TECHNICAL ARTICLE

AS PUBLISHED IN The Journal October 2019 Volume 137 Part 4

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Kerrie Illsley JOURNAL PRODUCTION EDITOR Permanent Way Institution [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS JOURNAL ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE EDITOR OR OF THE INSTITUTION AS A BODY. TECHNICAL

AUTHOR:

What in Phil Kirkland

PWI Vice President for England the world…? (North)

An occasional look at some significant rail infrastructure developments overseas with the intention of ‘inspiring and exciting’ both today’s and tomorrow’s railway infrastructure engineers.

Hudson Bay has a polar climate being one towns or cities, with Thompson, approximately Hudson Bay of the few places in the world where this 400 km, (250 mi), to the south, being the type of climate is found south of 60° N. From closest larger settlement. Manitoba’s provincial Arviat, Nunavut to the west, to the south and capital, Winnipeg, is approximately 1,000 km, Railway southeast prevails the subarctic climate. The (620 mi), south of Churchill. Much of the land average annual temperature in almost the surrounding Churchill and towards Thompson entire bay is around 0° C or below. Water and Winnipeg comprises Tundra and Muskeg INTRODUCTION temperature peaks at 8–9° C, (46–48° F), on swamp. the western side of the bay in late summer. The remote areas of Northern Manitoba It is largely frozen over from mid-December Originally, the Hudson Bay port where the rail reaching up to Hudson Bay in Canada have to mid-June when it usually clears from its line was to terminate was to have been Port seen some significant and rather amazing eastern end, westwards and southwards. Nelson, at the mouth of the Nelson River, railway activity in recent years: A steady increase in regional temperatures which drains Lake Winnipeg. During World over the last 100 years has been reflected War One the construction of the rail line was • The disposal of nationalised assets to a in a lengthening of the ice-free period which suspended to divert resources to the war private company had been as short as four months in the late effort. When construction was recommenced, • The wrath of mother nature in destroying 17th century. Churchill is along the Hudson the decision was made that maintaining a port the main rail link to some particularly Bay at the mouth of the Churchill River on the on the Nelson River would have too many remote locations 58th parallel north far above most Canadian ongoing expenses, and that the port should • The unwillingness of the private sector populated areas. Churchill is far from any other be relocated to the mouth of the Churchill to recognise and accept any social responsibility • The struggle to obtain national government support • The impounding of rolling stock by local government • Success through coordinated lobbying • Well executed rail engineering recovery works • The establishment of a community railway operation.

BACKGROUND

On Tuesday 2nd August 1932, the steamship ‘Pennyworth’ of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, (Yes, we Geordies are both adventurous and well-travelled!), set sail from the port of Antwerp in Belgium and began a voyage that was to open up a new seaport in the barren, northern lands of Canada. A journey which was hitherto unknown, and which would have a major impact upon the development of the fledgling Canadian Churchill station, Manitoba with the port facilities and Hudson Bay in the economy at that time. background. Image: The Canadian Press

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Map courtesy of Arctic Gateway Group LP

River. The Nelson River has a greater volume company OmniTRAX of Denver, Colorado, passenger rail operator, also uses HBRY of flow, and contains more silt, a channel USA in July 1997. This was to facilitate the tracks to operate its passenger train service several miles long would have to be regularly purchase of the former Canadian National between The Pas and Churchill. dredged. In addition, the river’s mouth was Railway, (CN), rail lines running north from wide, and shallow. The Churchill River’s The Pas on two branches; one to Flin Flon THE KEEWATIN RAILWAY mouth was deeper, clearer, and required less and on to Lynn Lake, the other to Thompson COMPANY on-going dredging. This change of port is and on to the Port of Churchill on Hudson the reason the rail line turns almost directly Bay. Operations began on August 20, 1997, On April 1, 2006, the Hudson Bay Railway north, just beyond the settlement of Gillam, with responsibility for all assets, infrastructure sold the former CN Sherridon Subdivision, Manitoba. The Hudson Bay Railway was built inspection, maintenance and renewals and between Sheritt Junction and Lynn Lake, to starting in the early 1900s under Canadian train operations. the three First Nation native tribes in the area, Northern Railway before being taken over by who now own and operate the railway, running the Government of Canada and completed in At the same time, OmniTRAX also took twice-weekly mixed, (passenger plus freight), 1929. The lines were under the jurisdiction of over the operation and marketing of the trains. The Keewatin Railway diverges from the nationalised operator Canadian National Port of Churchill from Transport Canada. the Hudson Bay railway at The Pas, Manitoba, Railway, (CN), from 1929-1997 before being Previous owner CN had limited the allowable (see map). sold to OmniTRAX, a private rail company tonnage and axle weights to operate on based in Denver, Colorado, USA. the lines, claiming a combination of lighter The Keewatin Railway Company is the rail weight, (100lb FB), and poor track First Nations-owned short line railroad that OmniTRAX Inc. is a transportation and formation / subgrade. However, the HBRY operates in Northern Manitoba, between The transportation infrastructure holding company took an alternative view and has been able Pas, and Pukatawagan. This is Canada’s based in Denver, Colorado, in the United to successfully operate heavier rail cars and second First Nations railway, the first being States. It primarily owns and operates longer trains in recent years without difficulty, Labrador and Northern Quebec’s Tshiuetin Rail railroads, with a network of 21 regional and resulting in increased business to the Port of Transportation. short line railroads in 12 US states and 3 Churchill and from various mines and pulp Canadian provinces. It is one of the largest mills. The railway company currently operates and privately owned railroad companies in the maintains the line formerly owned by Hudson United States. The firm also invests in, HBRY is a vital transportation link in northern Bay Railway, and used by Via Rail passenger develops and operates ports, multimodal Manitoba, hauling ores and concentrates, trains. This passenger service continues under transportation terminals, and industrial copper, zinc, logs, craft paper, lumber, and a new operating agreement between Keewatin parks. Hudson Bay Railway, (HBRY), is the petroleum products. Major freight customers Railway Company and Via Rail Canada, which Canadian short line railway operating over for HBRY include HudBay Minerals, Tolko, still operates twice-weekly passenger trains, 1,300 kilometres, (810 mi), of track in north Vale, Gardwine North, Stittco Energy, Farmers (Numbers 290/291). Uniquely, these are mixed eastern Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba. of North America, and the Canadian Wheat trains. HBRY was formed by private railroad holding Board. Via Rail Canada, The state-owned

Keewatin Railway Company – mixed train (left) Kershaw ballast regulator (right) (Images: Keewatin Railway Company)

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Aerial view of 200 year flooding, Manitoba (left). Typical trackbed washout (right). Images: OmniTRAX Inc.

Typical culvert works and Geocell earthworks stabilisation. Images: Paradox Access Inc.

But let’s get back to the Hudson Bay Railway. Holdings and Regina-based grains company 2017 WASHOUTS In August 2018 after lengthy disagreements AGT Food and Ingredients. The map below and litigations played out both in court depicts the ready world import/export markets On May 23rd, 2017, communities across rooms and in public, the line and port was available to Canada via the Port of Churchill. Northern Manitoba, including the northern eventually sold by OmniTRAX to the Arctic community of Churchill, received the news that Gateway Group. Arctic Gateway Group LP is 2005 WASHOUT would shape their lives for the next 18 months. a public-private partnership formed to own Sections of the Hudson Bay Railway, the only and operate the Port of Churchill and the On July 27, 2005, heavy rains washed out dryland link to the rest of Canada, had been Hudson Bay Railway, which connects The part of the railway between The Pas and washed out by the spring flood, and nobody Pas to Churchill, Manitoba. The 50% public Pukatawagan; all HBRY services over the line, was coming to fix them. The communities in share of the partnership is Missinippi Rail LP, a including Via Rail trains 690 and 691, were the North, totalling about 30,000 people, faced consortium of northern Manitoba First Nations immediately suspended while emergency a severe uphill battle. The loss of the railway and local governments, with the private share repairs took place. Service was restored on link meant the loss of a lot of things: passenger split between Toronto-based Fairfax Financial August 2, 2005. rail service on Via Rail; freight shipping for vital

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Extensive flooding and washout HBRY, Manitoba (left). VIA Rail train stranded at Churchill station (right) Images: OmniTRAX Inc.

commodities, including consumer supplies, kilometres north of Winnipeg. The railway After months of wrangling the train was lumber, tools and other essential goods; owners were severely criticised for taking a recovered by ship via the port of Churchill even access to groceries that shipped in on singularly commercial view of the issue, and The Canadian Transportation Agency ruled the rails. In short, they were stranded, and allegedly displaying little or no social concerns OmniTRAX should have taken reasonable until the battle to get the railroad fixed was for the communities they served. steps to repair the line by November 2017. finished, they would stay that way. OmniTRAX The federal regulator ordered OmniTRAX announced that the line was closed indefinitely Due to the subsequent disagreement over to begin repairs by July 3 and file monthly between Amery, 47Km northeast of Gillam, which entity was responsible for repair costs, progress reports beginning in August until the and Churchill, due to unprecedented and it was uncertain whether the line would ever work was completed. OmniTRAX signalled catastrophic flood damage. be repaired. The Canadian government filed its intention to appeal the federal order. That an $18 million lawsuit against OmniTRAX for appeal was heard by a federal court, which had On 9 June 2017, OmniTRAX announced that breach of contract. The position of Canada’s the authority to order the company to fix the the HBRY was not expected to reopen before Natural Resources Minister, was that line and pay financial damages to Churchill. the winter season, pending evaluation of OmniTRAX Inc. had legal obligations to repair However, all of this became academic. the damages and repairs. An independent, the rail line and its tracks, citing a contract that preliminary engineering assessment required OmniTRAX to “operate, maintain and A deal was struck to sell the line and the port to determined that that the track bed had repair the entire Hudson Bay Railway Line in two groups representing northern communities been washed away in 19 locations, with five a diligent and timely manner until March 31, and First Nations, One North and Missinippi bridges visibly damaged and 30 bridges and 2029.” The position of OmniTRAX was that the Rail LP, operating together as Missinippi 600 culverts requiring further assessment. extensive flooding constitutes a force majeure Rail Partners - along with Fairfax Financial National passenger operator VIA Rail said its that excused it from fulfilling the contract. Holdings and AGT Food and Ingredients, - services would continue to operate between (Who’s been there too then?) leaving the new owners with the responsibility Winnipeg and Gillam, but no alternative for repairs. transport would be provided for the 300 km OmniTRAX, for its part, argued it could not from Gillam to Churchill. OmniTRAX also afford the repairs, estimated to cost between On 31 August, 2018, the Federal Government stated ‘The Hudson Bay Railway requires $40 million and $60 million, after the 2017 flood announced that they would be helping to fund significant seasonal maintenance, the extent of that washed out the rail line in many, many the purchase of the railway, and port facilities, the damage created by flooding this year is by locations. The line remained unusable since back from OmniTRAX. $43 million of the $117 far the worst we have ever seen, and it will be May 2017 and there followed many squabbles million the Federal Government committed several weeks before we have a final report of over who was responsible for repairs with was a grant to help cover operating costs, for the damage to the line, and are concerned that owner Denver-based owner OmniTRAX the first three years of Arctic Gateway Group’s the future of the track is in jeopardy.’ continuing to reject demands from the federal operations. government to fix it. Instead, OmniTRAX The loss of rail services, both passenger attempted to sell the line. A vociferous protest On 4 September, 2018, the group bought the and freight, impacted the tourism industry campaign was mounted with intense lobbying rail line and Port of Churchill. Within a week, and imposed other costs on Churchill’s of both OmniTRAX, the province of Manitoba crews were dispatched to the washed out already fragile economy. Churchill, and and the national government. The flooding tracks and got to work. Working day and night, other northern communities where cargo had left the entire VIA Rail passenger train the crews inched forward towards Churchill, had to be alternatively delivered by air, stranded at the northern extremity of the line, repairing washouts and getting things prepared faced skyrocketing prices for staples such where the locomotives and rolling stock were for rail operations. Work to repair all washouts as groceries and fuel being located 1,000 held ‘hostage’ by the local authority. along the Hudson Bay Railway line was

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completed less than six weeks after Arctic The advantages of products such as Tough The current train operating plan is as follows: Gateway Group LP took possession of the rail Cell Geocell are: line connecting The Pas to the Port of Churchill 2019 TRAIN OPERATING PLAN in Manitoba. A significant achievement for the • Reinforces track substructure, and permanent way engineers. On the evening stabilises ballast layers • Twice weekly service to Flin Flon of October 31st, the first train arrived at the • Provides lateral restraint, (versus the 991/992, (freight) station in Churchill, the second would arrive lateral spread of traditional railbed • Twice per week service to Pukatawagan the next day, as Via Rail’s passenger train construction) 291 / 290, (mixed passenger/freight) pulled in with its first cohort of visitors in 18 • Reduced settlement of ballast materials • Once per week to Thomson from The Pas months. Churchill was reunited with Canada and fouling by subgrade attrition 995/996, (freight) once again. So how did they do it? • Increased strength and resilience • Once per week Thompson to Churchill • Reduced maintenance 295/294, (freight) The original railway had been built across • Lowers the total cost of ownership. • Three times per week VIA service nearly 1000 km of muskeg and swamp, to Churchill 693 / 692 - 691 / 690, capable of swallowing large sections of But the work does not stop here. Ongoing (passenger) ballast and track, as well as areas of shifting maintenance is needed to keep the rail line • 4 additional GP 38’s leased locomotives permafrost. There were also the significant working in an efficient and safe working order. added to the HBR Fleet making a total outcrops of Canadian Shield that needed While initial repairs were completed before locomotive fleet of 16. to be blasted away during the harsh, early the start of winter, with the subsequent spring construction period. A typical railway must thaw, crews will be hard at work replacing Sadly, Arctic Gateway Group reported a fatal withstand the most challenging demands; sleepers and doing additional maintenance derailment which occurred 15 September weather combined with the weight, speed and work including tens of thousands of tonnes 2018 on the Hudson Bay Railway near Ponton, frequency of loads travelling its rails. Add in a of ballast, tamping and regulating. This work Manitoba. The derailment resulted in the curved ball like permafrost and muskeg and ensures that washouts can be minimised. death of an employee on the locomotive. A you really have a seasonal nightmare on your second employee sustained “serious injuries” hands. Today’s permanent way engineers The structured, forward programmes now and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. The faced up to these challenges. include: train that derailed had three locomotives and several dozen rail cars, some of which Much of the works in 2017/18 required 2019-2020 OPERATING TRACK were carrying liquefied petroleum. The Arctic significant repairs to the track bed that had MAINTENANCE PROGRAM Gateway Group monitored the situation very been washed away in 19 locations, with five closely, and advised that there did not appear bridges visibly damaged and 30 bridges and • Culvert repair & replacement programme to be any significant environmental danger to 600 culverts requiring further assessment, • Beaver management program nearby areas resulting from the derailment. and the strengthening of several miles of • Line side vegetation control A Transportation Safety Board investigator embankment. Once floodwaters had begun • Sperry ultrasonic rail inspection / rail indicated beavers may have contributed to to recede, detailed assessments and repair changing the derailment, which occurred at a washed- methodologies could be determined. With • Track geometry testing / remediation plan. out trestle bridge in a swampy area south of damaged track panels removed, embankments • Surfacing programme on the Bay Line Thompson, Manitoba. and washouts were excavated down to base (tampers / regulators) formation levels, then rebuilt bottom-up making • Fire patrols as required. Eventually however, after a tremendous particular use of Geocell technology. Primarily engineering effort by all concerned, on 1 using Paradox’s ‘Tough Cell’, a cellular 2019-2020 CAPITAL TRACK PROGRAM November 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confinement and soil stabilisation product helped welcome the first train to arrive in made of a novel polymeric alloy geocell. • Replacing 27,500 track feet, (55,000 Churchill in 18 months. The first passenger Lineal), of 100lb FB rail, with new 115lb train travelled the line a month later. The new This product is of a specification which is FB rail railway business is now both thriving and uniquely suited to constructing railway in • Replacing approximately 100,000 expanding, and once again has provided permafrost and muskeg areas, where an sleepers across the HBR network essential services to the people and port of unstable substrate can lead to lateral spreading • Distributing between 800 - 1000 cars of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. of ballast and differential settlement of the ballast on all subdivisions. railbed. Tough Cell’s honeycomb structure I sincerely hope you have found this ‘non too provides lateral restraint of ballast and leads to In addition, Arctic Gateway, supported by technical’ article of interest? You may even the entire track settling together. This extends Canadian government grants, have made an wish to now further explore the use of Geocells the life of the ballasted formation and lowers impressive capital investment in maintenance in formation and subgrade works. the cost of maintenance. (Those of us who equipment. (Hopefully they are all to be painted worked on the infamous Newham Bog on the yellow!!) In collating and writing this article, particular East Coast Main Line north of Newcastle will thanks should be extended to personal remember our exploits with the Geocell and NEW EQUIPMENT PURCHASED/LEASED contacts at Arctic Gateway Inc., OmniTRAX the good guidance from colleagues in the then Inc., Harsco Track Technologies and Paradox York earthworks section - pioneering at its • (3) OTM Harsco Mark 4 tampers Access Solutions Inc. best!!). • (3) OTM Knox Kershaw ballast regulators • (2) OTM sleeper changing machines Proper application of Tough Cell in permafrost • (1) OTM sleeper shear conditions can also prevent melting, which • (1) OTM sleeper spike puller further preserves ballast and formation • (1) OTM sleeper spiker integrity. • (3) OTM sleeper cranes • (1) OTM baseplate placer • (1) OTM ballast scarifier (undercutter) • (12) RRV Ford F350 hi rail trucks • (2) RRV TFO trucks incl crane • (2) RRV hytracker excavators • (2) RRV mechanical service trucks • Misc hydraulic equipment

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Derailment Ponton, Manitoba. Image: Transportation Board Canada

Newly delivered Harsco Mark 1V HD tamping machine. Image: Arctic Gateway Inc.

Resleepering in progress. Image: Arctic Gateway Inc.

RRV Track recording vehicle arrives Churchill, Manitoba. Image: Arctic VIA Rail passenger train departing for Winnipeg at Churchill, Manitoba. Gateway Inc. Image: Alan Graham

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