Canadian Railroads > 645 Friday - Thompson River Canyon

A very hard working SD40 with a long train of empty Canadian Hoppers traverses the slide zone along the Thompson River on the Canadian National before the directional running agreement. This was during a series of visits between 1982 to 1985... or so. Looking at higher resolution scans does not indicate an overlap of the colorful hoppers between the two images, with 92 hoppers identified.

The location was the subject of earlier posts by other TO subscribers with a much better understanding of the area and described as White Canyon, just east of Lytton BC. The CN Mountain Region ETT #8 does not identifiy the location but does list 14 slide fences, 16 tunnels and 8 rock sheds between Boston Bar and Kamloops on the Ashcroft Subdivion. Very interesting area that I would like to visit again.

Thanks for looking.

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Great set of images Clive!

I recall CN being proponents of single locomotives for empty eastbound unit grain trains in the late 80's and early 90's, though typically with their newer SD50F and SD60F units. Your image illustrates this behavior started before those higher horsepower units arrived.

This location is still spectacular today, but for photography is lacking the eastbound trains such as you captured.


The lead unit is at approximately milepost 93.2 of the Ashcroft Subdivision.

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Superior images - A pair of railfan treasures.
Bob

Nice!  Congratulations on Image of the Day!  I look forward to being there soon, although on the CP this time.

Jim

 

Nice scenic, colorful images...

JG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/26 09:04 by jgilmore.

Whoa! Amazing photos, those just grab your attention.

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Jimbo Wrote:
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> Nice!  Congratulations on Image of the Day!  I
> look forward to being there soon, although on the
> CP this time.
>
> Jim
>
 
Seconded,

..jr 

Very Fascinating photos there! Both railroad and geology engineering - wise. Those man made rock slide structures are huge!
And I assume the train crews have to navigate through there slow and steady?

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Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

RailRat Wrote:
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> Very Fascinating photos there! Both railroad and
> geology engineering - wise. Those man made rock
> slide structures are huge!
> And I assume the train crews have to navigate
> through there slow and steady?

This area has a permanent 25mph speed restriction for freight trains, down from 35mph the sections before and after.


If you are interested in the geology in the area, there is a fascinating study by some Queens University students with CN's cooperation that analyzes the rockfall and erosion using LIDAR scans, photogrammetry, and rockfall sensors. 

https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/items/9e766eb4-3f66-491b-84a2-1c3836b5589d   - From this link you need to download the 9mb file for the study
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327284486_Combining_temporal_3-D_remote_sensing_data_with_spatial_rockfall_simulations_for_improved_understanding_of_hazardous_slopes_within_rail_corridors

If the link to the study above doesn't work, you can google the title below:

"Combining temporal 3-D remote sensing data with spatial rockfallsimulations for improved understanding of hazardous slopes withinrail corridors"Combining temporal 3-D remote sensing data with spatial rockfallsimulations for improved understanding of hazardous slopes withinrail corridors

Incredible shots!

Thanks for the links, interesting material.

I had been looking for the history of the CN rockk sheds but haven't found much information. A similar concept is in the Oregon Cascades above Oakridge Oregon on the ex-SP Cascade Line and there's been an interesting series of photos, stories and Engineering documents available.

After posting these two photos it dawned on me that the title of the Post could have been Three Rock Sheds in the Thompson River Canyon, but then I would have had to wait for Thompson River Tuesdays.

Isnt this location on the CP, just West of the Cisco bridge where CN and CP switch sides? Happy to get a brain correction!
RB
Thanks for the correction Railsmith.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/26 00:32 by up833.

Love these shots. Makes for a really neat thumbnail, too. Those white cliffs. 
 

up833 Wrote:
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> Isnt this location on the CP, just West of the
> Cisco bridge where CN and CP switch sides? Happy
> to get a brain correction!
> RB

No, it is farther east (compass north) than Cisco, which is at Mile 101 on the CN side. White Canyon is between Mile 93.7 and 94.5, about three miles east of the village of Lytton, where there are two large bridges that take CN across the Thompson (Mile 97.4, at the confluence with the Fraser) and then back across the Fraser at Mile 98.3.

Here's one of my previous posts with those open hillsides east of Cisco bridges, not even close to the White Canyon area in size. The rocksheds are also a key element of White Canyon and Skoonka areas. Apologies for the eastbound repition, CN  seemed to send me eastbounds in the afternoon so I had to work with the awkward angles.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,5684788,5684788#5684788

Thanks for the comments. I really enjoyed the area back in the day,

Gorgeous! - Eric B

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