Discussion relating to the past and present operations of CPR. Official web site can be found here: CPKCR.com. Includes Kansas City Southern. There is also a KCS sub-forum for prior operations: kansas-city-southern-and-affiliates-f153.html

Moderators: Komachi, Ken V

  by Pensyfan19
 
For the most recent and third most recent grab bag compilation of rare catches on Virtual Railfan, I couldn't help but take note of two similar moves at the Revelstoke, BC cam: a CP SD40-2 pushing a pile of what looks like telephone poles on one flatcar (correct me if that's the incorrect name of the freight car shown below), and a lone GEVO pushing two of these flatcars with poles a few days later.
Does anyone know what this operation is? I heard it's for a lumber company near the area, but I'm not sure if this is true since they're only using one locomotive to ouch a flatcar or two. Could this be a MOW move, since the SD40S on CP'S roster have been limited to MOW work lately?

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  by NHV 669
 
Given that SD40's have led or been part of a 250/251 consist in Maine/Quebec within the last week amongst other recent runs on the former CMQ system, they certainly aren't limited to MoW service. Stella-Jones Canada Inc. is just west of town, and a quick glance on GMaps shows quite a bit of poles on the property, with a spur coming in. Why would they need more than one six axle unit to push a single car less than 10 miles? What exactly is rare about a local move (VR11) that might run once or twice a week?
  by Pensyfan19
 
NHV 669 wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 6:40 am Given that SD40's have led or been part of a 250/251 consist in Maine/Quebec within the last week amongst other recent runs on the former CMQ system, they certainly aren't limited to MoW service. Stella-Jones Canada Inc. is just west of town, and a quick glance on GMaps shows quite a bit of poles on the property, with a spur coming in. Why would they need more than one six axle unit to push a single car less than 10 miles? What exactly is rare about a local move (VR11) that might run once or twice a week?
Thank you for the clarification. I haven't seen many CP SD40s in regular service other than MOW trains for the past few months and I thought that CP would be using 4-axle power to switch a flatcar or two instead of a 6-axle GEVO.