Canadian Railroads > Port of Sydney, N.S.

NovaPorte is looking to become a significant container port in Sydney, N.S. that could accommodate some of the world's largest container ships.  What is the status of the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway line to Sydney, N.S.?  What would it take to re-open this line to handle heavier container trains?  Does CN ultimately control access to the port or could CP get involved also?

If they have the money to dig out and rebuild the port, ud think theyd have the money to rehab the RR.   Is this something within 10 years of reality, or  just dreaming? 

ps..Bring back the RSC-24's

Northern Wrote:
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> NovaPorte is looking to become a significant
> container port in Sydney, N.S. that could
> accommodate some of the world's largest container
> ships.  What is the status of the Cape Breton and
> Central Nova Scotia Railway line to Sydney,
> N.S.? 

The line between Tupper (about mile 14 of the Sydney Sub) and Sydney (mile 114) has not seen a train since 2016, and has had little no maintenance done to it.  The last train had to travel at 10 mph because of deteriorated track conditions.  It is not officially abandoned yet, and the province had been paying G&W a monthly "maintenance" fee to maintain it in limbo.

>What would it take to re-open this line to
> handle heavier container trains? 

Time and money mostly.  When the Grand Narrows bridge was rebuilt back when CN still owned it (pre-1993), it was only done to 268K standards, not the 286K that is considered the benchmark for North American railways.  However, container well cars are not particularly heavy (look at the data on the side of one), so it's probably not a factor for container traffic.

> Does CN
> ultimately control access to the port or could CP
> get involved also?

CBNS' connection to the outside world is Truro, NS, which is only served by CN, effectively cutting CP out of the picture. 

I fail to see the economic argument for a container port at Sydney (not that I'm a brilliant economist).  It is slightly closer to Europe (than Halifax), but is not well suited to handling large container ships, even with dredging the harbour.  The competing proposal to build a container port at Melford, just south of Mulgrave on the mainland of Nova Scotia, makes much more sense, since it can accommodate virtually any size of ship.  The business plan there mostly involves transferring containers from large ships to smaller ones which can more easily call on east coast American ports, although a railway connection is is the plan too.  But from my perspective, both of these are extremely long shots.  Sydney has been tapping into federal money (dredging), although Melford doesn't appear to be asking for any handouts (yet!).

It's not like I want to see the rail line to Sydney abandoned, but I'm doubtful that this port proposal will save it.  So far, we've just been throwing public money at it in order to delay ripping up the tracks. Mind you, I know people who said the same thing about the Moosehead Sub in Maine.  The State did support it through some very tough times, and now CP has bought it (back) and appears to be in for the long haul.  Unfortunately, I don't see what could change here to make CN want to go back to Sydney.  It's a pretty safe bet that coal and steel and not coming back (and CN sold it when those industries were still in operation). 

GTD

With the apparent project at Saint John, and ample business at Halifax, is there a need for another container port?

There's also a potential situation at Searsport, in CP's sights.

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