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  • Question regarding CN operations in New Brunswick

  • Discussion relating to the Canadian National, past and present. Also includes discussion of Illinois Central and Grand Trunk Western and other subsidiary roads (including Bessemer & Lake Erie and the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway). Official site: WWW.CN.CA
Discussion relating to the Canadian National, past and present. Also includes discussion of Illinois Central and Grand Trunk Western and other subsidiary roads (including Bessemer & Lake Erie and the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway). Official site: WWW.CN.CA

Moderators: Komachi, Ken V

 #413900  by roberttosh
 
As a matter of curiousity, was wondering what the through train count is on CN's Transcon line that runs along the Maine/New Brunswick border? Am thinking there's probably 2-3 Intermodals each way plus another 2-3 manifests each way daily. Any info would be appreciated; thanks!

 #414240  by Dieter
 
I will be there next week and I will try and get an answer for you. You may not hear it for several weeks, but I think there has to be more traffic than that.

D/
 #414650  by trainsinmaine
 
I have a close friend in Chipman and spend a few days there almost every summer. I was last there two years ago. I didn't count, but there was at least one train every hour to hour-and-a-half, all day and all night. My observation was that it had to be one of the busiest lines in the East. I would rather doubt that's changed, given that Irving now routes most of its traffic over it.

 #415829  by lakeshoredave
 
Check out the Trains in Atlantic Canada video by Big E Productions....it will really tell the story of modern railroading in that neck of the woods even though it was shot about 8 years ago.....not much has changed, and CN probably runs 5-10 into Halifax per 24 hrs, 15-20 trains into Moncton.

Lakeshore out

 #419062  by oibu
 
Are we talking about the same line? 15-20 trains a day into Moncton?? I don't beleieve so on the Pelletier and Napadogan.

As of about 2 years ago, there was 120/121, 148/149, 305/306, and 307/308. Plus the various shunters.

SInce that time I believe they've added a new pair or two of trains. That's still on the order of 10, maybe 12 or so through trains per day, plus shunters both east (2 different ones, pretty much daily) and west (probably only a few times per week) out of Edmundston.

Is it the busiest line east of Quebec city in Canada? Absolutely. (although in terms of tonnage I suppose QNSL or QCM might have it beat).

Busiest in the east (US or Canada)? Far from it.

 #419136  by greenlawffemt
 
Having just returned from 3 days on the Pelletier and Nappadoggan I can tell you, that I didn't see any additional trains. The only trains I missed during the trip was 120 and 307. 120 was heard to be late into Edmundston most every night / early am and was well down the Nappadoggan before sunrise. As for 307, since they leave Dartmouth at 0700-0900 most mornings, that makes them a late night job into Edmundston anyway. Didn't see either the 473/474 train. DPU only once spotted on Friday's M305.

Intermodal train 121 was cancelled one day, traffic put towards 149 and they were pretty impressive when I saw them.

In order to catch all the trains you have to be willing to travel from one end of Edmundston to the other, (Longley to St Andre Jct)

Trains were pretty predictable for me, I had no hard time guessing where trains were to meet and where they may be at any moment.

Isaac

 #419341  by roberttosh
 
So Isaac, how many do you figure in a 24 hour period? Thanks!

 #419853  by greenlawffemt
 
From what I have seen in the last 3 years railfanning the line, as of now you have 120-121, 148-149, 305-306, 307-308. East of Edmundston there is usually a local that runs to Juniper / Chipman area. And I believe a second one makes the MMA interchange at St Leonard and may also work Grand Falls area.

Also on occasion is a 473/474 road job from Moncton to Joffre, I haven't seen this personally, but have seen on the net that this train does run, but not on any schedule and in my 3 days there, it didn't run. Also DPU is up and running, spotted it on last friday's 305. Again only one train was using it.

So, you can count on at least 6 trains daily. 121 or 149 may get cancelled on any given day. It happened on my trip. As of note, we never spotted a local running.

Of course may have MOW work trains working at times, saw this 2 years ago.

Isaac, Brewer Maine.