Container trains CN 122/123, which ran between Montreal and Halifax, have been cancelled. They didn't have a long life, since they began in late November last year. As of now there is only one set of container trains coming into Halifax, CN 120/121.
I understand CN 473/474 (Joffre-Moncton) has gone from "as needed" to daily. This should bring in the head-end freight that 122/123 used to carry. Expect CN 120/121 to get very big.
The last CN 123 left Halifax on Tuesday night. Doug Conrad reported tonight's CN 121 has four units: 5641, 2657, 2405 and 5410.
What does this mean? For CN, it will help alleviate their crew shortages and will probably save some money in the short term. For shippers, unfortunately less trains mean more chances for delay.
Here's my only glimpse of CN 123, during the detour on the NBEC at the beginning of May 2008.
Showing posts with label 122. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 122. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Thursday, May 01, 2008
CN Detour, Day 1, Morning
As I mentioned, CN is detouring on NBEC due to flooding in Edmundston. CN's state of the railroad says "Due to the overflow of the Saint-John River, CN interrupted train service between Moncton N.B. and Saint-André-Station, Quebec as of 1230hrs EDT on Wednesday, April 30th.". It has since been updated to indicate the river has crested.
As luck would have it, I was scheduled to travel north today. I navigated the flooded streets of downtown Fredericton and headed up highway 8. As I approached Miramichi I heard CN 122 receiving a clearance from the NBEC dispatcher to proceed south/east to Pacific Junction. I made the best time I legally could to Red Head, but I missed the head end of the train and settled for watching my first container traffic on the NBEC at 09:30.
NBEC 6904 was in the empty Miramichi yard with two loaded CFMG ballast hoppers behind it.
As I passed Bathurst, I heard at 10:52 that CN 120 (8001 leading) got a clearance from mile 164 (Charlo) to 132 (Irvco/Belledune).
I had called VIA earlier and they told me VIA 14 had engine trouble and would not be in Miramichi until noon. A little calculation showed that it was time for VIA 14 to arrive at Bathurst. I exited the highway at Beresford, crossed the tracks (nothing in sight), turned at the gas station, crossed the tracks again and saw headlights to the north! Good timing. At 11:04 VIA 6421 brought 14 through Beresford.
At 11:19 CN 120 was reported at mile 159.
At 11:27 NBEC 402 (6907 E) got a clearance from mile 184 (Campbellton) to 159 (Charlo).
At 11:51 CN 120 was reported underway at mile 156. It must have had a hotbox problem. They asked for a lineup and the RTC (Dawn) said CN 121 was still at Moncton and there was no data on CN 123.
From Tim Dryden and Luc Doiron, I understand 122 went through Rogersville at 10:15 and was in Gordon Yard by 12:30. Geoff Doane reported it in Millview just outside Halifax at 20:20 with 56xx leading and CN 6011 trailing.
My night was even more exciting. I'll talk about it in my next post.
EDIT: "Upon further review", it is clearly VIA 6421 in the picture, not 6431.
As luck would have it, I was scheduled to travel north today. I navigated the flooded streets of downtown Fredericton and headed up highway 8. As I approached Miramichi I heard CN 122 receiving a clearance from the NBEC dispatcher to proceed south/east to Pacific Junction. I made the best time I legally could to Red Head, but I missed the head end of the train and settled for watching my first container traffic on the NBEC at 09:30.
NBEC 6904 was in the empty Miramichi yard with two loaded CFMG ballast hoppers behind it.
As I passed Bathurst, I heard at 10:52 that CN 120 (8001 leading) got a clearance from mile 164 (Charlo) to 132 (Irvco/Belledune).
I had called VIA earlier and they told me VIA 14 had engine trouble and would not be in Miramichi until noon. A little calculation showed that it was time for VIA 14 to arrive at Bathurst. I exited the highway at Beresford, crossed the tracks (nothing in sight), turned at the gas station, crossed the tracks again and saw headlights to the north! Good timing. At 11:04 VIA 6421 brought 14 through Beresford.
At 11:19 CN 120 was reported at mile 159.
At 11:27 NBEC 402 (6907 E) got a clearance from mile 184 (Campbellton) to 159 (Charlo).
At 11:51 CN 120 was reported underway at mile 156. It must have had a hotbox problem. They asked for a lineup and the RTC (Dawn) said CN 121 was still at Moncton and there was no data on CN 123.
From Tim Dryden and Luc Doiron, I understand 122 went through Rogersville at 10:15 and was in Gordon Yard by 12:30. Geoff Doane reported it in Millview just outside Halifax at 20:20 with 56xx leading and CN 6011 trailing.
My night was even more exciting. I'll talk about it in my next post.
EDIT: "Upon further review", it is clearly VIA 6421 in the picture, not 6431.
Monday, December 17, 2007
More detail on CN 122/123
I previously reported that CN 148 and 149 don't come to the Maritimes any more. Courtesy of the Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports newsletter, here are a few more details.
What used to happen is that CN 148 would leave Chicago and arrive in Halifax at 08:35, 3 days after departure. Now CN 148 terminates in Montreal. Traffic destined for Halifax is left in Toronto and picked up by CN 120, which is due into Halifax at 06:45 saving 2 hours of time over the old schedule. CN 122 departs Montreal at 03:00 and is scheduled to arrive in Halifax at 06:30 the next day.
The main advantage of this plan, beyond the 2 hour time saving, is that a Montreal-Halifax train is more consistent than a Chicago-Halifax train. A train going over a shorter distance is less likely to be late!
120/121 should definitely increase in length and 122/123 will be shorter than the old 148/149.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
EDIT: for much more detail on the changes, please contact Chalmers (Chop) Hardenbergh, editor of Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports at 207-846-3549 or editor@atlanticnortheast.com.
What used to happen is that CN 148 would leave Chicago and arrive in Halifax at 08:35, 3 days after departure. Now CN 148 terminates in Montreal. Traffic destined for Halifax is left in Toronto and picked up by CN 120, which is due into Halifax at 06:45 saving 2 hours of time over the old schedule. CN 122 departs Montreal at 03:00 and is scheduled to arrive in Halifax at 06:30 the next day.
The main advantage of this plan, beyond the 2 hour time saving, is that a Montreal-Halifax train is more consistent than a Chicago-Halifax train. A train going over a shorter distance is less likely to be late!
120/121 should definitely increase in length and 122/123 will be shorter than the old 148/149.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
EDIT: for much more detail on the changes, please contact Chalmers (Chop) Hardenbergh, editor of Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports at 207-846-3549 or editor@atlanticnortheast.com.
Friday, November 23, 2007
CN 148/149 renumbered to 122/123
CN 148 (Chicago-Halifax) and 149 (Halifax-Chicago) have been renumbered to 122 and 123 (respectively) as of today. No word yet on whether they are renumbered all the way through, or just from Montreal east.
CN 122 used to be a Montreal to Moncton train, a "modular" (as required) train, and 123 was Moncton to Toronto. The last time I have CN 122 recorded was April 3, 2004 at Windsor Junction, with CN 2522 and 2675. The last CN 123 I recorded was April 20, 2002 with GCFX 6068 and CN 5330 leading 53 cars. There may have been some that were more recent that I did not hear about.
CN 148 at Milford, NS on October 26, 2002.
CN 149 at McGivney, NB on February 19, 2004.
CN 122 used to be a Montreal to Moncton train, a "modular" (as required) train, and 123 was Moncton to Toronto. The last time I have CN 122 recorded was April 3, 2004 at Windsor Junction, with CN 2522 and 2675. The last CN 123 I recorded was April 20, 2002 with GCFX 6068 and CN 5330 leading 53 cars. There may have been some that were more recent that I did not hear about.
CN 148 at Milford, NS on October 26, 2002.
CN 149 at McGivney, NB on February 19, 2004.
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