on June 16. The train had of them former CN employees, noted Belzfle. be prohibitive. -Halifax Daily News 49 loads and 2 empties, and the 9th to 19th Major customers on. the line include the cars derailed. Some cars toppled oveq while EASTERN SHORT LINES "~ paper and cement industries. The new rail• others remained upright. Only one car was way interchanges traffic with CN at Limoflou canying dangerous goods, and it remained LE TORTILLAfLD DU SAINT-LAURENT in Quebec. upright and didn't leak. There were no Le Tortillard dii Saint-Laurent passenger train, • (The French-language term for "short-line injuries. Trains 305 and 307- were delayed operated by Les Trains Touristiques Saint- railway" is "chemin de fer d interSt local," because of the derailment. The derailment Laurent over the Chemin de fer de Charlevoix abbreviated as CFIL.) —CN Keeping Track occurred just east of the Moncton VIA sta• (Societe des Chemins de fer du Quebec) CDAC/EMR SALE STILL CONTROVERSAL tion, near the Sobeys store in Highfield began operating on June 17. The route is CP's sale of its line through the state of Square. Queen and Lutz Streets were blocked along the St. Lawrence River, at the foot of is still a source of controversy between by the rear of the train. the mountains on the north shore. CP, the unions representing its workers, and The Transportation Safety Board of The train leaves from Gate du Palais in the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission Canada has concluded that the collision on Quebec at 07:30 on its four-hour trip to (ICC). The Bangor and Aroostook bought the February 16 in London was caused by excess• Pointe-au-Pic, with intermediate stops at section west of Brownville Junction, and ive speed and a missed signal. Train 272 did Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre and Baie-Saint-Paul. operates it as the Canadian American Rail• not observe a stop signal, and 331 metres The retum trip leaves Pointe-au-Pic at 17:30. road (CDAC), and J. D. Irving bought the later ran into the taU end of the stopped En route, commentary is given about the eastern section, called it the Eastern Maine Train 308. The board's investigators found no culture and history of, and the railway's role Railroad, and arranged for the CDAC to evidence of a signal malfimction. in, the Charlevoix and Cote-de-Beaupre area. operate it. —Tom Box, CBC, London Free Press, Two classes of service are offered, com• fort class, at $89 retum, and first class, at When CP decided to sell the line, it YARD RELOCATIONS PROPOSED $109 retum. Breakfast and dinner, and the withdrew its abandonment application for the The cities of Hamilton, in Ontario, and Dart• use of shuttle buses at Baie-Saint-Paul and U.S. trackage. (CP had authority to abandon mouth, in Nova Scotia, are both proposing to from Pointe-au-Pic to La Malbaie, are the Canadian sections of the line.) The sale relocate CN yards away from their waterfront included in the fare. For information or was contested by the UTU and TCU, which areas. In Hamilton, the city is asking CN to reservations, call 1-800-563-2008. claimed the transactions were a sham under• ' close its Stuart Street yards in Hamilton and taken to avoid labour protection, as labour The company has eight cars, which have expand those at Aldershot, in Burlington. The protection would have been imposed had the been renovated to their 1950s condition. Two land would then be redeveloped with such abandonment application been granted. The are first-class cars, five are comfort-class amenities as boutiques, a stadium, a museum unions asked that the ICC impose labour coaches, and one is a restaurant-bar car. or aquarium, gardens, and residential and protection agreements such as those the Le Tortiiiard du Saint-Laurent runs daily commercial development; all this would be at agency has imposed in other transactions. from Jtme 17 to October 31, and may also a cost of about half a billion dollars. The cost The UTU said that, at the very least, ran on weekends during the winter.-Le Soleil to move the CN yards is estimated at $100- employees should get various separation million. Burlington 'cotmcillois oppose the CHEMIN DE FER DE CHARLEVOIX allowance options CP offered in discussions idea. The city of Dartmouth is hoping to The Chemin de fer de Charlevoix, a subsidi• surrounding the transaction. move their yard at a cost of $7-million, but ary of the Societe des Chemins de fer du The ICC rejected the unions' suggestions, there are fears that the costs of cleaning the Quebec and the first short line railway in but rather than make a final decision gave CP contaminated soil in the yard will push that Quebec, started operations on December 1, and the unions more time to negotiate a amounr higher.. Some of the railway land 1994, on 147 kilometres of the former CN settlement. -Knight-Ridder Tribune could also revert to the Dartmouth Common Murray Bay Subdivision along the north and thus be unavailable for commercial shore of the St. Lawrence River. GUILFORD TO McADAM redevelopment. "We believe that local management as a Guilford has begun operating a train to Mc- Adam, , over the Eastern —Hamilton Spectator, Halifax Daily News short line will give us enough advantage to Maine Railroad east of Mattawamkeag,

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • 15 Transcontinental RaiLioay and transit news from coast to coast

Maine. In March, Springfield Terminal trains power modified RSI8, built in 1959 (orig- PONB (Portland, Maine, to McAdam) and inaUy with four axles, and generating 1800 iMA NBPO (McAdam to Portland) began running horsepower) as No. 3847. It was modified three times a week. At McAdam, these trains and derated in 1975, using trucks from CN interchange wth the New Brunswick South• RSC13 1702. -CRHA New Brunswick DMshn's ern, which acts as the connection with Guil• New Brunswick Update ford's isolated line at Woodland, Maine. PONB runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and OTHER NEWS WESTIRNCANADA Saturdays, and NBPO runs on Mondays, DEUX-MONTAGNES LINE Gray Scrimgeour Wednesdays, and Fridays. When J. D. Irving CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER #570- 188 Douglas Street bought the EMR from CP in January this The STCUM commuter service between Victoria, B.C. V8V2Pr yeaq it announced that the line wotdd be Montreal and Deux-Montagnes through the E-Mail: 70614.3561 ©compuserve.com used by trains of both the Canadian American Mont-Royal tuimel has closed again for the Railroad and Guilford, but only CDAC oper• summei; the third shut-down of its complete AMTRAK ations began immediately. —CTC Board rebuilding programme. When the line reopens NEV/ SEATTLE TRAIN BEGINS IRON ROAD COMPLETES PURCHASE after the summeq trains will be using the Passenger train service between Vancouver OF B&A, CDAC new equipment and stopping at many new and Seattle resumed on Wednesday, May 24, Iron Road Railways of Washington, D.C., a stations. with a special northbound Mount Baker holding company that invests in and manages In May, service to Deux-Montagnes was International canying dignitaries and media. short-line railways, acquired the 285-ldlo- removed and trains terminated at Laval-sur- The train was a half hour late by the time it metre Canadian American Railroad (CDAC) le-Lac station. A shuttle bus connected the reached White Rock, B.C., because of the and the 672-kilometre, Bangor and Aroostook trains with the Deux-Montagnes station, and festivities along the way. Latei; some Cres• Railroad (B&A) from Fieldcrest Cannon of locomotive-hauled trains reversed in the cent Beach residents protested by holding up Kannapolis, North Carolina, on March 17, siding at Des Prairies. The cut-back of service placards complaining about the trains and 1995 for $28-mmion (U.S.). allowed the installation of new overhead their speed. Surrey Mayor Bob Bose, who was The CDAC owns the former CP line wires south of Deux-Montagnes. At the same on board for the inaugural, said the import• between Lennoxville, Quebec, and BrownvUle time, the station at Laval-Links was perma• ance of the service reviving intercity rail Jet., Maine, and has trackage rights over CP nently closed, to allow the extension of the travel outweighs the risk of possible acci• Rail west to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec siding at Des Prairies. dents. "There is a risk to everything you do, (though CDAC currently uses those rights June 2 was the last day of operation for but ids a very small risk in my judgment," he only as far as Sherbrooke), and over the the 2400 V (DC) locomotives and multiple- said in an interview. "This is a very important Eastern Maine Railroad and New Brunswick unit cars. Railfans from across North America service." Regular service started on Friday Southem Railway east to McAdam, New were everywhere along the line for the last May 26. Although there is 30 minutes of Brunswick. days of operation. Every, type of equipment scheduled padding just outside Vancouver was used - the Z-l-a, Z-4-a, and Z-5-a elec• the trains arrived 15 to 20 minutes late every SALEM AND HILLSBOROUGH NOTES tric locomotives, the multiple-unit cars, GP9s day in May. The time seems to be lost in In 1994, the S&H ran 44 regular trips, carry• in the CN 7000-series, and coaches in VIA Washington, between Seattle and Blaine. ing 3290 passengers, and 31 diner runs, and CN colours - to the delight of the rail- On May 27 to 29, to relieve potential sig• carrying 1394 passengers. They are proud to fans. (The large number of people with nalling problems with the Talgo cars and the say that on the date of their devastating shop cameras, video machines, and clipboards did need for wyeing in Vancouver a second fire, September 16, their scheduled dinner- cause some confusion for regular com• F40PH facing south was added to the rear train trip ran only nine minutes late. muters.) K end of the train in Seattle. By shortening the Following the fire, RSls 208 and 209, tum-around time in Vancouver this arrange• and coaches Violet, Nauwidgewauk, Maple- • MISQELLANEOUS NOTES The two U.Sr steam locomotives that were to ment also prevents the Seattle crew from wood, Sugarwood, and No. 70005 were mnning out of time during a return trip. On scrapped, though several parts were salvaged travel acroks southem Ontario en route to Steamtown in Pennsylvania did not. CP. Rail May 30, there was no second engine and the from No. 209- Also destroyed were two motor crew ran out of time on the way south. cars and a traileq a track tampeq a track found that the locomotives would not clear —VoncoLfver Sun. Dove Wilkie, Dean Ogle hnei; a mobile air compressor; a mobile the walkways in the rebuilt Detroit River Tunnel, and so an alternate route over CSX weldeq a mobile two ton crane, and a half- BRlflsTTcOLUMBIA RAILWAY ton truck. The frames and trtrcks of heavily- lines entirely within the U.S. was adopted. In damaged CN flanger 56471 and CN baggage the end, only Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261 STEAM TRAIN IN FILM car 8604 have been saved. CPR 4-4-0 29 will went to Steamtown; the higher transporta• A train with ex-CPR stea.m locomotive 3716 be restored as a display, and there may be tion costs prevented Pere Marquette 2-8-4 was used early this year in the movie "He the possibility of returning it to operations in 1225 from going. Ain't Heavy," starring Kris Kristofferson and the, future. CN flat car 662101 and CN for• GO Transit has installed an audible plat• Mickey Rooney. The train also included four mer railway post office car 74993 were form warning system at its Port Credit station EC Rail business cars and three boxcars and salvaged. Two cats were also scrapped due to on the CN Oakville Subdivision. As freight or a caboose from the West Coast Railway Heri• their poor condition, not as a result of the passenger trains approach, an announcement tage Park. The locomotive and cars were fire: MRLX 0020 (the former VIA Margaree is made that "a train is approaching," asking based at the CN Lulu Island Yard in north River) and MRLX 0025 (the former VIA passengers to "please stand with your belong• Richmond, and went back and forth between Rideau River). ings behind the yellow line." there and Port Mann Yard, or south to the GO Transit reports a "late fall" date for wye in Richmond. The train was also filmed In February CN donated RSI8 1754 to the opening of the Hamilton GO Centre, the crossing the Fraser River Bridge. the S&H, where it will be used to replace former TH&B Hunter Street Station. -PCD The Sondhouse RSI 208. The unit is a six-axle, 1400 horse•

16 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 Transcontinental Railway and transit news from coast to coast

NEW CABOOSELESS OPERATION smoke was visible from much of Victoria, 1200 and 1500 feet of track. The train cut BC Rail has stopped using cabooses on most damage appears to be limited to surface off the three cars and continued east. The of its trains. Of the 38 cabooses formerly in charring of pilings and old deck ties. About track was re-opened on June 2 at 21:00. • use, seven will remain on work trains north one third of the half-kilometre trestle was There was a fire on the timber trestle cross• of Chetwynd and Fort St. James. All 70 charred. Work is to start this summer on ing Muskeg River at Mile 70.4 on the Grande caboose-based employees accepted buyouts of converting the trestle and its undamaged lift Cache Subdivision on May 30. Because the as much as $130 000. Now that BCR has span into part of the Galloping Goose bridge was destroyed, the line was closed gone cabooseless, all cabooseless trains must regional bicycle path. Firemen used tempor• until about July 1. Traffic operated over the contact the RTC by radio between xx:45 and ary water guns on two boats to douse the BCR through Dawson Creek and Prince xx:00 each hour. This keeps the RTC from flames. High winds, dry weather, and the George. doing anything else on the radio in that crust of creosote on the wooden trestle 15-minute period until all trains have helped the fire to spread quickly. CP RAIL SYSTEM checked in. — Victoria Times-Colonist GRADE CROSSING ACCIDENT -North Shore News via David Byrnes, Dean Ogie DERAILMENTS Five teenagers were killed in Saskatchewan BCR TO SPEND $I30-MILLION Eleven cars of coal on a freight train left the on May 28 as they returned from a weekend BC Rail is to invest $130-million in capital tracks in the yard at Boston Bar, B.C. on May church camp. The teens were travelling in a projects this year. The four new 4400 horse• 19, blocking the main line. A short segment van which was struck by an eastbound CP power Dash 9-44C locomotives delivered of track was damaged and a power switch Rail train near Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. from GE will cost $2.25-million each. Re• was destroyed. There were no injuries. • On The van was driven by 19 year-old Trent placement of some of the remaining sections May 30, there was a derailment at Mile 81 of Plato. He was following his father, Harold, of bolted rail on the main line with continu• the Elrose Subdivision in Saskatchewan. The who was driving another van. The elder Plato ous welded rail will cost $12-million. The last three cars (all containing grain) on an passed the CP level crossing just as the red biggest single expenditure will be $31-million eastbound 50-car train led by SD40s 5034 lights began to flash. Harold Plato says he for new freight cars and modification to and 5113 left the tracks, damaging between hoped his son would see the lights and stop. existing cars. The railway will also spend $5-million on re-engining several switching locomotives and T Fire on the former CN bridge over the Selkirk Water, in Victoria. Photo by Darren Petrovicz. $8-million on various engineering works, including tie replacement. The installation of additional trackside hotbox and dragging equipment detectors will cost $3-million. BC Rail spent $100-million on capital projects in 1994, and $14-million of the current budget represents work held over from the previous year. -Vancouver Province BURLINGTON NORTHERN PRIVATE CARS BN SWlOOOs 390 and 391, and Terry Fergus- son's cars Mount Cascade, Grand View, 803, 802, 741, and 301 made a round-trip from New Westminster to White Rock tor BN employees, retirees, and families on Saturday, May 28. The same trip was made the follow• ing day for people from Labatts Brewery and Fergusson's invited guests. Mount Cascade and Grand View will probably run on the Royal Hudson steam train this year. -Dean Ogie FUEL SPILL Approximately 1800 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled on April 28 onto the BN right of way just south of Willingdon Junction. A southbound CN train, led by SD40-2 5234, struck some debris placed on the track just outside the tunnel from North Vancouver. -Deon Ogie CANADIAN NATIONAL BRIDGE FIRE IN VICTORIA There was a spectacular fire on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 30 on the old CN Rail trestle across Selkirk Water in Victoria. Although the

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • 17 Transcontinental Railway and transit news from coast to coast

"I didn't know what to do because it entered TUNNEL UPGRADES my mind right away that my son depends on The MacDonald track through Rogers Pass MOTIYEJ^WER me and he'll foUow me. But I couldn't stop," was closed during May for a five-hour work 1,. 7 \ he said. The van was hit broadside by the block each day as crews installed a venti• r train. lation system in the Shaughnessy Tunnel. -4- - Five of the seven teens in the van were Later this summei; the older Connaught track J killed instantly. Two others survived. The will be closed while the floor in the engineer of the CP train Qed by CP SD40-2 Connaught Tunnel is lowered two feet to John Carter 5807) was badly shaken by the incident. accommodate higher cars. 2400 Queen Street East #204 Motorists who were on the scene comforted -Dove Chornell via Dean Ogle Scarborough, Ontario MIN IA2 him. The engineer broke down in tears as he U.S. GATEWAY DOUBLE-TRACK E-Mail: [email protected] watched emergency crews try in vain to save CP Rail is double-tracking its main line into the teens. The van wrapped completely Moose Jaw and expanding the diesel facilities NEW POWER around the front of the locomotive, and had there. The track-expansion programme, to be cut open with the "jaws of life" to TURBINE LOCOMOTIVES starting in June, involves constructing a remove the victims. A crane was eventually A engine proposed by a North second track for 4.8 kilometres between used to remove the destroyed van from the Vancouver company and two U.S. partners Moose Jaw and Pasqua. Moose Jaw is becom• tracks. could cut railway fuel costs by more than one ing an important location on CP's system, third, an independent study shows. Computer COUGAR ATTACK with much traffic to-and from the U.S. pas• modelling done by BC Rail suggests that gas A CP Rail worker was attacked by a cougar sing through the city. -Canada News-Wire turbine-powered locomotives running on on a remote stretch of railway about 30 compressed natural gas can give a 37 percent U.S. GRAIN VIA CANADA kilometres north of Creston, B.C. The cougar saving over the cost of diesel-electrics. "The American grain shippers may boost their use jumped on the man's back. While being cost-saving looks very good. It is due to the of Canadian railways in the 1995-96 crop attacked, the worker held off the cougar with price of natural gas and the efficiency and year. For the past year, grain has been moved one hand, and, as the animal was biting the reliability of modem gas turbines," said BC between farms in the U.S. and elevators in hand, he called for help from nearby Rail operations analyst Da-vid Parkinson. workmates on the radio. Portland, Oregon, via CPRS lines in the United States and Canada. The westbound Parkinson simulated the operating per• Two other CP employees rushed to the grain trains cross the international border at formance of a pro• man's aid. One got a large wrench from a Portal, North Dakota, and move along CP posed by Applied Power and Propulsion truck and beat the hungry emaciated cougar lines through Saskatchewan and Alberta, Incorporated of North Vancouver, and part• off the victim. The injured man's finger was crossing back into the U.S. at Eastport, Idaho. ners Allison Engine Company of Indianapolis, nearly severed. He also suffered claw marks Customs requirements are simplified as the Indiana, and Allied Signal Corporation of Los to his head, back and arms. The cougar was grain moves through Canada on sealed unit Angeles. Fuel bum and other results for a later tracked down and killed. -CBC trains. round trip with a 100-car train were com• pared with the known performance of a train MINOR CP DERAILMENT NOTES American grain companies are now using drawn by 4000 h.p. SD60 diesel-electric CP Rail doesn't know what caused a derail• CP Rail because freight rates, even without units. Parkinson said he is now keen to test ment on its main line near Fleming, the Western Grain Transportation Act sub• drive n gas-turbine locomotive over northern Saskatchewan, on May 3, when more than sidy, are lower than Burlington Northern B.C. trackage in a second computer simula• 40 cars of an eastbotmd freight train jumped rates through North Dakota and Montana. In tion. the tracks. Most of the derailed cars carried the past, the subsidised Canadian grain rates wheat and other grains. CP put thousands of made it difficult for U.S. shippers to use The study proposes using a compact 8000 bushels of spilled grain from the derailed cars Canadian railways. With the cancellation of horsepower Allison gas turbine derived from up for sale. Farmeis with augers and large transportation subsidies at the start of the proven designs of aviation engines. The trucks converged on the accident site to 1995-96 crop year, U.S. companies may be turbine would be coupled to an AC scoop up the peas, beans, wheat, barley, and inclined to look further at Canadian railways to provide power for axle-mounted traction flax. CP crews used backhoes and cranes to for grain movements. Shipments through motors. "The space requirement, for the tur• empty the cars and pile the grain for the Canada may be constrained by capacity on bine-alternator is very modest, so most of the farmersj One farmer bought three carloads of Canadian railways, and by the limited num• locomotive body can be filled with natural- beans at what he described as a bargain ber of avaflable cars. CN has not yet experi• gas cylinders," Parkinson said. The saving on price. • A broken rad caused a CP freight enced a similar upsurge in grain traffic. engine size and weight is needed because train to derail near Stlton, Saskatchewan, on compressed natural gas is bulky, with a 50 —Knight-Ridder Business News Friday, May 5. Eighteen cars of a northbound percent weight penalty oyer diesel fuel, even freight train derailed on a secondary line near THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER " when lightweight gas-storage cylinders are Silton, northwest of Regina. No injuries were used. APP president Frank Donnelly said: reported and none of the cars contained any MORE NEW CARS "The bottom line is that you can readily dangerous goods. • On Friday, June 2, two GCRC have bought four cars from VIA for the achieve a minimum fuel cost-saving of 37 units CSD40-2 5920 and SD40 5535) and Rocky Moimtameer (snack bar-coaches 3201, percent by replacing diesel-electrics with gas eight cars left the track at Brant, Alberta 3204, 3212, and 3244). On April 29, coaches turbines burning cheap natural gas." He said when a CP train collided with a gravel truck. 3201 and 3212 were at CN's Sarcee yard in the improved operating availability of high- The driver of the truck was taken to the Calgary with temporary white lettering for hoisepower gas turbines and the fact that hospital with minor injuries, and the train GCRC at the right-hand end of each side. The fewer locomotives will be needed could yield conductor was hospitalised for observation. cars wound up in Kamloops, as the number savings as high as 50 percent in overall oper• of GCRC cars there had increased by late ating costs. —Voncouver Province —Canadian Press, Victoria Times-Coionist April. —Bob Sandusky, BRS Branchline

18 • Rail and Transit • June 1995 Transcontinental Railway and transit news from coast to coast

only 27. seats, compared to 39 or 40 in cur• tended bus rolled forward onto a sidewalk, IN TRA rent buses. The bus has two doors, one at the killing two waiting passengers. front and one at the reaq instead of at the A provincial court judge acquitted Steed• centre of the bus, where it would take up too en of driving without due care and attention. much room. A push-bar switch is used to The B.C. Supreme Court later reversed the 1 1 1 1 open the rear dooq instead of the more- acquittal on a Crown appeal. Steeden is now common treadle. attempting to have the reversal reversed in The bus has a small window at the reaq the B.C. Court of Appeal. Scott Haskill and motmted above it is a electronic destina• —Voncouver Sun vjo Deon Ogle Ashford Hall, 2520 Bloor Street West #15 tion sign large enough for four letters or Toronto, Ontario M6S IR8 FRASER VALLEY SERVICE CUT numbers. The front electronic destination Fraser Valley commuters suffered a setback E-Mail: 72154.133 IOcompuserve.com sign is larger than on older models. The on February 1 when Fra'ser Valley Bus and buildef s plate lists the bus as model 06.501, TORONTO Charter discontinued rush-hotu: subttrban built in May 1995. service between Chilliwack and Vancouver NEW TICKETS AND TRANSFERS The bus was originally due to be due to financial losses approaching $20 000 New tickets were introduced in early May, delivered to the TTC in late 1993. A second a month. The operation was the last remnant and differ considerably from previous TTC prototype has been delivered to London of Pacific Stage Lines' Fraser Valley service, designs. The new tickets are designed to be Transit, as part of a long-delayed order by which operated a full, aU-day schedule in the harder to counterfeit, and . to reduce fare that transit agency. valley as late as 1984 before being privatised abuse. The new tickets are largeq about llA by the provincial government of the day. The inches wide by IV2. inches tall, and make use CALGARY current abandonment was not authorised by of bright fluorescent colours, swirling lines, ' NEW TRANSIT MUSEUM the provincial Motor Carrier Commission, and and coloured shading. The paper they are Calgarians will soon be able to trace the the Commission promptly pulled the printed on is intended to be resistant to history of their city's public transit system at company's charter license. splitting, which was a common scam - each the Calgary Municipal Railway and Bus side of the ticket would be used separately. —VancouYer Sun via Dean Ogle Museum. The permanent museum will open' ROYAL HUDSON BUSES At the same time,- transfers were changed to the public this summer at Calgary Transit's As in past years, BC Transit will operate to include a prominent week number on both Spring Gardens Complex, 928 32nd Ave special buses to connect with the Royal sides. Different-coloured printing' each day Connectoq in northeast Calgary. The Calgary Hudson excursions between North Vancouver continues to be used on the transfers, and the Municipal Railway and Bus Museum Society and Squamish. The steam train leaves the BC week number makes it harder to use a cor• has set up a storage and work location and Rail North Vancouver station at 10:00 on the rectly-coloured transfer from a previous week. has been working for some time to put following dates: LITTLE-KNOWN ROUTE ENDS together a permanent museum. June 3, 4, 9-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-30 One of the TTC's least known and least used —Oty of Calgary July 1-3, 5-9, 12-16, 19-23,26-30 bus routes.ceased operations on June 16. The August 2-7, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30, 3 I 425-Downtown route began operation in VANCOUVER September 1-4, 6-10, 15-17 January, between St. George Station and PRIVATE TRANSIT INVESTMENT A bus will leave the Vancouver terminus Ryerson Univeisity,. serving along the way the Private money might be the only way of on Beatty Street, near Stadium Station, at •Oniveisity of Toronto, the provincial govern• expanding rapid transit lines to serve the 09-:00, picking up passengers at a limited ment buildings, and many of the downtown city's growing population, a regional manager number of stops; another bus will leave hospitals. The route operated every 30 min• says. As governments cut spending, plans for Lonsdale Quay at 09:03 (09:33 on Saturdays, utes during the daytime on weekdays, and three light-rail lines in the Greater Vancouver Sundays, and hoKdays) and travel nonstop to used two Wheel-Trans Orion II community regional district are gathering dust. But not the BCR station. Buses en route to the station buses. The route was designed to give a more building rapid transit will be even more will show "Royal Hudson" in the destination spontaneous transit alternative for customers expensive, regional manager Ben Mart said in panels. Return buses leave the station at who are ttnable to use conventional transit a report Tuesday to the district's strategic 16:10. Regular fares apply and transfers will services, and is was also open to all TTC cus• planning committee. He recommended that be issued and accepted. —6C Transit tomers. The route was used by on average staff be allowed to investigate new ways of less than 20 people each day, and was financmg transit, including private ventures ~~ VICTORIA cancelled so that the buses can be used more and public-private partnerships. Mart says RIGHT-OF-WAY SAVED productively on other 'Wheel-Trans services. rapid transit is the best way to shape growth The B.C. provincial government has verified in a region where a near-doubling of the FIRST ORION VI ON PROPERTY that it will maintain its commitment to population to three million is expected by The TTC's first Orion 'VI CNG-fueled low-floor reserve the former CN right-of-way west from 2021. -Canadian Press bus arrived at HOlcrest on May 31. Numbered Victoria, from Tillicum Road to Colwood, for 2000, the bus is the first of two pre-produc• TROLLEY COACH RUNAWAY CASE a future transit line. In a letter to the Victoria tion prototypes, and will be used in service "The case of the runaway bus" is still wend• Regional Transit Commission, the Transporta• on routes operating out of Wilson Garage. ing its way through the provincial court tion and Highways Minister said that, despite 'When delivered, it was almost ready to go, system. On March 12, 1992, driver Gregory some necessary encroachment for the new with its simplified TTC colour scheme (no Steeden arrived at the end of his 8-Davie Island Highway widening, the ministry will grey'On the sides), farebox, transfer cuttei; trolleybus route. Finding the bus ahead of ensure that sufficient right-of-way will remain and CIS monitoring system all present. him still there, Steeden admits that he "bum• to permit a future transit facility. There has The bus has less usable inside space than ped" his bus into the other , forgot to been concern that the highway improvement high-floor buses, because of the space taken set his brakes, and left his bus for a short rest would prevent future rapid transit use. up by the engine and . There are break. The other bus left, and Steederis unat• —Victoria Times-Coionist

Rail and Transit • June 1995 • 19