Cape Breton & Nova Scotia

[Dava]

This is my third and longest visit so far to Cape Breton, the first time I've had any chance to see the rail line in operation. This thread aims to be a mix of observations and photos from me, and i'll welcome any comments and information from folks who know more about the subject than I do. If there's interest, I'll keep going! There is a story here as this may be the dying months of this line..or maybe not. There will be mentions of other sites and lines on the island and in the province too. And forgive the photo quality, I just took a compact Sony WX-80 with me!

 

 

The last days of the Cape Breton & Nova Scotia Central Railway: a shortline tale

The bright orange-liveried 1563 and on-hire blue 2269 locos eased their 7-car mix of 2 boxcars, a closed hopper, 3 empty coal hoppers and an oil tank around the sunlit bay of Sydney Harbour in Cape Breton, whistling for the road crossings past Wentworth Park and past the backstreets of the town into the overgrown old freight yards beside Intercolonial Street.  They’d dropped off a few cars in North Sydney, and sometimes there were a few for Port Hawkesbury at the other end of the island, but apart from that the twice-weekly freight to Sydney rarely reached even double figures. The brakesman uncoupled the train in the yard and the driver ran the two locos up the shunting neck which at one time ran to the coal wharf at the harbour, before backing them in front of the locked freight car repair works.

 

 

1563 looked bold in its orange livery, but the outlook for the Sydney subdivision of CBNSCR was anything but. The parent company had been paid over $22m in ten years for maintenance and to subsidise the lossmaking line. But in truth the bottom had fallen out back in 2001 when the last coal and steel traffic ended, with even the remains of the Sydney steel plant, once the Pittsburgh of Canada,  being shipped out as scrap. CNR had pulled out even before this and VIA had ended the Budd railcar passenger service way back in 1993, the terminal building still remaining derelict.

 

Now, summer 2014, this could be the last sunshine for the Sydney branch. The operator had decided that even the subsidy did not make the line worth continuing, and they’d given notice to quit the service when the agreement ended at the close of September, when they would apply to close the line. Cape Breton Mayor Cee-cil Clarke had high hopes of a revival of the harbour with container or break-bulk shipping relying on a rail link, so he aimed to rally support to keep the line with a few diehard old-economy men backing him, but it looked pretty hopeless.

 

It looked even more hopeless and a lot more worrying if you took a close look at the state of the line. Rotten ties, loose spikes, and wide gauge track were common. There were sections on curves where the railhead had deformed with the weight of the freightcars on the inner rail, and not only gauge corner cracking but chunks of the railhead had come off. Down by the massive Grand Lake Narrows bridge had about the worst length, a derailment there would pitch a train into the Bras D’Or lake, or maybe it would slam into the rusting great bridge itself, which the train crews ran over very carefully....

 

 

Dava

 

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Dava,

Thanks for the photos and storyline. Looks a far cry from when "Alco's in the Highlands" was filmed!

Such a shame.

Cheers,

John E.

[Pugsley]

Thanks for posting - I was in the area in September last year, but didn't get to spend too much time sniffing around the railway, as I was on my honeymoon.  My wife is understanding, but not that understanding!  Anything else you have to share will be welcomed by me.

 

I did manage to get a few pics, which I'll put up here later, if that's OK with you.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Pugsley

[w124bob]

It seems a very long time since the sell off by CN and the red dragon adorned the side of those big C630M's and RS18's. It fell of my radar when the MLW power left the area and I hadn't realized GV Transportation ran the line. I  remember that video as well, leaves a very large area with no rail service. 

Edited July 17, 2014 by w124bob

[Pugsley]

Here's the pictures I mentioned earlier.  I happened to catch a CB&CNS local in Sydney by pure chance, we were heading out to Glace Bay at the time.  I also saw a single loco on the Sydney Coal Railway, with about 4 coal cars in tow, but wasn't in a position to take a picture.

 

 

Tank cars stored at Havre Boucher yard - there were loads of them.

 

 

Two shots of the line somewhere near Antigonish.  The track in this location didn't look too bad, but I think the section between Truro and Port Hawkesbury sees a lot more traffic than the section from Canso to Sydney and is better maintained.

 

 

The former Antigonish station, now the town museum.

 

 

Not Cape Breton, but we were on the way there from Quebec City at this point, so I'll include it anyway The Ocean at Halifax.

 

[w124bob]

Looking at the final shot, is that first coach one of the ex BR ones ? Always liked this VIA livery as well .

[Dava]

Wow, thanks guys for your encouragement and comments, especially Pugsley for those great photos. No need to apologise for 'The Ocean' in Halifax, the thread includes Nova Scotia. The passenger train is indeed the sleeping cars built for the regional transmanche service ('Nightliner'), the last trains built at the old Metro-Cammell works at Washwood Heath, Birmingham. They are not a success on 'The Ocean', apart from being to the UK loading gauge as the contrast with the locos shows, their reliability in Canadian conditions is not great. Recently it looked as though the Halifax-Montreal service would close because of track/bridge defects in the New Brunswick area but the money has been found by VIA to patch the line up so I hope to ride this train later this year or early 2015.

 

Meanwhile, back at Grand Narrows.

 

 

The bridge is the largest structure on the former Intercolonial Railway, spanning the Bras D'Or lake. The line connected steel and coalopolis Sydney with the Canso strait over which a train ferry operated until the causeway linked it to the mainland. The structure is 516m long, the channel is up to 50m deep and it was completed in 1889-90, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Narrows_Bridge

 

The approach curve on the Iona side has the very poor track which I don’t think a UK rail inspector would let pass on safety grounds.

 

The swing span is left open for boat traffic as we can see. The hazard with swing bridges is that they can stick and this has happened on a few occasions with Grand Narrows. The condition of the span and swing equipment is that it looks neglected from years of deferred maintenance.

Tomorrow we’ll sneak a look round Sydney depot. Then the museum at Louisbourg, and back to the UK!

 

Dava

 

[Dava]

Now for a nose around the Sydney rail yards. Its evening, the sun is setting, the grass is long, there's no-one around except stray cats.

 

 

There is a collection of derelict freight cars in the yard,including a couple of old cabooses. The massive Sydney coal hoist which unloads coal onto the Sydney Coal railway (another time...) dominates the horizon.

 

 

3022 in its CBNSCR livery makes a brave sight, in front of 7232.

 

 

And here's 7232, a Co-Co. They ran in last Saturday.

 

That's it for now,

 

Dava

Edited July 19, 2014 by Dava

[Dava]

Here is the final adventure in this visit to Cape Breton, although timewise it was actually the first....a visit to the remains of the Sydney & Louisbourg Railway, with the Louisbourg station museum the destination.

 

First the preserved station, a fascinating location but in need of a paint restoration job to contend with the salty Atlantic winds...the group who run it deserve every support.

 

 

A view from the shunting neck trackside with remaining stock in the distance

 

 

The buildings have many interesting exhibits, including a painting of 'the Ocean' express in better days..

 

 

There are some fine models, here is S&L 23 and  train

 

 

In the goods shed is a fine HO model of the entire S&L system, here is the coal pier at Sydney

 

 

Outside is a steel passenger car with fine 6-wheel trucks

 

 

A look inside before it deteriorates too much

 

 

Fortunately this old wooden car has been preserved inside a display shed

 

 

You can walk back in time through the restored interior, remember those Western movies..

 

 

Finally a good selection of preserved Speeders which just need a running line

 

 

By this time the weather (the aftermath of Hurricane Arthur) was starting to close in, so it was off up the coast to Myra Bridge where the S&L rail bridge across the Gut is now used by the road. Check out the ex-swinging span which resembles a turntable.

 

 

Finally we stop at the mining museum at Glace Bay. Outside there is mining equipment including this migrant worker, a loco from North British in Glasgow.

 

 

We'll be back to Cape Breton in September, to follow the last days or the rescue story of the Sydney subdivision, the Sydney Coal Railway, and the two surviving Cape Breton steam locos stored somewhere off the Island.

Meanwhile, here;s a shot of Grand Narrows from the air. Spot that tiny rail bridge from 18 July!

 

 

Dava

[Dava]

Here's the latest from the local media on the campaign to save the CB&NSCR line to Sydney, Cape Breton. A mention of passengers to the port has entered the discussion, but no ideas on how or who would pay for the massive investment needed to overcome deferred non-maintenance and make the line safe for operation.

 

http://bit.ly/1oG95LB

[Adrian Wintle]

And here's 7232, a Co-Co. They ran in last Saturday.

 

 

HLCX 7232 is an SD40-2, instantly recognizable by the massive 'front porch'. Owned by Helm Leasing

 

CBNS 3022 is a GP40.

 

Adrian

Edited July 29, 2014 by Adrian Wintle

[Dava]

Now back in Sydney, Nova Scotia with an update on the Cape Breton & Nova Scotia Central plan to abandon the line. The operating subsidy expires on 30 Sept, when the operator will probably file their notice to close the line, but will have to keep operating it until this is resolved. There has been a protest rally to 'save our railway' with evidence of local feeling and the economic impact of its loss. 

 

Not much traffic has actually been visible, or maybe I've just not been there at the right time. But on Monday this week leased HLCX 8151 and CBCNS 3327 looked fine shunting a train of 14 box cars in the Sydney yards.

 

 

 

Dava

 

 

[jsp3970]

Shame that they want to close this line. I have been in the area a few times but was never lucky to see a train, just lots of empty track on the drive from Truro to Sydney.

 

I always thought that they should never have withdrawn the VIA service to Sydney as there are lots of people who get off at Truro and are heading to North Sydney to catch the ferry to Port-aux-Basques or Argentia, both in Newfoundland. To add insult to injury the last train service that VIA did run along that line was a luxury train that took people out of Halifax on a tour of the island before returning to Halifax. Why they couldn't run a service as well for those heading to 'the rock' escapes me.

Edited September 26, 2014 by jsp3970

[Adrian Wintle]

Shame that they want to close this line. I have been in the area a few times but was never lucky to see a train, just lots of empty track on the drive from Truro to Sydney.

 

I always thought that they should never have withdrawn the VIA service to Sydney as there are lots of people who get off at Truro and are heading to North Sydney to catch the ferry to Port-aux-Basques or Argentia, both in Newfoundland. To add insult to injury the last train service that VIA did run along that line was a luxury train that took people out of Halifax on a tour of the island before returning to Halifax. Why they couldn't run a service as well for those heading to 'the rock' escapes me.

 

Of course, they also withdrew VIA service from Calgary, which has a larger population than the whole of Nova Scotia...

...but you can still get to Gaspe by train.

 

Adrian

[jsp3970]

Of course, they also withdrew VIA service from Calgary, which has a larger population than the whole of Nova Scotia...

...but you can still get to Gaspe by train.

 

Adrian

Yes indeed and the only 'intercity' service is a luxury train from Vancouver.

[Dava]

Its all about politics here in Canada, if they (we since I am now part of it) can raise enough pressure then saving the line maymay just be possible,but major investment will be needed to make the line secure & the ideal of passenger trains is a distant dream.

 

I'm in Halifax the next few days, the vollume of container freight trains is a huge contrast & I'll aim to get some photos of CN operations before returning via the Stellarton industrial museum & some static exhibits.

 

Dava

[Dava]

Its been a busy month. Catching up, I visited the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry at Stellarton, an interesting if very quiet place with a very traditional approach to curation.

 

Oldest loco of the rail collection here is Samson, built by Hackworth in 1838 for the General Mining Association. The Albion loco of 1854 is almost invisible in store. They dont welcome enquiries about stored locos. 

 

 

Outside and the first thing you see is 151, the 36" Gauge  0-4-0ST Built 1942 at Montreal Locomotive Works for Dominion Steel, Sydney Steel Division.

 

A massive loco, 

 

 

 

 

Inside the museum are some of the ingot cars it hauled, you can see why it had to be so powerful

 

 

Then from the beast to the beauty, a very pretty 30" Gauge 0-4-0ST by Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, in 1917 for the 

Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Co (later Dominion Steel & Coal)., Trenton Works, Trenton. True love.

 

 

 

 

You can read here about the stored locos they don't like to talk about, presumably unrestored, not open for visits, definitely not going to Cape Breton etc.

 https://museumofindustry.novascotia.ca/collections-research/locomotives/more-locomotives

 

Since I got back, there has been some progress on the Cape Breton & Nova Scotia Central front, more on this as the story develops. And Jeremy, founder of Big Spruce Brewing, has picked up well-deserved awards. The only craft brewer on the island, able to sell direct to his consumers and avoid the state monopoly. My growler is in the cooler.  

 

Dava

 

[Irishswissernie]

That striking orange livery is the same as sported by several Utah Railway units, even down to the 'Zero injuries' sticker.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/15471300657/in/set-72157648616588950

 

Photographed at Provo in September this year.  Are the units leased or do the railroads share the same 'parents'?

 

Ernie

[Adrian Wintle]

That striking orange livery is the same as sported by several Utah Railway units, even down to the 'Zero injuries' sticker.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/15471300657/in/set-72157648616588950

 

Photographed at Provo in September this year.  Are the units leased or do the railroads share the same 'parents'?

 

Ernie

 

That is the Genesee and Wyoming corporate image. They own a huge number of shortlines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesee_%26_Wyoming

http://www.gwrr.com/

 

The list of railroads in the Wikipedia article is not current.

 

Adrian

Edited November 4, 2014 by Adrian Wintle

[DanielB]

Aye, including the Louisiana & Delta, which is a particular favourite of mine.

[Dava]

Thanks for the comments. Genesee and Wyoming are not popular citizens here. More to follow as they pursue abandonment. We have urban exploration of the Sydney yard planned soon. Also more photos in the can to share!

 

Dava

[Dava]

A sunny Remembrance Day in Cape Breton was a good reason to explore outside today. 

 

Here are two uses for old cabooses next to the Bras D'Or.

 

 

An ice-cream caboose (not open, needless to say!)

 

 

A summer house

 

Here is a reflective shot of one of the CBNSCR bridges. Rusty condition is typical. If they're made of Cor-Ten steel that's fine but I dont think so. It would be great to see a train crossing this bridge, but then it would be great to see a train!

 

 

Dava

[Dava]

Since last post, I have got involved in the campaign to save the Cape Breton rail line. Closure hearing at Sydney on 8 Dec so big media day as I will be speaking at it, appearing on CBC Information Morning Cape Breton at 740am & at our public meeting at 6pm. If interested follow twitter @Capebretonrail

 

Trying to get the Capers to understand that closing rail lines is a bad idea as within 10 years you need them again. Sensible folk get it.

 

Dave

[Steve O.]

Good luck Dave.

May common sense prevail.

Cheers, Steve O

[trisonic]

Yes, wish you all the best, Dava!

 

Pete.