Here is my part 2 to an earlier route proposal - CPs Laggan Extension, Crowsnest, Cranbrook and Winderemere Sub, but now it is time for the Shuswap Sub on the west side of Revelstoke.
Running 128 miles from Revelstoke to Kamloops the line is a key artery for CP, the west coast and east coast connection, especially bulk commodity and intermodal, it is a scenic stretch of track, mainly single track with sidings, Notch Hill has two tracks and after Notch Hill it's single track before hitting double track to Kamloops.
After trains descend the west side of Rogers pass into Revelstoke, crews changed trains get back under way after crossing the bridge over the Columbia River and straight into a siding and the beginning of a long 0.5 -1% grade ending at the summit of Notch Hill. The route starts at Revelstoke through Farewell and the grade begins after trains roll off the bridge.
MP 0.2 - Begbie, siding, 7175 feet, is the beginning of 1% grade.
MP 6.1 - Tumtum
MP 8.2 - Clan William, siding, 7351 feet and 3 tunnels passing lake and restaurant
MP 15.5 - Three valley, siding, 7969 feet
MP 19.7 - Detector system
MP 23.4 - Taft, siding, 9485 feet
MP 27.8 - Craigellachie, where the last spike was driven as well as railroad museum
MP 31.9 - Malawka, siding, 9028 feet
MP 38.0 - Cambie, siding, 7253 feet
MP 40.8 - Detector system
MP 45.0 - Sicamous, siding, 7290 feet, crosses Inlet on Swing Bridge. JCT to Okanagan sub
MP 49.6 - Annis, siding, 7308 feet
MP 56.2 - Canoe, siding, 7670 feet
MP 59.3 - Detector
MP 63.2 - Salmon Arm, siding, 7360 feet
MP 69.0 - Shuswap
MP 70.5 - Tappen
MP 74.6 - Carlin, Coal sprayers, siding, 7233 feet (South track)
MP 77.4 - DETECTOR
MP 77.5 - DETECTOR
MP 80.2 - Notch Hill
MP 87.6 - Squilax, siding, 7645 feet
MP 94.8 - Chase, siding, 12171 feet
MP 97.9 - Detector
MP 103.8 - Pritachard
MP 117.0 - Campbell creek, JCT Kelowa Pacific
MP 118.5 - DETECTOR
MP 123.0 - Mckrackin
MP 127.1 - Kamloops East, JCT Kelowa Pacific
MP 128.5 - Kamloops, Crew change + yard
At Notch Hill there is two tracks, the new track runs through a horseshoe curve with coal sprayers where the older south track leaves and is on a 1.8 % grade and passes above the coal sprayers at Carlin and joins back at Shuswap. A lot of the route follows the Shuswap Lake, the double track begins at Pritchard and trains race towards Kamloops. Potash trains stop off at Geddis to take out the mid train DPUs.
This route locos would be:
SD30C-ECO, CP AC4400CW CEFX both the CP ordered CEFX units and the normal units
8700 SERIES
8800 Series
8900 series units.
Trains on this route are:
861/5 - 152 car coal trains, 860, coal empties.
603 - 170-175 car Potash trains, 605, potash empties.
330/2/303 - grain trains, 112, 115, 118 up to 168 cars, 100-118 car are rear DPUs the 140-168 car trains are mid-train DPUs.
112/3 - stack/auto rack train, often 10000, 12000 feet long, 2x1x1 set up.
202/4 - mixed manifest or sometime manifest/intermodal.
402 - Manifest, have been known to reach over 162 cars.
Glycol trains, 1x1, 70-98 cars.
Stack trains + grain blocks.
Stacks & tanks.
Stacks/racks/manifest/tanks/grain.
Hotshot Trains:
101 - 7000 feet to 12000 feet train, 2x1 mid train at 10000 feet, at 7000 to 9000 feet has a rear DPU and 10-12000 feet has 2x1x1.
100 - Same as 101 in every way.
198 - Vancouver to Chicago, 2x1x1 often over 9000 to 12000 feet of stacks.
199 - Chicago to Vancouver, 2x1x1 often over 9000 to 12000 feet of stacks.
This route offers the player a challenge to tackle the heavy 1% grade with a 153 car coal train or taking a monster 101 over the 128.5 mile route.
SD30C-ECOs used to be used on coal trains but due to the nature of coal train duties the SD30C-ECOs were toasted on Rogers Pass, Shuswap Sub and especially Notch Hill, the 3000 hp 30c-ECOs with the 22500 ton coal trains received blown engines and blown traction motors belching fire so SD30C-ECOs have been removed from coal train duties. Now it's 4 GEs but the CP are trialling a NREX SD40-4 and things are looking a bit better than the 30C-ECO.
CPs monster trains have been known on this route: from the 170 car potash train 12000 feet stack train to the mammoth 240 car coal train and they are thinking about trying 250 car coal trains. The mammoth coal train that's over 13000 feet and 34500 tons and runs 2x1x2x1x1, split into two sections of 120 cars. The train was put together at golden and run to Kamloops and split up for the run down to Roberts Bank.
Photograph copyright Aaron Keller and reproduced courtesy of RailPictures.Net
Photograph copyright Kevin Andrusia and reproduced courtesy of RailPictures.Net
Photographs copyright and reproduced courtesy of Barry Turriff.
Photograph copyright Jeff Terry and reproduced courtesy of RRPictureArchives.NET
Photograph copyright and reproduced courtesy of Robert Heathorn.
Photograph copyright and reproduced courtesy of Brian D. Switzer.
Photograph copyright and reproduced courtesy of E.D. Motis.
