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Canadian Railroads > Cross Point, Cape Breton IslandDate: 12/30/21 14:26 Cross Point, Cape Breton Island Author: cn6218 From one of my last train chases on Cape Breton Island, here is Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia train 302 plodding along past the east switch of Cross Point Siding near Beaver Cove on August 13, 2014. By this time trains only ran once a week, or as needed east of St. Peters Jct. (just outside Port Hawkesbury), and this one was substantial, with at least a dozen covered hoppers of plastic pellets for two manufacturers in the Sydney area.
Today the track lies dormant, with some sections suffering from washouts or other damage. The hope is that port activity in Sydney can justify its reactivation, but every year that goes by makes that prospect dimmer. The Bras d'Or and freights powered by 4-unit sets of C-630Ms had run through here at 50 mph, but on this day, GP40 3022, SD40-2 HLCX 7869 and SD40-2 QGRY 3332 were barely making 10 mph. As I recall, one of the SDs stayed in Sydney for some work. The CBNS main shop was still located there until 2015. GTD Date: 12/30/21 14:35 Re: Cross Point, Cape Breton Island Author: train1275 Thanks for sharing, nice shot !
When did operations into Sydney cease ? Date: 12/30/21 15:13 Re: Cross Point, Cape Breton Island Author: refarkas Great scene.
Bob Date: 12/30/21 16:30 Re: Cross Point, Cape Breton Island Author: cn6218 The last train out of Sydney was August 14, 2016, although I must have been working that day, and couldn't make the trip to get pictures. The "train" was just a light engine move of GP15-1 1504 and SD40-2 3366.
It took the crew the whole day to go the 100 or so miles from Sydney to Port Hawkesbury. GTD Date: 12/30/21 17:02 Re: Cross Point, Cape Breton Island Author: train1275 Thanks, I was up that way about 20 years ago doing inspections at DEVCO. CB&CNS had a bunch of old M-series Alcos stored, some had stolen copper wire and other material missing - at Sydney. A sad sight. I rode a freight from Marshy Hope to Truro one night while there with ex BN GP50's ? I think that was the power. Since it was all at night I didn't get any photos.
I do recall an office at Stellarton where they had a locomotive simulator I was allowed to play with. The DEVCO locomotive shop was very nice but I don't remember much about the CB&CNS shop other than looking at those Alcos in the dead line. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/21 17:03 by train1275. Date: 12/31/21 08:34 Re: Cross Point, Cape Breton Island Author: cn6218 train1275 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > > I do recall an office at Stellarton where they had > a locomotive simulator I was allowed to play > with. > That's interesting. I didn't know about the simulator. CBNS was training Train Masters for CN about then (I think CN was expecting a strike), so that might have had something to do with it. After the Sydney shop closed, CBNS built a new one in Stellarton. I think it can handle most kinds of repairs on their small fleet of locomotives. Devco is now Sydney Coal Railway, and is privately owned, but 20 years ago would have been at the tail end of their Crown Corporation era. As such, their primary function was to keep people employed, not make a profit, so the shop there was well staffed and maintained. SCR still runs today, but only handling imported coal from the International Pier to a generating station at Lingan, about 19 miles away. The generating station is getting close to its end of life. SCR is isolated, but they still have 5 GP38-2s and a shop that can maintain them. It's a neat little operation, but its a long drive (even for me), and it's uncertain if they will be operating that day once you get there. GTD |