Canadian Railroads > Coal Train Thursday ??

Some images from January 1985 of a southbound coal train at Murray shops on the BC Rail Tumbler subdivision and the north east BC coal branch. The train has originated at Quintette, eventually will interchange with CN at Prince George were it will head west to Prince Rupert. The coal is exported to Japan. From what I recall at the time, the unit trains of coal consisted ot 98 loads and weighed in at 13,000 tons. This particular train had two GF6C electric locos leading. Eventually there will be manned pushers attached to the rear of the train and push up the controlling 1.2 percent grade including through the 3.7 mile long Wolverine Tunnel. The pushers will cut off on the south side of the tunnel near mile 43.6 and return north to various locations for the next push assignment. The pusher power would either be two GF6C electrics or three SD40's.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/20 08:04 by hoggerdoug.

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At Murray shops there was a modest facility for routine maintenance and light repairs on the electric locomotives. If major repairs were needed, the locos would be sent to Prince George and or Squamish shops.

Image of my view on a trio of SD40's pushing up the mountain, we were in throttle 9.

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Final image, south portal of the Wolverine Tunnel.
Thanks for looking
Doug

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WOW. Great shots, the best I've seen of these locos. Thanks for sharing. Didn't visit that area from UK until after they had gone sadly

Excellent set.
Bob

Ok that's cold.
Nice set of photos though, must have been one heck of a place to be working through winter.
t4p.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/20 19:44 by TCnR.

TCnR Wrote:
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> Ok that's cold.
> Nice set of photos though, must have been one heck
> of a place to be working through winter.
> t4p.

After a two week spell 30 years ago in Virginia where temps dipped to 20 below at night and went to a balmy 5 below in the day...I found that the air was so dry that all you had to do was layer up, and cover face and so on....it was not uncomfortable so long as I was properly dressed....had I got sweaty or otherwise wet...well that would make it rough. I do prefer a nice round 74 degrees....

Try working outside at 40 or 45 BELOW. Dry cold or Hot dry, either way it is very cold or very hot. At least I can dress for cold weather, can't dress for hot weather. I prefer cold weather. Loco cabs and cabooses were usually warm and hospitable in cold weather, not so in hot weather.
Doug

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
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> TCnR Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ok that's cold.
> > Nice set of photos though, must have been one
> heck
> > of a place to be working through winter.
> > t4p.
>
> After a two week spell 30 years ago in Virginia
> where temps dipped to 20 below at night and went
> to a balmy 5 below in the day...I found that the
> air was so dry that all you had to do was layer
> up, and cover face and so on....it was not
> uncomfortable so long as I was properly
> dressed....had I got sweaty or otherwise
> wet...well that would make it rough. I do prefer a
> nice round 74 degrees....

hoggerdoug Wrote:
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> Try working outside at 40 or 45 BELOW. Dry cold or
> Hot dry, either way it is very cold or very hot.
> At least I can dress for cold weather, can't dress
> for hot weather. I prefer cold weather. Loco cabs
> and cabooses were usually warm and hospitable in
> cold weather, not so in hot weather.
> Doug

I agree!  I have walked to work at 30-below Fahreheit at 5 am (was morning man at a local radio station) ... no problems. Arrived in Whitehorse to 30-below F in January , 1972. A week and a half later it went to 40 below and stayed there for about a month ... no problem.
My first visit to Ontario was in late August, 1972 .... thought I was going to die in the heat and humidity! 

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON