Saturday, October 12, 2024

BREAKING: Buffer Cars 2.0 on VIA?

Yesterday, VIA was informed by CN that there may be safety issues with Siemens Venture trains not shunting properly. This post will explain why I've used the term Buffer Car in the post title.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SHUNT

Shunt is basically the act of a locomotive and or rail car completing (shunting) the circuit in a section of signaled track to show occupancy. Signal systems are divided more or less into blocks or varying lengths, depending on the territory. When there is no train in a block, the block will show as "clear". When a train enters the block, the wheels and axles bridge the "gap" between the 2 rails, completing the circuit and showing that the block is occupied. The act of the wheels and axles completing the circuit is called shunting.

Why is this important? Well, if a train loses shunt or shunts intermittently, that can create lots of problems for the signaling system! Lineside signals, crossing protection, every warning device relies on block occupancy and shunt to function properly. Passenger equipment is, on average, much lighter than freight equipment, and can lose shunt more easily. This is why railroads like CN and CSX have imposed minimum axle counts in passenger trains (usually 20 axles or more), because they were having issues with passenger trains failing to shunt signals and or crossing protection. This is also the reason why railroads usually limit single light engine moves to 30 mph or less, as a single locomotive moving faster than that can run the risk of losing shunt. This has happened with single locomotives running light in an approach-lit signal block. The locomotive lost shunt and the signal actually shut off for a few seconds before flicking back on!

Why is CN stipulating 32 axles as a minimum for Venture trains on its lines? What is the right train length based on testing? At some point, longer is better: as each wheel passes over a piece of rail, the contact area on the rail gets increasingly cleaner. A lesser number of wheels cannot provide enough cleaning. This is complicated by the absence of tread brakes on Ventures. Wheels cannot get completely clean; nothing is there to scrub the wheels' face. And because the contact patch of the wheel is variable in lateral movement, they never get clean enough to ensure proper continuity.

This appears to be a problem that only CN is experiencing, largely due to the design of its signal system. Other railways' signal system designs don't suffer from the same drawbacks. CN requires a minimum of 12 axles for track-speed operation of a movement. That explains this odd assemblage I observed back in June - the shortest freight train ever! Actually a deadhead movement of a spare locomotive to assist a freight train, and a freight car plucked out of Belleville yard and tacked on the tail-end got it there faster, at "close to track speed"!

VIA ISSUES ITS FIRST SYSTEM NOTICE

On October 11, 2024 VIA released the following document, which references a CN document entitled 'Venture Equipment Crossing Supplement' which is available to CN employees operating on the Great Lakes and Champlain Districts, under CN Timetables and Special Instructions. Here is the text of the VIA document:

System Notice No. VN24-022 dated October 11, 2024

VENTURE EQUIPMENT - RULE 103.1(f) ON CN TERRITORY

Our host railway, CN has issued restrictions on our Venture fleet related to a potential risk of short warning times on crossings equipped with Grade Crossing Predictors (GCPs). Such crossings utilize technology to estimate your train's speed to determine a sufficient warning time for vehicular or pedestrian traffic. While we continue to work with all stakeholders to resolve this issue as soon as possible, we must convey these restrictions. 

The first priority, as always, is the safety of your train. We understand these conditions will introduce additional distractions and competing priorities. We must ensure we remain focused at all times to comply with these restrictions. VIA understands and anticipates that significant delays may be experienced and wants to reaffirm our expectation that our crews will take their time to ensure no restrictions are missed.

CROR Rule 103.1(f): When advised by special instructions that rusty rail or other conditions may exist, occupancy of crossings with automatic warning devices must be manually protected unless it its known that warning devices have been operating for at least 20 seconds.

The VIA Venture Equipment Crossing Supplement can be found [online]. We are also working to provide paper copies of this document at all reporting locations. [Additional bullet points below]
  • All trains in possession of a General Bulletin Order instructing you to comply with the Venture Equipment Crossing Supplement must comply with these restrictions at all specified crossing locations.
  • At this time, the restriction only applies to Venture trainsets with less than 32 axles. Mixed consists and those consisting exclusively of Legacy equipment (LRC/HEP/Renaissance) equipment are not affected.
  • We can't just add more Venture cars. Due to existing reservations and planning constraints, we are limited in our ability to extend trains on short notice. That said, we are doing all we can to minimize impact through all available means.
  • The document refers to a shunt enhancer. VIA is actively engaging with suppliers to evaluate and procure these devices. New technology is under development and becoming available to mitigate these risks. At this time, however, we can confirm that no VIA Rail Venture trains are equipped with shunt enhancers.
  • These restrictions were not communicated to VIA in advance, and we continue to exhaust all avenues to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. VIA's commitment to safety remains steadfast and we will work with all stakeholders to address any safety concerns.
VIA ISSUES ITS SECOND SYSTEM NOTICE

On October 13, 2024 VIA released an additional, clarifying document.  
Here is the text of the additional VIA document:

System Notice No. VN24-023 dated October 13, 2024

VENTURE EQUIPMENT - CN INFRASTRUCTURE RESTRICTIONS

Further to Friday's notice related to restrictions imposed by CN, we have been monitoring train performance to measure the impact on our services. Unfortunately, the results indicate a potential widespread misapplication/misunderstanding of the rule. Venture trains subject to these restrictions MUST approach each identified crossing prepared to stop until it can be confirmed that A[utomatic] W[arning] D[evice]s have been operating for 20 seconds. This applies to ALL crossings identified in the [CN Great Lakes/Champlain District Special Instruction] "VIA Venture Equipment Crossing Supplement" document. To be frank, this cannot be accomplished if you are operating at, or close to, maximum track speed.

In order to ensure proper and consistent application of these restrictions and until further notice, the following additional restriction is in effect and will be monitored for compliance:

In addition to the requirements of Rule 103.1(f), all affected movements governed by the VIA VENTURE EQUIPMENT CROSSING SUPPLEMENT must not exceed 45 mph from one-quarter mile of each crossing identified. Acceleration may only commence AFTER passing the one-quarter mile and after confirming AWDs have been operating for a minimum of 20 seconds. 

Note: The 45 mph restriction may not provide sufficient speed restriction to permit stopping in the event of insufficient warning time at the crossing. When encountering inclement weather or extended braking distances (e.g. rail contamination such as falling leaves), a slower speed may be required.

We understand these restrictions pose a significant burden and inconvenience, but they are necessary to protect the situation. We appreciate your understanding while we work with CN and with Transport Canada to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.

CN'S "VIA VENTURE EQUIPMENT CROSSING SUPPLEMENT"

Here is the text of the CN document referred to in VIA's October 11 System Notice: 

Unless operating with 32 axles or shunt enhancer, the following crossing mileages listed under each Subdivision must be manually protected unless it is known that warning devices have been operating for at least 20 seconds as per CROR 103.1 (f). Applicable on the following Subdivisions: Dundas, Chatham, Guelph, Halton, Strathroy, Kingston, York, New Market [sic], St Hyacinthe, Montreal, Drummondville.

There follows a l-o-n-g list of crossing mileages. There are 86 crossings on the CN Kingston Sub list alone, beginning at Mi.17. In this area: Counter Street, pedestrian crossing at Frontenac S.S., Collins Bay Rd., Coronation Blvd., not County Road 6 then only one other crossing between Ernestown and Napanee. So it's not every crossing, but it's A LOT of crossings. For a train routinely doing 80 mph, slowing to 45 mph or less 86 times will likely total the 30-60 minute delays VIA is telling its passengers about.

[As for monitoring crew compliance by VIA, just think....VIA managers can sit at their consoles in Montreal or at home, monitoring Venture train speed in real-time using VIA's own Arrivals & Departures website feature that displays location and speeds at one-minute intervals!]

SHUNT ISSUES ELSEWHERE - AMTRAK & CN

In mid-August, 2023 the latest instalment of an ongoing series of tests was staged out of Canadian National’s Effingham yard in southern Illinois. The sessions, attempting to seek a permanent solution for locations where loss-of-shunt issues are ongoing, were attended by participants from CN; Amtrak; the Federal Railroad Administration; the Illinois and California transportation departments, and equipment vendors. 

At that time, CN said that extensive testing had indicated that the random loss-of-shunt detection events experienced by single-level passenger equipment [on CN lines] in the US was due to the absence of sufficient contact area between the wheels of passenger trains and the rail head. The wheel profile of a passenger car has a smaller contact area, which CN says contributes to loss-of-shunt. The smaller contact area on the wheel profile of passenger equipment, combined with short and light trains, prevents the systematic sufficient transmission of current necessary to activate fully operational and FRA compliant railway crossings.

In September, 2023 there were issues in the US with various Amtrak trains not properly shunting track ("loss-of-shunt") to trigger warning signals at level crossings. Addressing why Superliners were required on the Illini-Saluki route, the company asserts, “Due to the safety concerns, CN required either the use of heavier equipment or lowering the maximum operating speed at grade crossings for single-level equipment on this route. This was the responsible thing to do to ensure safe operations.” The speed restriction does not apply with Superliners, which were found to consistently shunt the circuit. Events occur where the combination of consistently trued wheel profile, lightweight equipment, and minimal axle counts are present. It is false to claim it only happens on some routes, as any route with these aspects present would likely result in random loss-of-shunt events. 

John Black, a member of the Loss-of-Shunt Technical Committee, reached out to Trackside Treasure with additional information, including a link to this Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 1993 report [spoiler - dullness warning, according to John!] The temporary loss-of-shunt (which may cause deactivation) in grade crossing warning devices, while the train spans the crossing, created a question of reliability in the minds of individuals dependent on them. For this reason, the railroad signal community asked the AAR Research and Test Department, in co-operation with the FRA, to study the loss of shunt problem. The report describes work results and recommends future direction for FRA-funded efforts, also describing AAR/Committee-funded efforts.

Going way back to the days of the RDCs, loss of shunt was a problem with both grade crossings and CTC circuits. This is where the investigations were started, but they really didn't pick up any co-ordinated effort until an Amtrak train on CN tracks in Michigan hit a vehicle and killed the occupants. There had been several documented reports of activation failures at this crossing with no apparent equipment malfuncton found. The US Federal Regulator found CN at fault, which was the start of mandated minimum-axle counts, and CN was directed to lead an industry-wide task force to find mitigations for the loss of shunt issue.

Following CN's lead, other railroads initiated minimum-axle counts for passenger trains on certain subdivisions. This has impacted regional trains, which are now mostly funded by the States, and having to lug around an empty car adds a significant cost to the operations already struggling post-pandemic. 

Loss-of-shunt issue is a real concern, and it affects the lighter passenger equipment moreso than the freight equipment, or even VIA's Legacy passenger equipment.

Why? First, passenger equipment is maintained and inspected to a higher standard to that of freight equipment, especially when it comes to wheels and ride quality. Wheel profiles are maintained to a much stricter standard on passenger equipment to provide superior ride quality. In doing this, it moves the wheel to rail contact patch higher up onto the rail head, out of the normal freight wheel back and forth slog. The tops of rail are hardened, and as such are much harder to clear of contaminents, so a few short passenger trains of a lighter weight are not enough to polish the hardened rail heads, and keep them free of contaminant.

Secondly, Most of the railroads have in their special instructions, minimum axle counts for trains and engine movements, and some even have speed restrictions associated with the minimums. This is due to loss-of-shunt.

So, it is no surprise the CN has forced VIA to add axles to the Venture train sets. Even though the trainsets may be activating the circuits adequately, it is a policy CN has adopted system-wide to show they are addressing the issue until vehicle-borne shunt-enhancing systems can be deployed. [Thank you, John!]

LET'S TALK ABOUT SHUNT SOME MORE

How can this still be a problem after all the trains operating on many railroads for decades, including lightweight RDC's, Turbo trains, and other trains with single-level equipment? I suspect the lawyers were involved and crossing gates must work 100% of the time. If I'm driving over a level crossing, even 99% is not good enough. Who can forget VIA's operational challenges during the ADtranz Flexliner demonstration period in 1996-97? There were early technical problems - signals not being activated due to the cars' light weight, which led to a Transport Canada-mandated withdrawal from service on September 30. Flexliner trainsets could apparently 'disappear' from dispatcher's computer monitors! The units were stored until further testing took place in early October. Composite brake shoes were replaced by steel brake shoes.

There are various technologies mentioned online but I'm not enough of a S&C expert to say which ones work, are likely to be implemented or apply to this current situation. But that's not going to stop me from wondering what we're likely to see trackside, and whether this will indeed be Buffer Car 2.0! I have a lot to learn. Trainorders site provided excellent information on the evolution of three different technologies involved in crossing circuits:

Old-style AC/DC crossing circuits with insulated joints that acted as an on/off switch. The train hit the circuit and turned on the protection. It was fixed and had simple relays. The insulated joints were marked out to the distance of the fastest moving train speed which set the minimum warning time of about 30 seconds. So an 80 mph passenger train would have a 30 second warning and a slow crawling freight would have a far longer gate down or flasher on time, which many times encouraged motorists to go around the gates or run the crossing. Very hazardous situation.

Sensors are electronic circuitry that are more advanced than the AC/DC, and sense a train when it hits the circuit controlled by shunts.

Predictors evolved in order to take into account varying train speeds and keeping gate and flasher times consistent so that an 80 mph train and a 20 mph train will have the same warning times. They are more sensitive than sensors and if there are problems then they can be switched to sensor mode only, but that then gives shorter warning time for fast trains and longer warning time for slow trains. This is a common thing as sometimes conditions are such that the predictor mode has to be turned off due to false activations. Turning the current up as mentioned above makes the crossing more sensitive, but also enhances the issue of a false activation, causing more issues.

CN could also add loss-of-shunt timers or enable loss-of-shunt programming in the predictors. These features have been built into most predictors since the year 2000. Siemens makes crossing signal safety products. Perhaps VIA's Venture sets will have to be equipped with Siemens shunt enhancers. Shunt enhancers are coils above each rail which induce an electromagnetic field that pushes more current through the wheels and axles, thereby overcoming contact issues and helping along the track circuit current.

THE PRESENT: REAL-TIME UPDATES OF THE EFFECT ON VIA'S CORRIDOR OPERATIONS

It's interesting that this issue has cropped up in the same week that Venture equipment operated into Southwest Ontario on VIA train Nos 71, 76, 84 and 87 for the first time in regular revenue service. Could be a coincidence. Remember this photo? In light of recent events, it makes one wonder why it was run.
It remains to be seen how VIA will handle this operationally. Some ideas for VIA:
  • Bring every Venture train to a stop for 20 seconds at every such level crossing before proceeding. (20% likely, 100% effective)
  • Manually flag every such level crossing (that's a lot of climbing up and down from the cab!) (20% likely, 100% effective)
  • Don't use Venture equipment. (0% likely, 100% effective)
  • Add additional Venture cars to Venture consists. (90% likely, 100% effective)
  • Add additional LRC or HEP cars to Venture consists (would not provide adequate between-car bearing monitoring of the entire consist)
  • Return sidelined LRCs to service, replacing Ventures temporarily (retrograde solution?).
  • Install shunt enhancers (being tested on Amtrak with no FRA approval yet).
  • Install scrubbers on Venture wheels (to clean wheel treads in the absence of brake shoes).
  • Increase the current CN signal design's shunt voltage (would require CN's approval and $ to implement).
  • ...other creative solutions...watch this space!
SAT. OCT.12 NOON UPDATE: Delays of up to one hour on every schedule are anticipated, a the shunt is about to hit the fan. VIA passengers with existing bookings are being contacted by email in order to rebook on a connection that builds in the anticipated delays. (Hmmm, that's just how the initial Buffer Car era was ushered in. Pet owners with existing booking being told they can't access Fido or Fluffy on the trip because the baggage car is not off limits as a buffer car!) Guaranteed bookings in the VIA reservation system have been nixed. 

Here's the boilerplate text of the emails sent to passengers by VIA:

"Hello. We are reaching out to you regarding your upcoming trip on board train xx. VIA Rail Canada would like to advise its passengers that we are currently experiencing delays on certain trains due to unexpected speed restrictions imposed by CN, the railway infrastructure owner. Delays of 30 to 60 minutes are possible on trains travelling on the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor on October xx, 2024. [info on tracking the train in real time] We thank you for your understanding and look forward to welcoming you on board."

Chat text from VIA's 'message us' section of its website. The information on the potential delays is indeed the sole province of some ticket-holders as of now:
All VIA trains were on time in the Corridor Saturday. And Sunday.

SUN. OCT.13 NOON UPDATE: VIA now has a message on their service status page which reads: "We are currently experiencing delays of 30-60 minutes on certain Corridor trains due to unexpected speed restrictions imposed by CN, the railway infrastructure owner." Another chat text with VIA was less clear and helpful: "The notice you received was just to advise you of a possible delay, there may be none at all. There is no problem with the tracks they are just undergoing routine maintenance. So far everything is good, it shouldn't be too major but this is where you can track the train in real time" and mentioning the Arrivals & Departures Schedule part of the VIA website. "If there is a delay it will be indicated here even if it's before the scheduled departure time. We never know honestly,  delays usually happen live in the moment if we could predict them we wouldn't be delayed lol".

MON. OCT.14 NOON UPDATE: Go Slower! Get later! Venture-equipped trains are starting to slow for crossings as prescribed by the CN document that VIA refers to. On Mondays, 12 Venture-equipped trains ply the CN Kingston Sub. On-Time Performance (OTP) ranged widely: 9, 9, 15, 17, 22, 26, 34, 35, 38, 43 and 58 minutes late. VIA No 59 departed Ottawa 45 minutes late, arriving 1 hr 17 mins. late. 
Average OTP 28 minutes late.

This morning, TRAINS News Wire discussed the topic albeit with three inaccuracies: 
  • "Apparently triggered by one or more incidents in which a VIA Rail Canada Venture trainset failed to activate highway crossing warning devices..." [no source given]
  • "VIA has standardized each Siemens-built trainsets with one cab car coach, three 'economy' coaches and one business-class car." [two economy, two business]
  • Sources tell...there were a minimal number of disruptions on Saturday and Sunday, with HEP-2 heritage coaches appearing on several trains as axle-count cars. [no source given, curiously "corrected" the next day to read: "...sources were unable to confirm a report HEP-2 heritage coaches were to be used on some trains as axle-count cars."
TUES. OCT.15 UPDATE: Venture-equipped trains are still slow to start slowing. OTP varied again today: 14, 17, 35+, 38+ and 40+.

MY PREDICTIONS - BASED ON EVERYTHING YOU'VE ALREADY READ
  • probable SHORT-TERM SOLUTION: Continued speed restrictions at affected crossings. Venture trains will operate at the 30-60 minute late range, as publicized by VIA to its passengers.
  • probable MEDIUM-TERM SOLUTION: Lengthening Venture consists with unused Venture cars. Especially if the news media or passengers demand changes to trains operating consistently late.
  • probable LONG-TERM SOLUTION: VIA was seemingly not interested in participating in the testing and implementation of shunt enhancers.
THE FUTURE - INCREASED REGULATION YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST

It still remains to be seen whether the regulations will go higher up than CN, to Transport Canada in its oversight role in rail safety. Who knows, possibly requiring the release of a Section 19 Ministerial Order, just like the buffer cars did! Based on the text of VIA's second system notice, Transport Canada is involved. Stay tuned.

Running extra...
...to our Canadian readers, or to our American readers who like to eat turkey anytime and are just looking for an excuse. This is your weekend! In both our nations, regardless, we have much to be thankful for each and every day even if it's just a basic baloney sandwich instead of tempting turkey and all the fixings.

This Saturday morning, over coffee and the wafting of stuffing from the kitchen, I was all set to hit 'Publish' on part three of my Four Days in September six-post pop-up series. Your loss is your gain. This shunt story is a breaking story, and required you guess it, some shunting around of the draft posts ready to be published.  Just a heads-up, another emerging post on VIA's August 10-hour delay involving a Venture set in Quebec will likely be another interruption to the Four Days series. Let's roll with the punches, here, or should I say shunt with the punches! Now for a joke that's perhaps better told live. Knock knock! Who's there? The Interrupting Cow! The Interrupting Cow wh....MOOOOOO!

It's not all about the 'likes' and 'views' here on Trackside Treasure. I was interested to see that sharing this post on train orders . com and Facebook, plus others sharing it to Twitter and the Urban Toronto discussion boards resulted in 1,570 views of this post in three days, the most since May 18's Ventures in Service Part 2, and 830 views on train orders . com, the most since a September 12 post about three commuter lines in Montreal being shut down!

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Pop-up Post: Four Days in September 2024, Day Two

Just like Day One, Day Two of Four Days in September - Friday September 27 - dawned bright and sunny heading for a high of 24 degrees C. This second day would be devoted to staying close to home, not racking up the mileage of the day before, and concentrating on recording some VIA consists not whizzing past me at 85 mph! Happy little clouds suspended above the morning's first train.
0927 WB VIA No 61: 6424-3472-3334-3302R[en]-3301R (top photo and below)
Another meet right in front of me!
0927 EB VIA No 60/50: 6414-3476-3359F[uture]-3318-3329F-3337-912-4002D[&H scheme]-4007D-4112D-4107-4115D. I had received some communications from Rapido Trains for their production of these HEP2 coaches, wanting to ensure they were making the correctly-numbered Corridor HEP2 coaches that had received the attractive teal window-band/yellow letter-board 'D&H scheme'.


CN No 149 in some horrible morning light for westbounds.
0953 WB CN No 149: behind 3051-2954, intermodal.


1034 WB VIA No 643: Venture Set 9 2308-2209.

I then had some brief grandfather duty for an hour or so. I missed an eastbound freight, eastbound VIA No 62/52 and VIA No 63. I returned just in time for VIA No 45 in the station.
1238 WB VIA No 45: 6431-34xx-33xx-3324R-3309R (no photo).
1247 EB VIA No 40: Venture Set 20 2220-2319. The newest Siemens Venture set in revenue service, having arrived in Montreal from California on August 2 and still v-e-r-y shiny:
Despite some shady shadow-side skunkedness, whenever I could I was making use of the open gate at the east end of the lengthened station parking lot, then using the [popular and well-used!] walking trail that still crosses the signalled former Counter Street level crossing in the shadow of the newer John Counter Boulevard overpass
1250 WB CN No 305: IC 2709-5632 and DPU 2660. Watch for an upcoming pop-up post on freight cars seen during these four busy days!



VIA No 40 left during 305's passage. The locomotive reaches the level crossing (above) with the  tail-end cab-car (below) passing 305's DPU:
Twenty minutes later, another of the daily Kingston Sub freights, empty auto racks on CN No 271. For an up-to-date list of the origin and destination cities of these freights, see Trackside Treasure's right sidebar.
1310 WB CN No 271: 8905-2291 all empty auto racks.
Happy hordes of post-secondary students ready to board VIA No 53 and 65, heading home for the weekend. Station staff made announcements to reinforce the importance of boarding the correct (and out-of-order) westbound train! It's a bit strange that the VIA scheduling brain-trust sends two trains block-on-block, albeit from two different cities (Ottawa and Montreal, respectively) though
 each train makes the same stops from Kingston-Toronto; they sometimes operate in reverse order and confusing crews and crowds alike!
Two trains' worth on the platform. It eventually all got sorted out, and VIA No 65 was visible holding east of the signals at Queens West in the distance.
1359 WB VIA No 53: 905-3469-4108-4114D-4111D
Departing a few minutes later (below) after passengers disembarked and 50 got on, VIA hogger Terry wanted trailing 65 to get to Toronto on time - it was his ride home!
Three VIA's in ten minutes! In the intervening few minutes, an expectant exudate of pulsing passengers expectorated effusively onto the south platform, belying the arrival of VIA No 64 at 1403, just five minutes before 65 pulled in, operating 25 minutes late.
1403 EB VIA No 64: 6441-3463-3452-3311R-3313-3354R-3343F-3357F.
1408 WB VIA No 65: 914-3461-3466-3341-3351F-3362R-3350F-3368 (the hand-painted/rollered blue-stripe car!)
Getting a bit of elevation on one of the outsized concrete hockey-stick platform-light bases for a different angle. Easier than carrying my short step-ladder around! VIA No 65 departing westward for Toronto:
I was hoping for a double-Venture cross-platform VIA No 47/42 meet, but an announcement was made to remind passengers that No 42, a daily Venture assignment, was running 2 hours, 15 minutes late, followed by VIA No 644 1 hour, 5 minutes late. I would have to make do with lonely 47.
1442 WB VIA No 47: Venture Set 2 2301-2202 - the most well-travelled and longest-serving set.
It was a long afternoon. As long as my shadow! Nothing doing for over an hour. The last train of the day:
1605 WB VIA No 67: 6413-3462-3460-3310R-3306R-3336-3305R:

The day's tally: 10 VIA missed 2; 3 CN missed 1. Ventures on VIA Nos 643, 40, 47. Only a one-pager of trains in my scribbler.
What would be on the horizon for DAY THREE ?

Running extra...

Stuff you didn't know you could watch but once you know you can watch you wouldn't watch. Canadian comic Andrew Phung answers the question in what is called a paid-content series by CBC: "Why would anyone want to go to London?", although he doesn't mention how he actually rode a VIA Venture set there back on August 20 when there was no VIA Venture service to London at that time. Once you get in this Ottawa-London video loop, you won't be able to get out!

Friday, October 4, 2024

Pop-up Post: Four Days in September 2024, Day One

 
Because this is a pop-up post, the first of four, it receives little effort from your humble blogger once the photos are selected, edited, and put in the post. So I'll re-use the text from last year: I encouraged my good wife to enjoy a four-day Crop & Create online crafting event that included live sessions over four days beginning last Thursday, September 26 with Day Four being last Sunday, September 29. The fact that this intense kraftravaganza would keep her fully-occupied, thereby allowing me some extended time trackside, in some awesome late-September weather had absolutely nothing to do with my enthusiasm. Nothing. Okay, nearly everything! I took the opportunity to visit some previously paid-a-visit-to haunts in the Kingston area and watch whatever CN and VIA trains came by. Over the next six pop-up posts, you'll see what I observed and photographed. (Unlike last year, all four days of the event fell squarely in September, with no October overlap.)
Arriving after a quick whip up Highway 401 on Thursday, and a stop at the Trenton Starbucks that looked a lot like McDonald's, I was on-station trackside at Morningstar Road, Mi 234.80 CN Kingston Sub, at 1000 hours. the first train through was VIA No 62/52 (top and above).  
I'll list each train by time, direction, train number, locomotives, car type and remarks.
1015 EB VIA No 52/62: VIA 911-7 LRC cars-912-5 HEP cars.
1035 WB VIA No 61: with 907-6 LRC cars.
A CP rail gang headed west from 1056-1106. Watch for an upcoming post. 
1138 WB VIA No 643: Venture Set 16 2315-2215.
1153 WB CN No 149: 3125-3211.
By this time, I'd been joined by Morningstar denizen Andrew Ferguson (trentonrailfan_6431 on Instagram) and fellow railfan and nearby resident Ryan Savage who has archeologically ascertained the location of a former wooden overpass! 
The never-ending battle - how to make an intermodal land-barge look interesting...
We were all surprised when VIA No 40 slammed past midway through 149's passage two minutes later:
1155 EB VIA No 40: Set 11 2210-2310.
These guys had the technology and the contacts. I mentioned the CP foreman's mention of an eastbound out of Port Hope, and it soon came to pass. We were able to get on the sunny side and form a photo line well in advance. 
1211 EB CP No 230: 8794-9826 and DPU CP 9764. Where my KCS at??
This was the CP freight reported by the foreman protecting the crossing for a CP rail gang. It would not be the last! This was general freight at the head-end, with 15 auto racks 30 cars behind the DPU, and 30 single-stack containers on the tail-end.
A. Nother. CP freight! Thirty-nine minutes later is all.
1250 EB CP No 112: CP 8908-KCS 4654 and DPU KCS 4172, all intermodal.
Since the Canadian Pacific - Kansas City Southern merger, I was hoping to see a KCS unit. Or two!
KCS 4172 DP unit fortuitously facing forward! Ole'!
Eleven minutes later, CN intermodal No 106 made its appearance. Ex-Citirail 3961 led, and I fully expected a tail-end DPU. I did not expect one of several meets over these four days that transpired directly in front of me:
1301 EB CN No 106: 3961-tail-end DPU 2804, all intermodal.
1302 WB VIA No 63: 908-unknown number of LRC cars, running 30 minutes late.
love the...meet!
As predicted. CN 2804 with its red anticlimber-level red light shining brightly, though hard to see here:
I headed east to the 257-foot Salmon River bridge in Milltown on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, around Mi 212.1 CN Kingston Sub.
1345 EB VIA No 64: 6452-7 LRC cars. 
It's worth mentioning that with the advent of 12 Venture sets now in use, and a minority of LRC sets in use (11) that enough LRC consists have been replaced to have lengthened trains of up to seven cars!
I'd hoped to stick around for a Venture or two crossing the bridge at this pastoral place, but I was sensitive to being on the Tyendinaga indigenous fishing grounds. I was satisfied with VIA (above) and a reprise of CN No 106 (below) at 1355:
The train was long enough, and I'd already seen it, that I could walk along the road to the original limestone arch on Milltown Road. I'd been here before
...and make it to the bridge itself for a photo from ONE more location:
There's 2804 again!
Heading back to Kingston, I missed a CP eastbound and CN No 271 at Shannonville Road. Boo. I stopped at Oliver Side Road, Mi 202.77 CN Kingston Sub, with Hartacregrains' impressive cash crop grain market farm plant in the background.
1420 WB VIA No 65: 6441 leading seven LRC cars, operating 20 minutes late.
The afternoon light for eastbound was quite brutal. Black & white lessens the blow.
1432 EB VIA No 42: Venture Set 13 2212-2312.
But westbounds? Perfect with the signal gantry over all three tracks. Triple-tracking means that three trains within fifteen minutes in entirely do-able, never mind three trains in six minutes, in a few minutes!
1434 WB VIA No 53: with 6421-LRC coach (?) and four HEP cars.
1515 WB VIA No 47: Venture Set 20 2319-2220 on most southerly main track.
A just-rebuilt, ex-BNSF rebuilt unit led CN No 305 on the northernmost track, reported at Aston-Jct, QC that morning at 0510!
1516 WB CN No 305: led by CN 3407-midtrain DPU 3292.


A near-meet. Within five minutes, a VIA eastbound on the next-southerly track.
1521 EB VIA No 644: Venture Set 9 2209-2309.

Driving back to Kingston, I missed CN No 306, though I could see it at Napanee, County Road 7 and approaching Collins Bay. I stopped in the parking lot of Riley's Garden Centre along Bath Road.
1616 WB VIA No 67: with 919-6 LRC cars (no photo).
1624 EB VIA No 44: Venture Set 8 2208-2307, starting up from the intermediate signal at Mi 179.6.
And a surprise. Like the above Venture, it also pulled up and passed the intermediate signal slowly. Unit ethanol train U714. Not a super-long train, but likely super-heavy with buffer cars on both ends.
1644 EB CN U714: led by CN 3340-8868-3206.

Head-end buffer car (above) and tail-end buffer car (below):
Last train of the day:
1649 WB VIA No 645: 900-4000-4105-4113-4110 all "(D)& H scheme".

The day's tally: 12 VIA;4 CN missed 2; 2 CP missed 1. Ventures on VIA Nos 643, 40, 42, 47, 644, 44.
Here's what Day Two held in store.

Running extra...

A good article on the Sudbury-White River Budd car, sent along by Bill Staiger. The author, Backwoods Bill for Elliott Lake Today sought out multiple sources, including inVIAterate author and VHA member Chris Greenlaw. Rail buffs are referred to as 'buffers' throughout the article, so I suppose they ride in the 'buffer car' on the run?