Canadian Railroads > Churchill freight traffic?

The recent posts about trips to Churchill made me wonder how freight traffic is going for the new operator, Hudson Bay Railway.  Was the grain terminal every reactivated and if so what kind of cars are being used for the grain traffic (since in the old days the axle loadings of 100 ton cars were too high for the line).  The pix show what looks like an empty yard at Churchill, so I am not optimistic.  Wonder what happened to all the 40 foot, friction bearing cars that were once rehabbed by the province for the grain traffic to Churchill.  Attached are some pix from my 1992 visit.  Thanks for the pics from the recent trips, it is a fascinating line that I hope to ride again.

JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/19 10:31 by jbwest.

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last holdout for 40 footers?
 

Accorfing to the excellet book "Wheat Kings" the last run of the Buffalo boxes to Churchill was in December of 1996.  There were used a little longer to Thunder Bay.
Dick Eisfeller



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/19 20:47 by Dick.

Very nice photo series, most especially Photo 3.
Thanks for the posting.
ALLEN

Excellent images. Photo one with all the 40 foot boxcars is a beauty.
Bob

I always found the frequency of the trains, the onboard experience, and the passenger equipment used on the Churchill line a little unique and fascinating. It usually was a step behind in getting the most up-to-date passenger equipment. Still had the steam heat and older diesel units as well as the smooth sided old CN passenger coaches, sleepers, and diners, into the 1990s. Items in the diner were made to order on the old kitchen equipment!!!  

The terminal is open, and has started to ship grain harvested in northern Saskatchewan. The cars being used are the Canadian built cylindrical coverd hoppers along with a few US built standard hoppers. 

-Trevor

tsokolan Wrote:
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> The terminal is open, and has started to ship
> grain harvested in northern Saskatchewan. The cars
> being used are the Canadian built cylindrical
> coverd hoppers along with a few US built standard
> hoppers. 
>
> -Trevor

Thanks for the feed back.  I wonder if they are limiting to cars to partial loads, to keep the axle loadings down.  Or perhaps they have beefed up the subgrade in hopes of being able to handle 100-ton cars.  From what I understand the latter would not have been a trivial undertaking, or CN would have done it. Or perhaps they are just taking a higher level of risk that a few cars will sink into the muskeg.

JBWX.