Past
News Reports
(Yesterday's News is Tomorrow's
History)
CP
Jay Brooks
April 2007: During December 2006, Canadian
Pacific (CPR) took delivery of its newest GE ES44ACs, bringing the total
number of GEVOs on the roster to 140. The number will swell to 160 when CPR
begins receiving 20 additional units numbered 8840–8859 in May 2007. The
current order (8760 – 8839) differs in several ways from the first order of
GEVOs (8700 – 8759). The cab layout has been changed from the desktop
controls to the traditional AAR vertical control stand. The pneumatic bell
has been replaced with an electronic bell. The bell is still located at the
front of the fuel tank on the conductor's side of the locomotive. The first
order of GEVOs were equipped with GE self steering trucks, but due to
increased labour costs, and minutely increased efficiency, the newest GEVOs
are equipped with the GE Hi-Ad truck (non-self steering trucks).
CEFX AC4400CWs (CIT Group/Capital Finance Incorporated)
numbered 1026 to 1059 are still on long-term lease. These units are built to
CPR specifications, and are reportedly on lease until December 31, 2008.
CPR is continuing its repaint program, focusing on 4-axle
units currently. The new scheme is bright red with block white Canadian
Pacific lettering on the long hood with no beaver shield. A couple of CP
SD40-2s have been repainted into the modified scheme. The GP9us and the
SD40-2s that wear the St. Lawrence & Hudson (STLH) scheme are also being
repainted into the new scheme. Reporting marks for these units are being
changed from STLH to CP. The most recent unit, STLH 5690, an SD40-2, is now
CP 5690. Currently, there are only three remaining SD40-2s in the STLH
scheme. In summer 2006, CP 8615, an AC4400CW, caught fire in the engine
compartment. The cause was discovered to be leaking fuel pump lines. 8615
was recently released, and the engine compartment hood has been repainted
into the current scheme.
Of note is a trio of GP38-2s, 3105, 3032, and 3097, which
have spent the latter part of December 2006, together working transfer
duties out of Toronto yard. All three units sport the red, beaverless
Canadian Pacific scheme. As more GEVOs arrive, more SD40-2s are being
stored, declared surplus, or leased out to other railroads. 22 SD40-2s have
been leased to Ferromex, while 13 SD40-2s were recently sold to Progress
Rail Services in Georgia.
CPR announced on January 25, 2007, that it would sponsor the
Canadian Olympic teams during the 2008, 2010, and 2012 games. CPR's support
and services will be worth $15 million (Canadian). As well as providing
cash, CPR will also provide freight transportation services, by rail and
truck, for the 2010 Winter Games, being held in Vancouver, British Columbia.
CPR president and CEO Fred Green said that railcars and locomotives will
wear promotional decorations for the 2010 games.
Canadian Pacific has joined with Union Pacific to test new
railway technology, aiming to make trains safer and more efficient. The
system, called Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC), includes an on
board Global Positioning System and other devices, that will report
information such as train weight, geographical location, velocity, mileage,
and elevation changes. There is also a feature that allows the CBTC system
to communicate with devices such as signals and switches, and determine the
stopping distance between them and the train. The system can also control
the train if the engineer does not take required actions. Fuel efficiency
will also increase, because the system can monitor the train's information
and suggest optimal settings for brake and throttle. Union Pacific and
Canadian Pacific will each equip 15 locomotives with this technology. The
testing will be done on two routes, the Union Pacific's Spokane Subdivision
between Cranbrook, British Columbia, and Spokane, Washington, and the South
Morrill Subdivision between O'Fallons and Horse Creek, Nebraska. The UP-CP
interchange point on the Spokane Subdivision is at Eastport, Idaho.
May 2007:
On February 21, 2007, Canadian Pacific announced to its staff that the
company name is now Canadian Pacific instead of Canadian Pacific Railway,
which is reflected on the companies web site. CP's website has also been
changed to display promotional images and news articles of the 2010 Olympic
Winter Games being held in Vancouver, British Columbia. CP is an official
supporter of the 2010 games.
During early February 2007, CP tested a new DPU (Distributed
Power Unit) configuration on several unit coal trains in the Crowsnest Pass
region. One of the first documented occurrences was on February 10, 2007 and
was CP train 841-012. Lead engines were AC4400CWs 9583 and 9779. The
mid-train DPU, CP 8573, was placed after the 59th car. The rear DPU, CP 8758
(ES44AC), had 65 cars between itself and the mid-train DPU. Another DPU
consist was spotted on February 18, using CP 9583 and 9653 up front, CP 8573
mid train, and CP 9772 on the rear. This configuration of DPU has been
reported to be running quite successfully and virtually problem free.
Several of the 22 CP SD40-2s leased to Ferromex are roaming
the continent. On February 24, Canadian National train 454 passed through
Southern Ontario with IC 6256 and CP 5720. CP 5720 is currently leased to
Ferromex, and was running on Union Pacific for horse-power-hours payback,
and eventually came up to Canada as run through power on Canadian National.
CP 5604, another SD40-2 currently on lease to Ferromex but repaying
horse-power-hours for UP, is also in Canada working on CN.
CP 4107, one of two recently acquired FP9AUs, was spotted in
Toronto, Ontario, on February 17, 2007. CP 4107 and sister 4106 are both
destined to NRE (National Railway Equipment Company) in Capreol, Ontario,
for paint. CP has purchased the two units from the Ohio Central Railroad
(OHCR) to run on CP's Royal Canadian Pacific excursion trains. The FP9s have
been moving in the Ohio Central paint scheme, which is based upon the
Pennsylvania Railroad's passenger unit scheme. While en route to CP, the
pair was labeled with a black with white text CP patch. Since arriving on CP
in June 2006, the pair has spent most of their time at the Weston Shops (run
by Progress Rail) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dynamic brakes and other modern
equipment were installed at the Weston Shops. The two units will be
repainted into CP's maroon and grey scheme with script lettering. CP 1406
and 1407 will be replacing CP 1400 (FP7A) and 1401 (FP9A), which are both
out of service. After painting in Capreol is complete, 1406 and 1407 will
return to Calgary, where they will be tested and broke in on various locals
operating out of Calgary. After the shakedown period, the two units will
power a rare mileage passenger train in Saskatchewan with private cars. The
rare mileage run will tentatively start on May 10, 2007.
Canadian Pacific 5500, a SD40 built by General Motors Diesel
Division (GMD) in 1966, has been donated to the Revelstoke Railway Museum,
in Revelstoke, British Columbia. CP 5500 is currently sitting in Calgary,
Alberta. Departure for Revelstoke was planned for late January, but the move
has been postponed due to weather and traffic. Since 5500 will be moving
dead in transit, a speed restriction would be in place. The decision was
made to relocate 5500 at a later date because of the speed restrictions and
other winter railway issues. CP 5500 has the distinction of being the first
SD40 delivered to CP, and at the time being the most powerful locomotive in
Canada at 3000 HP. Externally, the locomotive is in good shape and is
relatively complete. Parts that had been borrowed from 5500 for other units
have been gathered and replaced. CP 5500 wears the CP Rail action red paint
scheme with no multimark. The Revelstoke museum plans to repaint the unit
into its original scheme, maroon and grey with script lettering. After being
repainted, CP 5500 will be moved inside the museum with CP 5468, a Mikado
P-2k 2-8-2 steam locomotive.
Canadian Pacific has received approval from the Canadian
Transportation Agency (CTA) to construct a spur line to a new Toyota
Assembly plant being built in Woodstock, Ontario. CP will ship completed
automobiles from the plant. Roadbed preparation started in February, with
the removal of trees, leveling of land, and creating the causeway and bridge
to cross the Gordon Pittock Reservoir. In the 1960's, CP relocated the Galt
Subdivision to the north side of the Thames River that flows north of
Woodstock. The line was moved so that a dam could be constructed and the
Gordon Pittock Reservoir could be created. Some sections of the old
right-of-way are still in use as a walking and bicycling trail. The new spur
line will separate from the Galt sub at mile 81.75 and cross the reservoir
where the original bridge over the river was located. Instead of heading to
the west as the original line did after the bridge, the spur will continue
south towards the Toyota plant. A pre-tripping yard will be constructed for
auto rack staging and preparation. The yard will initially consist of
eight-yard tracks and a through track. Eventually the yard will be expanded
to 12-yard tracks. The Toyota plant is slated to begin production in 2008.
CP has estimated that approximately four trains per day will use the spur.
In February 2007, the United Transportation Union (UTU)
conductor strike on Canadian National caused directional running agreements
between CP and CN to be put on hold indefinitely. CN was using management to
fill in for the striking conductors, and CP did not feel that the management
personnel were adequately qualified to run on CP trackage. In British
Columbia, eastbound CN and CP trains operate on the CP between Mission
Junction on the CP Cascade Subdivision and Basque on the CP Thompson
Subdivision. Westbound CN and CP trains operate on the CN Ashcroft
Subdivision and CN Yale Subdivision, with several connection points. In
Ontario, northbound (westbound) CN and CP trains operate on the CP Parry
Sound Subdivision between Reynolds (near Parry Sound) and Wanup (near
Sudbury). Southbound (eastbound) trains operate on the CN Bala Subdivision
between the same points. -Thanks to Bill Miller, Jim Johnston, Jason Noe,
Chris Blaschuk, C-P-R list.
