New Brunswick Southern Railway

Huh? Millions have been poured into the line by CP(KC) to continue improving MAS from the shambles MMA left the place in and CMQ/Fortress had started digging out of.

Again, a moot point when they can't move one train pair and think they'll handle a sizable traffic increase by repeating the same conditions that failed them the first time.

It was sarcasm.

Theyll be fine-- the Class Is have the resources to scale moreso than a Shortline. CP is also the one who created the new business, not NBSR, so it's their own interest to nurture the growth. It didn't just happen out of thin air or in a vacuum

120/121 container traffic today sits at +15.9% over 2023 YTD. The total port intermodal traffic is most likely significantly higher than that, but they don't publish numbers on a regular basis.

This business wouldn't exist without CPKC and DP World making it happen. JDI is a big part also, since CP and DP World probably would not have rail to run on if JDI did not keep that open for their own business interests. The only issue with JDI is that they are on a steep learning curve for this kind of business.

CN never seriously attempted to make Saint John their go to port. They liked being single source at Halifax for as long as they could make it last. They've always let the intermodal business to Saint John sink or swim on it's own accord. The port itself never had the vision, or the political connections, or the funding, to make anything big happen there. It was a political decision which kept Montreal and Halifax paired to cover the east coast. It had nothing to do with efficiency, or long term requirements of the intermodal industry.

DP World ignited this opportunity by recognizing it. DP World and CPKC have worked together and have the majority of business out of Vancouver - by far Canada's largest intermodal port. DP World and CPKC (and JDI) probably discussed their roles well before DP World signed on for 30+ years.

Even if Montreal maintains it's current business, 2023 was only around 1.54 M TEU. For 2024, Montreal is -2.3% YTD as of Oct. 31. It looks like they are going to be down again in 2024.

The post below from late October is still very valid. This is CPKC's business, and holds a lot of promise for it's future in eastern Canada.

johnpbarlow wrote: ↑Fri Oct 25, 2024 5:56 am CPKC intermodal service to/from Saint John got a two shout outs from CPKC Chief Marketing Officer John Brooks in its Q3 Earnings call with analysts on 10/23/24:

International intermodal, frankly, since COVID, it's been tough to really tell how those international intermodal volumes will move up and down, but the lineup right now to close out the year with our customers continues to look strong. In fact, we're seeing some really good growth out at Port of Saint John with our services out there.

and

Maybe the last piece on Gemini, and I think this is worth mentioning, is with the investments that DP World has made at the Port of Saint John, it's really beginning to unlock that next step function of capacity at that terminal, from the 300,000 TEUs a year potential to 800,000 TEUs a year, with the development and addition of cranes at that port. So, again, I think just another example of how we potentially believe the partnership and the expanded service callings into that port could generate growth in 2025.

A few developments last week:
Knights siding is being renamed to Simpson Siding in honor of General Manager Ian Simpson who retired last week.

LP in New Limerick is planning another expansion. After this one they intend on being served 7 days a week.

GP38-3 906 and GP40-2's 3068 and 6942 went out to Progress Rail for conversion into ECO's over the weekend.

There is a pretty sizeable backlog on MNR, with 6 of the GP's out for rebuild going into the busy season they are hurting for power since the 6400's can't go beyond Squapan.

Its also worth noting JD Irving purchased the Lebel sawmill in Masardis over the weekend. I am guessing they will do a rebuild of the mill, since it needs a lot of work and production hasn't been 100% since before covid.

Do you know what the approx. turnaround time is for those conversions?

I was told a year originally, although I think the original one which they bought a core for was started over a year ago. Everything from the frame up is being replaced, so I am expecting it to take a while. I can understand using the 900's for cores, but the GP40-2's are an odd choice. Considering CAD and ONR rebuilt them back in 2022 and crews I know seemed to like them. Even with using SD70 north of Oakfield, they were still short on GP's last year. LP in New Limerick and Dead River in Presque Isle keep expanding which complicate things because you have to tie up 2-3 units multiple times per week now, compared to the once a week switch they got in years past.

Having increasing traffic is a good problem to have, but without getting locomotives to fill in for what is being rebuilt they are going to struggle. I think there is still a good back log of logs sitting in Fort Kent for Woodland due to it. I know they have brought Train 900 and 530 up to 5-6 days a week now to try to keep stuff moving between Madawaska and Squapan.

It’s too bad the McAdam cam is down, lots of rail traffic lately. They have been running 907’s daily. From what I have heard Enniskillen, Vanceboro, Bancroft, and Simpson are all stuffed with cars they are waiting for CP to take west. McAdam I guess has a lot of traffic as well.

MaineRailfan,
Thanks for the updates and all of the great information about one of my favorite railroads (or group of railroads). I have a few questions, which I hope you can answer. They will probably be in separate posts, because I have to look back at older posts. Anyhow, here goes the first one:

The rebuilding program, which is really exciting (although I hope that the 911 is still identifiable, since I grew up with the original unit, CRR GP38 2005). From your posts, it sounds like the following have been sent to Progress Rail and are being rebuilt into GP33ECOs (or something like that):

GP38-3 906, 911, 913, 917
GP40-2 3068, 6942

It's kind of cool that an oil company is putting money into energy saving and less polluting locomotives!

My question is this: Is NBSR having these rebuilt and they will receive the same locomotives back that they sent to Progress Rail? Or did they sell or trade these to Progress Rail and the units that they are buying may be these or other units? In sum, will they get the same units back or will they get some other units in the rebuilds? Hopefully, this question makes sense.

On the locomotive front, I am also curious: It was reported that the following SD40s were being retired and/or scrapped: 6200, 6304, 6309, 6315, 6318-6319, 6332, 6340, 8144. Are these officially off the roster and moved off the railroad or scrapped? Or are they still sitting around somewhere?

Sorry for the detailed question, but I don't get over that way as much as I would like.
Thanks!
Fritz

So to answer your question, yes those are the 6 that got shipped out. Plans changed a bunch of times, but originally they wanted to rebuild the 900's and 2300's in house, get the 6 GP40-2's that had been rebuilt and then order 30 GP31ECO's along with 9 additional exCSX GP30 slugs. It now appears everything is being turned into ECO's, which I get since the ECO rebuilds share all the same parts with the SD70's (same prime mover, just smaller) so they don't have to stock so much stuff. From what I understand they are being sent to get stripped down and rebuilt and aren't trade ins.

As for the SD40-2's, the 6200, 6318, and 6332 are all scrapped. 6332 was rebuilt back in 2018-2019 and after only a few months in service the crank shaft let go in 2020. 6200 was next in 2021, the turbo went in it. 6318 the radiator went in it and the locomotive was just worn out. Originally, the plan was to rebuild the 8 SD40-2's and use those along with the original 6 SD70's. Then plans changed and they wanted to rebuild the SD40-2's into SD33ECO's, which that plan was scrapped as well. Currently they are in storage at Ontario Northlands shop awaiting resale. The remaining units are 6315,6319,6340, 8144, and 8145 (renumbered from 6304). At one point there was talk of parting out the 6318 to get the 6200 and 6332 going again but that never happened.

If these GP31ECO rebuilds look anything like the KCS GP32ECO (?) units with the flared radiators I’m looking forward to seeing them in operation!

So nice to see various parts of the NBSR/MNR/EMR network seeing increases in carloads. Next time I’m up in the Maritimes I’ll have to make a concerted effort to catch some NBSR etc. freight action.

Similar, yes however unlike the KCS units they will have a cab like a CP GP20C-ECO and a dynamic brake grid.

MaineRailfan,
Thanks for explaining the rebuild program and the "ups and downs" of NBSR motive power plans. Over the years, they have had such a mix of locomotives (all EMDs but rebuilt at different times and by different shops). I have to imagine that that is a challenge for the mechanical department. It would make sense to consolidate on just a few models (SD70M, GP31ECO, etc.). It sounds like figuring out that mix has been a challenge! Do you know if they will keep the ex-NS 4-axles that they acquired recently? I don't even know how many or what numbers though. Fortunately, they all look good in the Irving paint scheme, which seems to be kept fairly clean for the most part. Thanks again for enlightening us on the plans moving forward.
Best,
Fritz

3028, 3068 and 3095 are the three exNS units. 3068 was just shipped out for rebuild into an ECO. The three CSX GP40-2's and the 3 NS GP40-2's were rebuilt less than three years ago, with only 3028 and 3095 being painted.

Anyway, I went up north this weekend 900, 901 and 910 were all running at max capacity. MNR is hurting for power bad, NBSR sent one of the two MP15's up because they don't have any geeps to give MNR. Currently there are only three power sets. 6401 and another SD70 for the Oakfield-Millinocket turn, the 2nd power set has a GMTX unit, NBSR 3028 and another GMTX unit. The third set has 2319-GMTX-3095. Ideally, they should have 10-12 units in the winter. Currently 901 is running days, 504 at night, 900 days south out of Fort Kent and nights on the return, 530 is nights from Fort Kent to Madawaska and back, 520 is nights out of Van Buren to Madawaska and back and 521 is days in Van Buren. 503 runs to Presque Isle at night Friday-Saturday with a recrew and whatever power and crews are available are used to run to Houlton as needed.

Currently Oakfield is full, 901 brought down almost 7,000 feet of just chips yesterday along with more finished lumber. Millinocket is pretty full too, 910 took the chips and logs off of track 2 down to Simpson Siding on the Keag sub last night, while 901 left their train on the main. 910 switched the yard for a while and cleared up track 3. But there is a lot of CPKC bound traffic sitting up there. From the radio conversation last night, 910 left a big cut of CPKC traffic up there because CPKC couldn't take it.