News   Jul 12, 2024
199 Church Showcases Heritage Facade and Artwork at Street Level
 1.6K     0 
News   Jul 12, 2024
Six Points Plaza Redevelopment Advances With 36-Storey First Phase
 1.2K     1 
News   Jul 12, 2024
Trading Spaces: Can Real Estate Conversion Help Boost Housing Supply?
 456     0 

General railway discussions

nfitz said:
Are they starting up at yard in Vaughan? Is the extra mileage and time really cheaper than keeping the old curve between the York and Uxbridge subs in service?

BTW, does any freight still move through Union Station? I've not seen any for a few years now. Though presumably it would happen in the middle of the night these days.
Click to expand...

I have lost track of whether the roadswitcher comes from Mac Yard versus from Oshawa.

The old diamond was replaced (over a decade back) by an underpass to separate GO from CN. Given the grading required - the GO line runs in a fairly deep cut - the diamond would no longer be able to connect, even if anyone wanted that. It's a necessary change that has enabled hourly 2WAD service to Mount Joy.... except that at the moment.....

The significant reduction in local freight traffic in the east GTA means that the extra miles are probably not a big deal.

I don't believe there has been a freight train through the USRC in what - five years now?

- Paul
 
Flooding in Nova Scotia has impaired rail transport:

1690208894935.png


Source/Credit noted above.

Taken from the NYT.

www.nytimes.com

Four Remain Missing After Torrential Rains in Nova Scotia

Parts of the province recorded its heaviest rainfall since 1971. The flooding forced hundreds to evacuate, officials said.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
A friend lives west of there in the Annapolis Valley and said it was pretty biblical. Between this being the only rail link out of the Halifax container terminal, and the strike on the west coast, pretty tough on our international commerce.
 
crs1026 said:
The old diamond was replaced (over a decade back) by an underpass to separate GO from CN. Given the grading required - the GO line runs in a fairly deep cut - the diamond would no longer be able to connect, even if anyone wanted that. It's a necessary change that has enabled hourly 2WAD service to Mount Joy.... except that at the moment.....
Click to expand...
I wish I new what "moment" meant. That GO hasn't issued an end-date seems ominous.

Ah yes - it's not so much the new cut that's the issue, but that it remains in a cut to then pass under the 401. Though it doesn't look impossible to add a curve in the NW corner, though the hydro corridor and 407 corridor.
 
crs1026 said:
I have lost track of whether the roadswitcher comes from Mac Yard versus from Oshawa.
Click to expand...
It's from Oshawa, and has been for some time. Previous to that, it was from Mimico before they moved all of the locals out to Oakville.

crs1026 said:
I don't believe there has been a freight train through the USRC in what - five years now?

- Paul
Click to expand...
They certainly are not as regular as they used to be, but they are still run every once in a while when a special load needs to be sent across town. One of our mutual friends worked one about a year ago or so.

Dan
 
www.trains.com

Canadian government to fund Quebec rail infrastructure project - Trains

PORT-DANIEL-GASCONS, Quebec — The Canadian government will provide more than C$10 million in funding for a rail infrastructure project protecting a coastal railway on Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, according to a Tuesday announcement. The project at Port-Daniel-Gascons will include installation of a...
www.trains.com www.trains.com
 
lenaitch said:
A friend lives west of there in the Annapolis Valley and said it was pretty biblical. Between this being the only rail link out of the Halifax container terminal, and the strike on the west coast, pretty tough on our international commerce.
Click to expand...
there’s always Churchill :)
 
Allandale25 said:
This was tweeted out today by the company.

Li-Ion 2025 - Cando Rail & Terminals

Cando Rail & Terminals is excited to announce that we are developing a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery-powered switching locomotive, an initiative that has the potential to transform the rail switching industry.
www.candorail.com www.candorail.com
Click to expand...

On a semi-related note, I suspect there would be interest in a upgrade kit for switchers used at small industries. Sometimes they have a small switcher on site to move around freight cars between deliveries. Since they aren't used very often, a small, affordable battery would be sufficient and making the switch would save them from having to have diesel fuel trucked in (most industries need electricity anyway, so adding a charger would be relatively easy). The switcher could be plugged into a relatively slow charger when not in use. One would have to crunch the numbers, but there could be a decent economic case for this, especially when you consider reduced maintenance costs. Probably not a huge source of GHG emissions, but it seems like low hanging fruit.

Thoughts from those more in the know?
 
roger1818 said:
Thoughts from those more in the know?
Click to expand...

As with automobiles, the question will be, how cheaply can they make the battery?
'
Even with reconditioning, the cost of a hand-me-down diesel for a grain elevator or small industry is still pretty cheap. The service life of those things is low compared to mainline diesels, so they never wear out. And a tank of diesel, while not cheap, lasts a fair while.

In theory, the idea of a battery loco used 2-3 times per week seems perfect for a solar panel charger. Switching is the perfect application for battery as energy is expended in short bursts but there is lots of braking, which might present opportunity to reclaim energy. Not expending energy during periods where the loco is idling has huge benefits in fuel savings, emissions, and better environment for the worker. Engines in switching service are not at all pleasant for the driver as (even with AC) fumes are not blown away.

- Paul
 
Allandale25 said:
This was tweeted out today by the company.

Li-Ion 2025 - Cando Rail & Terminals

Cando Rail & Terminals is excited to announce that we are developing a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery-powered switching locomotive, an initiative that has the potential to transform the rail switching industry.
www.candorail.com www.candorail.com
Click to expand...

I will bring forward their FAQ section which has details that may interest some:

1690482329749.png

1690482374930.png

1690482416535.png

1690482448550.png
 
nfitz said:
Are they starting up at yard in Vaughan? Is the extra mileage and time really cheaper than keeping the old curve between the York and Uxbridge subs in service?

BTW, does any freight still move through Union Station? I've not seen any for a few years now. Though presumably it would happen in the middle of the night these days.
Click to expand...
That job is based out of Oshawa yard,
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top