Canadian Railroads > Halifax Ocean Terminals

Halifax Ocean Terminals was created about 100 years ago during WW I to expand the capacity of the Halifax, NS port.  Although it wasn't quite finished, the facilities were pressed into service after the Halifax Explosion wiped out the North St. station in late 1917, and today it encompasses the PSA (formerly Halterm) container pier, grain elevators, VIA station, cruise ship pier (Piers 20, 21 and 22), and other general cargo piers and sheds.  It was built out into the harbour using rock excavated from a four mile long cut leading to Fairview, on the then outskirts of Halifax.  Back on October 18, 2000 the Ocean was just getting under way on its trip to Montreal.  Local 507, using SD40u 6016 and a Dash-9 from one of the overnight trains, had delivered a transfer of cars, and the HOT yard office was still standing below the Young Ave. bridge, where I was standing to take this picture.  The VIA station is out of sight to the left behind the grain elevators, and directly above 507's power is a cruise ship, likely making one of the last visits of the season.

GTD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/20 07:33 by cn6218.

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Great photo as per usual, thanks for posting.

Question, why are they removing the wye at Ocean Terminals?

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON

A lot going on in this photo. Thanks for sharing.

The loop on the PSA pier was originally meant to be used for loading container trains. That concept works for unit coal trains, but intermodal is not a unit train, and it was rarely, if ever, used for its intended purpose.

However VIA found it very convenient to turn the Ocean, and it has been used for that purpose for many years.

But now PSA is extending the pier southward, and the loop is in the way. VIA was also getting in the way of pier operations, so the arrangement wasn't working all that well. VIA used to turn the train after arrival at 1800 or so, but that's a busy time at the pier, so they changed to early in the morning instead. I suspect that cost VIA a lot of overtime for the crews, since they were essentially working a split shift.

GTD

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