Canadian Railroads > Typical CN Intermodal Train from Prince Rupert

My fellow Canadian Railroaders:

I'm having this debate with some other old timers regarding how many locomotives CN utilizes on a Chicago bound intermodal train from Prince Rupert.  Let's say we're operating a 7000 ton intermodal train.  Does CN use 2 or 3 locomotives on train like this, or does it vary by size?
Given that CN has the lowest crossing of the North American Continental Divide at 3717', I would assume minimum horsepower is required on their intermodal trains.  But, I could be wrong!  I defer to you experts to help my knowledge around this opportunity.

Thanks in advance!

Pete
Clio, California

CN uses two units for Rupert intermodal trains.

Posted from iPhone

It can vary; three days ago I shot #198, Prince Rupert to Chicago (see photos 7&8 at https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15,5069866) with two on the point, and one DPU pusher, 458 axles (with articulated well cars, hard to know how to convert into a car count or train length). I don't know if we can assume that's how it left Rupert. A year ago, same train, 476 axles, and just two units, one front, one rear.
Fred

458 axles is a large intermodal train!  I can see why there might be an extra locomotive when you get over 7000 tons!  Do you happen to know if the CN intermodal trains change crews at all the crew change points on the CN, or are there some "long" pools on the route from Prince Rupert to Chicago?

Thanks.

Pete

PS:  Great photos of the CN trains in your post!

Back in the late 2000s, you could always tell a “Rupert Rocket” by the almost exclusive cargo of Hanjin, Cosco and K-line sea-cans.

Posted from iPhone

I recall it ran triple headed frequently, because it was considered high priority, and CN hadn’t yet embraced AC traction. One of the best shots I ever took of CN 199, October 31st 2008.
https://flic.kr/p/5X9b69

Posted from iPhone



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/20 10:57 by zartok-35.

zartok-35 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I recall it ran triple headed frequently, because
> it was considered high priority, and CN hadn’t
> yet embraced AC traction. One of the best shots I
> ever took of CN 199, October 31st 2008.
> https://flic.kr/p/5X9b69
>
> Posted from iPhone

Nice shot; really nice light.
Fred

Zephyr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 458 axles is a large intermodal train!  I can see
> why there might be an extra locomotive when you
> get over 7000 tons!  Do you happen to know if the
> CN intermodal trains change crews at all the crew
> change points on the CN, or are there some "long"
> pools on the route from Prince Rupert to Chicago?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Pete
>

Thanks; I don't happen to know about crew changes in general. This crew was changing off at Wainwright, MP 140, probably having come on in Edmonton, roughly MP 260. From the 806 and 199 I saw or shot at Uncas and Viking, they do a bit better than 20 mph average, what with meets and so on. So that's 5-6 hours between end points of that segment.
Fred
> PS:  Great photos of the CN trains in your post!

Probably has to do with tonnage and not length. Both trains mentioned could have varied in weight by THOUSANDS of tons.
JB

>Do you happen to know if the
> CN intermodal trains change crews at all the crew
> change points on the CN, or are there some "long"
> pools on the route from Prince Rupert to Chicago?

Some will go "double sub" between Jasper-Edmonton, Edmonton-Biggar. Biggar-Melville and Melville-Winnipeg