Canadian Railroads > SD75Is on the Gypsum

SD75Is 5746 and 5645 lead a loaded train 701 past some fall foliage in the Burnside Industrial Park, near mile 9 of  the Dartmouth Sub, on October 23, 2000.  At this time, CN was running a morning turn, 701, to Milford and back, and usually an evening job, 703, as well.  Today, the train has been renumbered 511 (no longer a unit train, so the crew can be assigned to do other work if needed), and usually runs 6 days a week, with a 513 evening job added when the stockpile at Wrights Cove gets low.

GTD

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How many loads on average are on these trains and what is the weight ??
Doug

The old cars were only 268,000 lbs. gross wt., but the new ones are 286K.  But as one engineer told me, "They could be much more than that.  We don't have a scale any longer and they are never weighed."

The train pictured probably has 75 cars.  511 today had 66 (of the larger ones), which is fairly typical.

Back when a pair of MLWs was the usual power, there were 3 50-car sets.  One set would be at the mine, another at the dumper, and another in transit.  Then they lost a few in a wreck, and went with 75-car trains.  They would typically have to wait at the mine for 8 or 10 they had brought up to be loaded before they could leave.  Most of the cars were built new for gypsum service.  Others were second hand from the Quebec iron ore haulers, and had the sides extended to match the originals and fit in the dumper.

GTD