Canadian Railroads > Questions regarding the CP line north into Canada from Eastport..

Hello!!   I recently moved from Portland, Ore. to Cheney/Spokane area..   I have a series of questions regarding the CP line from Eastport, ID up into British Columbia towards Cranbrook BC..

Does the CP operate on any one frequency for all transmissions between crew and the dispatcher???   Are there any line side detectors between Eastport, ID and Cranbrook??   Besides potash, oil(sporadically), manifest & grain trains, anything else that CP would operate to Eastport, ID??   Any locals, if so, what days and time of day would they run at??   Is there any railfan trackside guide that would be helpful for reference??

Anything else I should know being an American going to BC??


TIA,
SP8100 

You should get a copy of The Canadian Trackside Guide published by the Bytown Railway Society.  It's a must-have.  It will answer most of yor questions.

KG

General information is to be sure to have your passport with you and to wait until you're in Canada to get Canadian money; it's cheaper at a Canadian ATM, even with the 3 percent fee, at least if  you've got a US bank that has a relationship with a Canadian bank (otherwise you may have a $5 or so charge as well for using a different bank from your own).  And remember that almost all credit cards also add on a 3 percent fee (so far as I can tell, simply because they can do so).

BobB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> General information is to be sure to have your
> passport with you and to wait until you're in
> Canada to get Canadian money; it's cheaper at a
> Canadian ATM, even with the 3 percent fee, at
> least if  you've got a US bank that has a
> relationship with a Canadian bank (otherwise you
> may have a $5 or so charge as well for using a
> different bank from your own).  And remember that
> almost all credit cards also add on a 3 percent
> fee (so far as I can tell, simply because they can
> do so).

Good advice.

Many US banks have relationships with specific Canadian banks which allows no fee ATM use.  Bank of America's is with Bank of Nova Scotia.  Chase Bank has several credit cards that have no annual fee and no foreign transaction charges, although they do adjust the currency exchange rates.

As mentioned, the Canadian Trackside Guide is extremely useful up there.  It has timetables, radio frequencies, etc.

As for types of trains, what you have listed about sums it up.  I'm not aware of any locals working between Cranbrook and Eastport, but there is the train to and from Trail BC, however, last I heard it is usually at night both directions.

There is a way freight in each direction between Cranbrook and Golden, and it usually runs with three SD40-2's (think they're also daytime runs as well).  The coal trains from the Crowsnest area do not go through Cranbrook, but pass through a junction about 10 miles north of Cranbrook at a place called Fort Steele.  That is also where they change crews.