Canadian Railroads > CN B730 with some leased power

This past Saturday morning a CN B730 was into Montreal with its usual consist of 205 loaded potash cars for Saint John, NB and 4 GE's spread out throughout the train, but this time there were a couple of leased units in the mix.

1-With CN 149 stopped on the south track of CN's Montreal Sub due to engine issues, CN B730 slowly approaches Turcot West for a crew change. Up front if CN 3055 and CEFX 1011.

2-CN 149 is still stopped as CN B730 changes crews.

3-The train is on the move with a new crew now, passing under an endangered signal bridge.

Michael Berry

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4-Only one of the 205 cars was a Potash Corp car, which I found funny. The vast majority were Canpotex cars, with a small amount of Agrium cars at the head end.

5-CREX 1505 was mid-train.

6-And CN 2977 brought up the rear.

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Leaning into the curve, I find photo #1 to be a beauty!

Thanks for posting them all.

Is CN leasing some of the CEFX AC4400s?

Posted from Android

MC6853 Wrote:
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> Is CN leasing some of the CEFX AC4400s?
>
> Posted from Android


Yes, just a handful.

Has there been an increase in potash exports or in Canpotex cars undergoing servicing that would explain the sporadic use of Agrium and PCS cars (now Nutrien) in Canpotex trains?

Tim
mp35mountain

mp35mountain Wrote:
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> Has there been an increase in potash exports or in
> Canpotex cars undergoing servicing that would
> explain the sporadic use of Agrium and PCS cars
> (now Nutrien) in Canpotex trains?
>
> Tim
> mp35mountain


I believe there has or will soon be an increase in the amount of potash shipped to Saint John.

Michael

Interesting.

Do they split these trains to go over Pelletier and to make it up Longley - Summit? Or do they really power them up with multiple DPUs?

If they split them, where do they do that and where do they put them back together.

TIA,

Rob L.

I believe these trains are limited to 125 cars on the Pelletier Sub (something about a total tonnage limit on the Boucanée trestle, although that seems odd). The extra cars are dropped at Joffre, and follow on 306, or more likely an extra 474 to Moncton. This particular power continued on to Saint John as train 406 on Monday. Eventually I'll get around to posting some pictures of that.

GTD