Canadian Railroads > MLW Monday on the Maple Creek Sub

It is February 1974, with M636 #4711-M424 # 4245 and GP9 8695 pulling eastbound out of Medicine Hat, Alberta towards Mascon. It has been a five mile climb out of the South Saskatchewan river valley so far, with another 1.7 miles remaining before reaching Dunmore. Here train #954's crew will cut the GEEP out, leaving it for the next west bound to pick up, who will then leave it at Bowell, fifteen track miles the other side of Medicine Hat. This form of un-manned helper service in and out Medicine Hat has been an on going operation since diesels arrived on the CPR. Richard Yaremko 

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It's hard to believe that the climb out of that valley is that long.  Judging from your photo, there is a fair gradient in that area so the valley must be deeper than I recall.  Medicine Hat had one of the nicest stations on the CPR.

Rick

Rick:

According to our friend Mr. Phillips, the westbound grade, Medicine Hat to Redcliff is 1.6% and the eastbound grade, MH to Dunmore is 1.4%.  Hence the need for the extra locomotive between Dunmore and Bowell.  

rschonfelder Wrote:
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> It's hard to believe that the climb out of that
> valley is that long.  Judging from your photo,
> there is a fair gradient in that area so the
> valley must be deeper than I recall.  Medicine
> Hat had one of the nicest stations on the CPR.
>
> Rick