Canadian Railroads > Standing on the 49th parallel, UP/CP at Eastport ID.

Over the years, I've taken several photographs from Canada looking into the US (Rouses Point NY, North Portal SK, Coutts AB, Laurier WA., White Rock BC) but this image taken at Eastport ID/Kingsgate BC is the only one taken standing right on the 49th parallel, with the Border obelisk by my left shoulder.

I was the head end trainman on CP train 979 which in 1975 involved pulling into the US while our train was closely watched by US customs, returning to the UP station, engines light, having breakfast at "Pegs" with the UP crew and then picking up the UP train which became CP 980.

Meanwhile, the UP crew wyed their power and picked up 979 for the trip to Spokane WA.

The railway from Yahk BC to Spokane was known to all railroaders as the SI (Spokane International) and was originally built by Daniel Corbin, a Spokane miner and industrialist. Corbin had a coal mine in the Crowsnest Pass in direct competition to the GN controlled mines in the area, and didn't want to depend on the GN to deliver his coal to the US.

Note the SI lettering on the UP caboose.

Corbin later got out of the Crowsnest Pass coal mining business after a vicious fight with the unions, and at some point the SI was controlled by CP. Later it was independent but US owned and still later became part of the UP.

In the 1970's, 979 and 980 were the only trains crossing the Border at Kingsgate, but now many grain and potash trains pass this way, and the UP motive power runs through, deep into Canada.

Border security is much stricter now, and I doubt anyone could stand "right on the line" any more.

Thanks very much for the photos and the accompanying explanation.
ALLEN

Just to clarify Phil's post, the UP crew (based in East Spokane) took 8 hours rest at Eastport while the CP crew did not.

I assume that nowadays, CP times their departures from Cranbrook according to northbound arrivals at Kingsgate from UP so that the crew can make a round trip down to Kingsgate and back to Cranbrook in one tour of duty. Is this the case?

Best regards,

Rob L.

rob_l Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just to clarify Phil's post, the UP crew (based in
> East Spokane) took 8 hours rest at Eastport while
> the CP crew did not.
>
> I assume that nowadays, CP times their departures
> from Cranbrook according to northbound arrivals at
> Kingsgate from UP so that the crew can make a
> round trip down to Kingsgate and back to Cranbrook
> in one tour of duty. Is this the case?
>
> Best regards,
>
> Rob L.


Then as now, the CP crews make a short turn out of Cranbrook, 49 miles away