Corridor electrification question

[trainsinmaine]

Just curious: I was driving on the 401 yesterday between Kingston and Montreal, with the CN main in view most of the time, and the thought occurred to me,"I wonder if the CN ever considered electrifying its corridor from Quebec City to Toronto (or at least from Montreal to Toronto)?" Anyone know?

[Dieter]

Can you imagine the problems with catenary in the winter just between Kingston and Quebec City alone??

IMHO, given the weather in that area (including most of Canada) you're best off relying on a diesel locomotive rather than supporting an electrical system, dealing with ice, tangled pantographs.......

Sure they manage in Europe, but think about how that ice storm a few years back in Montreal would have effected an electrical system on the railway? Electrification is a scary thought.

Dieter/

[Komachi]

Dieter responded...

"Can you imagine the problems with catenary in the winter just between Kingston and Quebec City alone??

"IMHO, given the weather in that area (including most of Canada) you're best off relying on a diesel locomotive rather than supporting an electrical system, dealing with ice, tangled pantographs.......

"Sure they manage in Europe, but think about how that ice storm a few years back in Montreal would have effected an electrical system on the railway? Electrification is a scary thought."


Ah, but could they not have a special work car that traveled down the track to knock ice off the cantenary, and maybe spray it with de-icer to keep it clear, or equip the electric locomotives with "ice breakers," much like the Southern Pacific did to knock ice off of tunnel portals, bridges, etc.? I would think that if they ran something akin to JR (Japan Railways)'s "Doctor Yellow" trains (the MOW equipment on the "bullet train" lines) frequently enough, they wouldn't have as bad a time with ice buildup on the cantenary as one would think. But I'm sure economics and scheduling rules out something like that from happening.

But yes, ice and heavy winds are not a great combination for cantenary... or standard power lines for that matter (as we Minnesotans can personally attest to!).

[Thomas I]

Can you imagine the problems with catenary in the winter just between Kingston and Quebec City alone??

IMHO, given the weather in that area (including most of Canada) you're best off relying on a diesel locomotive rather than supporting an electrical system, dealing with ice, tangled pantographs.......

Sure they manage in Europe, but think about how that ice storm a few years back in Montreal would have effected an electrical system on the railway? Electrification is a scary thought.

Dieter/

If the NSB in Norway, the SJ in Sveden, the VR in Finland and last but not least the RZD in Russia and Siberai can handle this, it will be also possible for the CN in Canada...

Ice storms which destroy power lines we have also in Germany (last winter parts of the Münsterland hadn't electricity for about a week, but electric trains started operation again after a few hours....) but it effected catenary only if trees under the ice or snow loading fall on the catenary...

Cut away trees in summer (as in Germany done befor privatisation...) solves the problem.

A catenary is'nt compare to power transmission lines which concerns susceptibility for winter weather....

[Dieter]

What are the advantages of going all Electric Vs. Diesel?