Canadian Railroads > again "on this day"

A few images taken way back when, July 17, 2008 as we were heading north on the RMR from Whistler  to Quesnel BC on the former BC Rail.
images:
01 & 02 stopped just inside the south portal of the 3,800 foot long Shalalth tunnel. I seem to recall that we had had a meet at Seton siding and had just pulled out of the north end and were in the process of "restore to normal position" the north switch. I don't know if it was coincidence or convenience that the Conductor's portable radio failed and while stopped waiting for further communication, I had the opportunity of a good image inside the tunnel. Eventually the Conductor arrived in the cab, confirmed that the switch was lined and locked normal and we could proceed. I have been in numerous tunnels and they all seem to have the same dank, sour smell, leaving me with a strong sense that it is not normal to be underground.

03: quick shot looking back at the train and portal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/18 05:11 by hoggerdoug.

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04  north portal at mile 141 Squamish sub
05 & 06 along the way climbing Kelly Lake Hill on the Lillooet sub, straight up on the right and straight down on the left

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10: exiting short tunnel at mile 186.7
thanks for looking.    Doug

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And Thanks for posting.l

Thanks for posting these photos and all the On this Day pix.  I hardly remember enough to ask the question but I recall that there was a major tunnel issue years back and they rebored the tunnel.  Anyone recall details?
thanks/ Roger B

Hoggerdoug:  question.  There were rock slide fences all along that line.  But i have not seen any lineside signals protecting them.  I would assume that radio commuication in some of those canyons could be lost for a while.  What kind of warning did trains get when a slide fence was hit by falling rock?

A great series of photos Doug. Thanks for posting them.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

tomstp Wrote:
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> Hoggerdoug:  question.  There were rock slide
> fences all along that line.  But i have not seen
> any lineside signals protecting them.  I would
> assume that radio commuication in some of those
> canyons could be lost for a while.  What kind of
> warning did trains get when a slide fence was hit
> by falling rock?

Along the line there were "slide detectors" and "hazard detectors" both were similar, the slide detectors were placed in known slide and ground slip areas. The hazard detectors were placed along areas were rocks a likely to fall onto the tracks. Both slide and hazard protected areas were noted in the subdivision footnotes with mileages and length of the protected areas. When the system was triggered by a slide or falling rocks the detector system will broadcast on the local radio channel and crews hearing the alarm will be governed by various special instructions in the time table or special  instructions. Radio reception is very good in these areas. There are no wayside signals involved with these detectors.
Please see two attached images for more info, although from a ETT from 2007.
Doug


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/18 11:09 by hoggerdoug.

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up833 Wrote:
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> Thanks for posting these photos and all the On
> this Day pix.  I hardly remember enough to ask
> the question but I recall that there was a major
> tunnel issue years back and they rebored the
> tunnel.  Anyone recall details?
> thanks/ Roger B

Not sure about a "major tunnel issue".  The tunnels on the Tumbler sub need some work and heavy maintenance / repairs prior to the resumption of coal train operation.  The Shalalth tunnel was needed to by-pass an older tunnel and a slide area as well as tight curvature. The Horseshoe Bay tunnel has not had any major issues that I am aware of.
Doug

Thanks for info.

Nice shots!

In 1994 I went on a Budd Car through the tunnels on the Tumbler Ridge Sub.  In one I remember the water poured down like you were behind Niagara Falls.  I vaguely remember a sulphur smell??  Comments Doug?

CNStratford Wrote:
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> In 1994 I went on a Budd Car through the tunnels
> on the Tumbler Ridge Sub.  In one I remember the
> water poured down like you were behind Niagara
> Falls.  I vaguely remember a sulphur smell?? 
> Comments Doug?

The Table Tunnel had what we called the car wash, a torrent of water coming out of the side and roof.  The Wolverine tunnel had the bad smell, I was told it is a type of bacteria that grows in the water and slime on the tunnel wall, feeds on components of the diesel exhaust and give off "sour gas" which in high concentrations can be fatal. Same type of "sour gas" in some natural gas wells.  Doug