Canadian Railroads > Getting Back to Normal.... For Now

Date: 03/20/20 12:38
Getting Back to Normal.... For Now
Author: cn6218

CN's operations on the east coast are gradually getting back to normal, after the blockades disrupted traffic coming from Toronto, and even Montreal. It remains to be seen what will happen with Covid-19, but at least some of these intermodal containers are carrying toilet paper destined for Costco.

On March 15, 120 was blasting through Windsor Jct. just after 10:00, slightly ahead of the schedule (arrival in Rockingham should be 10:30). But this was actually the previous day's train, held up by a derailment west of Joffre.

The proper train for the 15th didn't leave Moncton until noon (at least 6 hours late). I found them in sunshine at Folly Lake, in the second image.

407 (Dartmouth to Moncton manifest) has either been early (0700) or late these days, unless it's canceled completely. On the 18th, they were near mile 1 of the Dartmouth Sub, approaching Windsor Jct. at 13:19 with a pair of new GE ACs. This train usually gets a pair of 4000 HP DC units, so to see ACs indicates that CN's power situation is a lot more relaxed than it has been for the last few years.

GTD

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Date: 03/20/20 12:50
Re: Getting Back to Normal.... For Now
Author: cn6218

407 made it as far west as Alton (about mile 50 of the Bedford Sub) before taking the siding to meet 120, this time led by ES44AC 3909 and two more GEs. They are shown here at Bedford Quarry (mile 13) at 16:35.

The next day, roadswitcher 517 was out mid morning to service the propane distributor at Bedford Quarry. Propane stocks in Nova Scotia had dipped to almost zero during the blockade. It looks like somebody left GP9 4141 overnight in a rough neighbourhood at some point, as they return from the quarry with a couple empty placard 1075 tanks.

And about half an hour later, at 13:52, Thursday's 120 arrived at Birch Cove on the approach to Rockingham Yard. The BC Rail Dash-9 is the same one that was on Sunday's train, so it had presumably cycled back to Toronto in the meantime.

GTD

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/20 14:33 by cn6218.