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 123. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 123. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Sunday, May 04, 2008
CN 123 Detouring Through Bathurst
Here is CN 123 detouring in the rain through Bathurst, as described in a previous post. They went through on May 1 at 22:32 with CN 5704, IC 2462, CN 4775, and another GP38 for power.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
CN Detour, Day 1, Evening
My evening started off with a great find. As I left Belledune I heard the EOT device chirp on the scanner at 17:52, so I beat it for the west end of the Belledune siding. As I approached the crossing the lights came on, and I just had time to jump out and take one snapshot before CN 121 was blasting by.
Then I took video with the Canon S3.
Michel Boudreau shot it just before me, in Bathurst threading its way through the yard. 121 had CN 2560 and 2645 for power. It was reported into Campbellton just after 20:00.
As I approached Bathurst, I heard NBEC 402 (with 6904 for power) getting an OCS clearance (22 loads, 5 empties, 2797 tons, 1927 feet). I thought that very odd because I saw 6904 in Miramichi in the morning! I'm guessing that NBEC turned 402 in Bathurst rather than have it proceed all the way to Miramichi, and had 6904 bring the northbound traffic up and take the southbound traffic down. That would also explain the empty Ultramar tank train in Bathurst yard tonight, which would normally never dwell in Bathurst.
ANYway, I drove over 402 on highway 11 at 18:21, then took the next exit and beat it for Nepisiguit Junction. I was there a minute before 402 showed up. They were talking about going into the siding at Bartibog.
I went back to the yard and saw NBEC 586 making up its train. At 19:14 they left for the Nepisiguit Subdivision. They had 9 loads, 50 empties, 3320 tons, and were 2830 feet long.
I taped it with my weenie tripod right on the bridge members. It was a little precarious.
At 19:32 NBEC 586 reported it was on the Nepisiguit Sub, and at 19:40 NBEC 402 reported that it left Bartibog.
VIA 15, the Ocean, arrived in Bathurst in fairly heavy rain at 20:09 with VIA 6410 leading.
I had a tip later on that CN 123 was coming, so I went down to the station and saw them come through at 22:32. CN 123 had CN 5704, IC 2462, CN 4775, and another GP38 for power.
On to day 2
Then I took video with the Canon S3.
Michel Boudreau shot it just before me, in Bathurst threading its way through the yard. 121 had CN 2560 and 2645 for power. It was reported into Campbellton just after 20:00.
As I approached Bathurst, I heard NBEC 402 (with 6904 for power) getting an OCS clearance (22 loads, 5 empties, 2797 tons, 1927 feet). I thought that very odd because I saw 6904 in Miramichi in the morning! I'm guessing that NBEC turned 402 in Bathurst rather than have it proceed all the way to Miramichi, and had 6904 bring the northbound traffic up and take the southbound traffic down. That would also explain the empty Ultramar tank train in Bathurst yard tonight, which would normally never dwell in Bathurst.
ANYway, I drove over 402 on highway 11 at 18:21, then took the next exit and beat it for Nepisiguit Junction. I was there a minute before 402 showed up. They were talking about going into the siding at Bartibog.
I went back to the yard and saw NBEC 586 making up its train. At 19:14 they left for the Nepisiguit Subdivision. They had 9 loads, 50 empties, 3320 tons, and were 2830 feet long.
I taped it with my weenie tripod right on the bridge members. It was a little precarious.
At 19:32 NBEC 586 reported it was on the Nepisiguit Sub, and at 19:40 NBEC 402 reported that it left Bartibog.
VIA 15, the Ocean, arrived in Bathurst in fairly heavy rain at 20:09 with VIA 6410 leading.
I had a tip later on that CN 123 was coming, so I went down to the station and saw them come through at 22:32. CN 123 had CN 5704, IC 2462, CN 4775, and another GP38 for power.
On to day 2
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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