Canadian Railroads > Current CN trans-con crew change points

I've been trying to compile an updated list of CN's division/crew change points on its main trans-con route between Vancouver, BC and eastern Canada. This is my current best guess--any updates/corrections would be appreciated, it is possible that CN now runs through a couple of these places I suppose...

Vancouver, BC
North Bend/Boston Bar, BC (slower trains only?)
North Kamloops, BC
Blue River, BC (not sure about this one)
Jaspar, AB
Edmonton, AB
Saskatoon, SK (moved from Biggar?)
Melville, SK
Winnipeg, MB
Sioux Lookout, ON
Armstrong, ON
Hornepayne, ON
Foleyet, ON
Capreol, ON
Toronto, ON
Belleville, ON
Montreal, PQ
Quebec City (Joffre), PQ
Edmundston, NB
Moncton, NB
Halifax, NS

Thanks for any updates!

Edson, Alberta is a crew change point between Edmonton and Jasper. I think the hope is that some crews will be able to run through from Edmonton to Jasper but from talking to some of the crews out there I don't think many make it. Ditto for the Kamloops-Vancouver run. One of the hoped for benefits of the directional running agreement between CN and CP through the Fraser and Thompson canyons was that crews would be able to bypass Boston Bar and North Bend respectively. From what I've heard I think the odd crew may make it all the way but the vast majority change in the canyon...

Keith Robertson
Langley, BC

Foleyet, On is no longer a crew change point. And although most trains change off in Belleville, there are a few trains (305/368 and 120/121) that utilize extended run crews from montreal most of the time.

Even the westbound Via crew cannot make it from Kamloops to Vancouver in one go. They change in Hope.

Chris Rye

Thanks for the info. If CN trains now run through Foleyet, ON between Capreol and Hornepayne, I'm wondering if they also run through Armstrong (between Hornepayne and Sioux Lookout. It would seem to make sense, distance-wise.

I would need to contact a CN employee I know in Winnipeg, he does the double sub Winnipeg to Sioux Lookout. Had a conversation quite sometime ago, I've forgotten "somewhere" in northern Ontario, the extended runs were not practical due to the isolated nature of the area, evidently on one sub there has only two crossings that a relief crew could meet a train, or in an emergency service aid an employee would be very limited. If I recall one of the terminals was Hornepayne that could not double sub in one direction due to the above mentioned limited access issues. I'm certain it was Hornepayne to Sioux Lookout that was not feasible. Doug



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/14 11:57 by hoggerdoug.

I've heard the same thing hoggerdoug, although I can't say I'm 100% sure either. That's just out of my district.

cpcnguy Wrote:
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> I've heard the same thing hoggerdoug, although I
> can't say I'm 100% sure either. That's just out of
> my district.

Extended runs must be thought out, not only for the benefit of the railway for crew cost savings but also for the health and safety of the employees on these double subs. Northern Ontario is a wilderness and remote part of CN. Doug

You can add Wainwright,AB between Edmonton and Saskatoon.

A.J.

Posted from Android

CN did look at "extended run" double sub crews between Sioux Lookout and Hornepayne. The Union(s) expressed concerns about length of the trips account lower track speeds and lack of access for re-crewing or in emergencies. As an example the Allanwater sub between Armstrong and Sioux Lookout is 138 miles and there are only 3 road crossings on the whole sub. The Caramat Sub between Hornepayne and Armstrong is 243 miles long, I would assume crews now trade off at perhaps Longlac. Subdivision info from the Canadian Trackside Guide. Doug