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Caption: The first ordered CP 143 of 2016 has a pretty decent lashup with CP 9639, CSX 5464 and UP 5545. 143 is a little later than usual, and is often through Fort Erie by 9am.
A lot has changed in Fort Erie in the past couple of years, and the biggest change has yet to come. Last year CN consolidated most yard operations from Fort Erie to Port Robinson, making this yard quite dead, and void of any CN power. The yard has been used for storage since then (much like Niagara Falls was before being torn up). With rail traffic quite slow recently due to a 'technical' recession, the yard is crammed full, with unique twin stack well cars making up the mix at the east end of the yard. The twin stacks were among the first well cars to accommodate double stack intermodal, and their technology is now redundant.
Fort Erie is about to lose one of Niagara's more iconic bridges, the Central Avenue bridge in the background. The handrails on the east side of the bridge are already being dismantled, and the entire bridge will be replaced by the end of the summer. The truss structure is expected to come down sometime in April or May, ending its 63 year history. Until then, get your shots, as a few months goes by quickly.
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Soo similar to this – crop it just right and you’d have had a time machine shot
http://www.railpictures.ca/upload/amtrak-train-64-the-niagara-rainbow-arrives-at-fort-erie
Rails are losing some market share of intermodal due to low diesel fuel prices making truckers more competitive in medium to shorter lanes.
Are those the same cars that were sitting at the papermill in Thorold South?
CN actually made a mistake when they closed Ft.Erie. All the trainmasters said they wished Ft.Erie had stayed open and Pt.Robinson been closed. Oh well.
heres an industry thought: could the new Panama Canal expansion change flow of ims traffic? it would seem all these new inland ims terminals , and investments in eastern corridors (mec/ns cooperation for example) the last few years are in preparation, which is 6 months away from reality.
perhaps Halifax will get some new business or more via buffalo gateway on cp?
the speculation of how the expanded Panama canal will be a rail revolution is allot of hot air – it still wont be big enough those “mega” sized ships…and instead of the revenue of hauling a container across the country – the length of rail haul will be shortened somewhat with the east coast ports of call.
Sadly I don’t know if Halifax will benefit or not. Halifax is a day closer to Europe than any other eastern port. Prince Rupert is closer to Asia than any other western port and CN services both with no great increase in intermodal traffic.
DoctaPinklaces – Yes, I had seen them at Allanburg on December 29th. CN moved them, and there are now autoracks in the sidings.
Stephen C. Host – I think I will save a time machine opportunity for when the bridge comes down. It would be more fitting.