Canadian Railroads > CN and CP between Montreal and Tornoto

I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but take it as a query from a western Yank who's never visited the area.

It looks like CN and CP share the route between Newcastle and Trenton. And have their own lines for the rest of the Toronto-Montreal route. Is that correct?

Were there at one time separate lines between Newcastle and Trenton?

What are the number of tracks and main-track-authority on CP and CN between Montreal and Toronto?

In advance, thanks!

JGFuller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but
> take it as a query from a western Yank who's never
> visited the area.
>
> It looks like CN and CP share the route between
> Newcastle and Trenton. And have their own lines
> for the rest of the Toronto-Montreal route. Is
> that correct?
>
> Were there at one time separate lines between
> Newcastle and Trenton?
>
> What are the number of tracks and
> main-track-authority on CP and CN between Montreal
> and Toronto?
>
> In advance, thanks!


Jack, CN & CP parallel each other, more or less, in that stretch, they dont share trackage; CP is single track CTC with sidings; CN is 2 tracks with a 3rd track added over the last few years, where possible, from Cobourg eastward; to better accomodate 100 mph VIA trains dodging 10,000 foot CN freights.

My personal opinion this is one of the better spots in the region to watch trains, for the simple fact both RR's parallel each other; not to mention the variety: on CN - long carload trains with DPU's, and cross country intermodals; spliced by VIA trains; CP traffic is cross country intermodals, with DPU;s, plus crude oil trains, the "expressway", plus evolving carload traffic given the changes underway at CP.

Thank you!!

They a parallel, sometimes close enough to share grade crossing protection, and sometimes (around Colborne) upto a mile or so apart. There was also a third mainline from Port Hope eastward (the Canadian Northern) which was absorbed into the fledgling CN after 1923 and abandoned in stages. Signs of it are still visible in many places. The CP line (Belleville subdivision) dates from 1913-1914 and the Canadian Northern was built around 1909. The current CN line (Kingston subdivision) is a the former Grand Trunk line and was built as broad gauge in the mid-1850's. Several of it's original stations still exist in various states of repair (notably Port Hope, still in use by VIA Rail.)

...John Reay

Just a bit more information. CP originally had two lines out of Toronto to Montreal. One paralled CN (GT) closely, as described, through Belleville. The other ran through Peterborough on an inland alignment. Passenger trains ran this way.

With the demise of the "pooling" agreement in the 1960s, passenger service over the CP via Peterborough was abandoned except for commuter service to Toronto, and eventually the line east of Peterborough was abandoned and removed. CP's mainline now runs through Belleville, and indeed much of it is very close to CN until you enter Toronto.