Passenger Trains > Power outage at CN dispatch centre creates chaos

GO Transit and VIA trains across southern Ontario halted ...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/cn-rail-power-outage-go-transit-1.3997604

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

Yeah well S%$T happens when you least expect it, just ask the airlines , FAA and Amtrak. No system is perfect.

Chicago Union Station, now Ontario! Virus spreading? Russian hackers?

Posted from Android

Trump asked the Ruskies to do it, Mexico is next!!!

I am surprised that CN does not have an independent power supply (generator) in place like most US dispatcher centers...

But a separate generator system would require some money.  

Does CN have that much money to spend on that?

bobmilligan Wrote:
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> But a separate generator system would require some
> money.  
>
> Does CN have that much money to spend on that?

I'm sure they have backup generators and uninteruptable power supplies.  Those systems can fail just like anything else.  I manage that sort of equipment at work.  We had a big, new, Cat diesel generator that worked perfectly through some 25 hours of testing.  Naturally, during its first, real outage, it failed, and the dealer's nearest mechanic was 3 hours away.  All it takes is a stuck thermostat and your entire railroad comes to a halt.  Such is life in the tech world.

We have one and when the center lost power it failed too, and the thing is tested on a regular basis. Sometimes the feces just hits the rotary oscillator. We also had an issue of the backup battery system for the servers fail once.

dispr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am surprised that CN does not have an
> independent power supply (generator) in place like
> most US dispatcher centers...

bobmilligan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But a separate generator system would require some
> money.  
>
> Does CN have that much money to spend on that?

I honestly don't think CN was too concerned ... they don't operate the VIA & GO trains ....

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

I was stuck in this mess this morning heading to Toronto this morning around 10:30 when we arrived at Aldershot. We heard the announcements and went OH crap! We still bought our tickets and waited about 30 to 40 minutes. The Go bus driver came into the station said come on and hop on his bus "back " to Hamilton and we could catch the "Hamilton to Toronto " express bus back to Union station with no stops. It was one of the fastest and smoothest bus rides I have had in a while ! I'm 6'6" tall and there was ok leg room for me although I would not want to go much further. Way to GO, GO !!! :):):)

thehighwayman Wrote:
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> GO Transit and VIA trains across southern Ontario
> halted ...
>
> http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/cn-rail-powe
> r-outage-go-transit-1.3997604
>
>  

The article has an image that claims to be of an affected VIA train in the west end of Toronto.
It's actually a string of cars at VIA's Mimico maintenance facility. Reporter too lazy to find an
actual stopped VIA train out on the mainline?