Canadian Pacific unit grain train at Banff

[visionz45]

This is the quintessential CP Rail SD40 video

[Kvr3005]

nice video, my great grand father Francis Gainer used to be the station agent at banff from 1930-1960.

[16vr6]

Pacman SD-40's, K3L horns, robot cars, cabooses...the good ol' days.

[wxyz9009]

@16vr6

Not to mention the crossbuck says "Railway Crossing" rather than simply having a red outline

[Mainland444]

this brings back fond memories of my first early recollections of trips into the rockies with my parents and falling in love with trains because of it. thanks for sharing!!!!!

[xxxseXierIkAF4Grlxxx]

sick blowdown!

[CPWindsorsub]

Ahhh, the old top to bottom PAC man logo, there's only 2 or 3 of those left I think, I know that and I'm only 13 lol

[Nathanrailfan]

Ah the days when an SD40-2 had a lot of value that now days are took over with stupid ass Dash 9-40CW's, AC4400CW and ES44AC.

[TrainmasterCurt]

I call it the candy-cane front!

[badgerbuddy]

amazing footage

[babygiraffe123]

Not sure what it is or what caused it, but I've had a terrible fear of trains, for as long as I can remember. I recall being about 5 or 6 years old, at my grandparents' house. They had train tracks DIRECTLY outside their backyard, and whenever the bells would start and the lights would begin to flash, I'd bolt right into the house and hide under the kitchen table. Even now, stopping at a railway crossing, with the lights, the bells, and the horns, is enough to send me into sheer panic.

[TMandN]

Excellent archive video!!!

[davidd320]

Is this the CP transcontinental main line? Because it looks strange with that jointed rail.

[Sunclief]

What is the purpose of the tailgating track speader?

[theGUYwho1]

yes... yes what is the speeder for BCRailfan96... what could it be for?.....

[dj6927]

Wow! 1982. The year I took my girlfriend (now wife) to Vancouver. I stop at the Spiral Tunnel every time we go by. I could stand there for hours. There isn't a more beautiful sound than the train horn in the mountains.

What changed? I never see slave cars or pusher cars anymore.

[ttespi]

Great vid, I am looking forward to visit Banff again in may this year, hope to film some loooong trains......

[BCRailfan96]

What is a track speeder for??

[kuskanook135]

@BCRailfan96 The speeder or track motor car was used by track crews to inspect and maintain the tracks.

It was used because it be removed from the track to clear train movements with little effort.

This one is a Fairmont motor car this seems to be a Roadmasters speeder for doing track inspections

[TrainmasterCurt]

@BCRailfan96 Track inspection, what they used before Hy-Rail's, you must be a youngin then

[BCRailfan96]

What is a track speeder for??

[BCRailfan96]

What was behind the caboose??? Nice train

[e44e33]

Track speeder

[hogger01]

When East bound CP Rail Grain Trains went through North Bay Ontario, we had all 5 SD-40's on the headend. Usually the train had 93 loaded grain cars with a restricted speed of 35 MPH because of tonnage. The controlling grade between Winnipeg and Montreal for CP Rail is Deux Rivieres on the North Bay Subdivision. We'd climb that hill at about 10 MPH. If one locomotive slipped changes were you were going to break a knuckle.

Thanks for posting, it brings back memories.

Hogger01

[trainboi21]

what was that behind the caboose at the end of the train? lol

[graidstin]

This seems kinda random but I think its cool how trains can carry so much, 100's of times more than any semi truck. Theyre just such large, powerful machines, but at the same time somewhat majestic

[jacobew2000]

I wont say which company i work for, but we often put 3 head, 2 middle and 2 rear on all the time. I found it interesting that they were using an old power plant on the front of that middle power. That is an incredible amount of weight there, maybe as much as 18,000 ton train.

I was shocked to see that trackcar running just behind it. Today, you wont see that because of existing rules.

[imprezzed42296]

@jacobew2000 That's actually a Robot Car. Used to control the middle locomotives from the head end. Locotrol, I think they called it.

[penguingeneral2]

Neat! I haven't seen mid-train helpers in a loooong time. =/

[visionz45]

sd40 5536 is one of the head end units, that horn is pretty spot on, awesome vid

[ch545]

What horn is that?

[kibidk]

He he - wtf was that .........lol.. guess it must be in case they need more raw power.........

Funny catch - great video.

[PeaTearGriffin45]

this is the coolest train ever because to start of a cool consist then good looking grain cars then DPUs then more good looking grain cars then a caboose then a speeder its perfect god i would like to railfan the 80s

[colinroxanduknowit]

sweet, do they still run engines in the middle like that?

[PeaTearGriffin45]

that is called a dpu it stands for distributed power unit and yes they do

[gaycowboy31]

oh yah I trully agree I used to see the old MKT and MO Pac SD40-2s passing through my hometown and occasionally on the other side of town the ATSF

[iggyjill]

now its 2 GE AC 4400 head end and 2 inthe middle now

[713davidh42]

Like that paint scheme on the first 2 units, but I guess it didn't last.

[moon47mars]

How do you tell from a SD40-2 and a SD40?

[owlking149]

Love the "barn" scheme! Heavy grade? Thanx fur sharin'!

[dogterd]

I worked on all the sections in this sub, the Laggan Subdivision, and rode in 2 stroke motorcars over every mile of track between sunalta and field. ( translation.... from downtown calgary to the bottom of the big hill.... including the spiral tunnels) . i once rode with a foreman in an open motorcar just like this, just west of banff, and in fact it may be the very same motorcar.

notice the 78 foot rails bolted together at 2.00. shortly after this they went to continuously welded rail.

[bnsfmanifests]

I'm very happy to tell you that no one bought out CP. If anyone's going to be doing the buying, it's railroad in the video. CP Rail isn't the biggest, but they're one of the richest railroads their is. You said it yourself. Those enviro-friendly units that they're always buying tell everyone just how much money they've got.

[bnsfmanifests]

Hey, you don't so happen to like CSX, do you? If you do, I have a video for you. Your handle made me kind of wonder.

[bnsfmanifests]

Dude, you know too much about railroading! Not to sound mean, but give yourself a better handle than "dogterd." Come on! Have some faith in yourself.

[dogterd]

l live and breathe hunting dog fur at the moment..hence the handle.

actually the bnsf on the Hi Line in Montana is my stomping grounds every fall. They don't call Montana the last, best place for nuthin.

[bnsfmanifests]

Ah, that's all right. The BNSF Hi Line includes Maria's Pass and what not. You get a lot of BNSF, CN, and I'm sure you'll get quite a bit of CP Rail going through there as well. People say CP uses the U.P. at Sandpoint, but I think they use the BNSF tracks, too. So does MRL.

[bnsfmanifests]

Actually, SOO Line is owned by CP Rail (thank god. CN and UP were trying to buy them at one point). CP Rail just never really came forward and announced it. When they found out that CN and UP wanted the SOO, CP Rail told them both to fuck themselves. BNSF did the same thing when CN wanted to buy them out, they told CN to take a hike!

[iggyjill]

um your wrong BNSF and CN were to merger and operate as north american railways but the STB put a stop to it postponed all railway mergeing

[iggyjill]

I think Canadian Pacific is doing alright but in the US market there hurting just like everybody else

[iggyjill]

Yeah buy everything that they can and junk there lovely power and replace it with CN junk

[bnsfmanifests]

CN is a bunch of clusterfucks. And you don't have to worry about me being offended when you make fun of CN, because I don't care for them. They can be put in a prison cell with Union Pacific. They can feed off of each other in there.

[michlian]

Maybe we'll get lucky and CN will get absorbed by BNSF.

[yuer7676]

excellent video nice horn

[sgprailfan]

Neat, is that a mid train helper or old engines being towed?

[CPRail9524]

Those are two locotrol slaves (remote mid train helpers)

[VIA919]

what where those guys doing in that little speeder? that looks so fun chasing a train while being bounced around like pees in a frying pan.

[pwalpar]

Very Good Video

[kmothersil]

Was CP the first railroad to have ditch lights?

[bnsfmanifests]

No, it was SP, but they pretty much were the same thing as CP Rail. They did every thing the same exact way.

[CPRail9524]

I thought BC Rail had them first. I know the FRA in Canada mandated their use well before the US, because of an accident in BC where are train hit a mud slide. The findings found that if they had more lights, the crew would have seen it sooner and have been able to stop, hence ditch lights became mandatory here in Canada.

[bnsfmanifests]

No, Southern Pacific was the first to use ditch lights, but BC Rail and CP started using them VERY shortly after. The reason why you started seeing a lot of trains using ditch lights in Canada is because the Canadian FRA made it a law long before the U.S. counterparts did. They made it a law almost as soon as they found out that ditch lights were available. Down here in the states, there were some trains that had them, but no one really started using them until it finally became a law down here.

[iggyjill]

canada started using ditchlight in the early 60s

[wctrain]

if only cp had trains like that today

[OrignalLignator]

Classic, something you don't is anymore. How did you get the video from anylog to DVD?

[e44e33]

Firewire from a DVCAM deck into my edit computer, then export as a Quicktime movie

[bnsfmanifests]

Yes they should have left those other railroads alone. It's funny how CN is always buying out these other railroads, and yet here we have CP, who went almost 30 years before merging with another company. All the companies that CP merged with were allowed to keep their operation and name. Can't say that about CN. I have never liked them.

[iggyjill]

CP is on the toronto stock exchange

[iggyjill]

Yes

[bnsfmanifests]

To ansewer your question, BNSF keeps their units in really good condition as well, not as good as CP Rail, but in decent condition. If you have any questions about that, visit my channel and watch the BNSF Local.

[CPRail9524]

A Canadian practice was to have the bell mounted high, that way it would not get clogged with snow during the winter.

[bnsfmanifests]

Well, I'm unable to copy that video. If you want, come over to my channel and watch it. It's a pretty cool video of CSX. The locos have that "thunderbolt" paint on them. You might like that.

[Burnoutmaster1]

wat street is this and do CP trains still run through here?

[e44e33]

Banff Ave. I think it's an overpass now. CP still runs through there.

[CPRail9524]

I think it is just preferrence. I know they are allowed since the GO cabcars use flashing ditch lights. BC rail didn't need flashers any way since they had two sets of "ditch lights" to begin with.

[iggyjill]

Canadian safety counsel didnt require it and neither does the TSB there either however I hear a rumour that it will be a law that ditch blink when the bell is on

[bnsfmanifests]

Oh so CP was the first to use ditchlights, then. Wow. I thought it was SP. I know they were the first to use ditchlights down here. To a point I agree with you about the BNSF/CN merger. The STB stopped that merger, but BNSF also took a look a CN's safety record and told them, " No way!"

[iggyjill]

CM was the first to use them and CP shortly there after

[iggyjill]

Yeah CP locos have two horns facing toward the cab and one facing the back and located behing the dyno brake

[iggyjill]

thats because the canadian locos dont flash when the bell goes

[iggyjill]

Canadian railroads dont have flashing ditch lights

[iggyjill]

well it our thing I guess just like northeastern part of the US have there flash I for one think they should flash so people can see it better and tell there moving.

[iggyjill]

That doesnt shock me another rialraod that had blinking ditchlight were WC I think they should have flashing ditchlights.

[admydragonch2]

its more the opposite way round.

everybody has normal ditchlights except for NS and CSX.

[bnsfmanifests]

Oh, you better believe CP still runs through there. Banff is part of the Kicking Horse Pass, or as the railroaders call it, the CP Laggan Sub. And God willing, they will continue to run through there.

[gaycowboy31]

that SD40-2 # 5700 is preserved and currently stored in Revelstoke BC awaiting to be repainted in the classic CPRR colors pre action red for the Revelstoke Railroad Muselm

[gaycowboy31]

allow me to correct myself that unit #5700 in not an SD40-2 as I incorrectlly tpped but an SD40 CPRR's very first one bought

[iggyjill]

its 5500 is the one your thinking about 5700 is still alive and kicking currently assigned to Moose Jaw shop

[gaycowboy31]

cool thanks I knew I saw one of them there thay told me about in Revelstoke

[AccountingFan2008]

Great video dude! How many of these 80's ones ya got?

[e44e33]

I probably have a few more.

[NBEC69]

Yes! Great video! Sorry if you don't understand me when I write beacause, I don't speak English perfectly! I speak French! But, your video is very good! I like SD40-2 CP trains!

[chessie93]

That's kool right there my favorite one I getting that same Sd40-2 for christmas in the lead I wished I be here 5 stars

[larry84988]

ditch lights in 1982? wow

[Andrewsaxamophone]

Excellent video! Weird ending, but excellent!

[bnsfmanifests]

Five stars for CPR! Wish they would buy out U.P. and teach those bozos to run trains like that. And for jointed rail, those tracks were in really good condition. Goes to show you that CPR takes really good care of their equipment and employees. Nice video man. CPR reminds me of the SP used to do things before they got bought out by Union Paciffic. Unfortunately that's all I get where I live. And trust me, they don't like railfans.

[Xoxchitla]

Just noticed while watching this, there is no graffiti on any of the cars! Can't see a train without 80% of the cars covered in it now!

[94011111]

Yes, I noticed that as well. I think that gangs put graffiti on trains as a way of advertising their gang; (because according to a news story I heard once, putting graffiti on buildings is the gangs way of marking their territory).

[LivingInTyndall]

hahahahahaha your an idiot.

[94011111]

Yes, this video is priceless. September of 1982. You've got train engines that hardly even exist anymore, and the whole caboose thing at the end of trains is a no more. Other noticable things are that Canada no longer puts Railway Crossing on their cross bucks, it is just red and white now. And I can just imagine that the price of gas probably averaged around 40 cents a litre (now it is 1.35 on average); How times change

[trevorandy]

i wish i grew up in that era, my dad woulda been riding those cabooses for cp back then.

[jconnor1988]

awesome vid!!, u should visit my channel, british trains though.

[Cheiracanthium]

Multimark's, Salmon's, Alberta Heritage Fund, lots of great hoppers!!

[terryrowsell]

Okay, and I thuoght the VIA vid was cool!  WOW, now this!

[TommyBNSF]

But sweet horn!!!!!!!!!! 5 stars!!!!

[jconnor1988]

wow...wot a freight train...thanx alot m8. is that a 1980's freestyle freight train joy rider at the rear.

[Ianscape]

No, most likely an employee.

[TrainmasterCurt]

I noticed that weird "black" robot car, must be an F9B, and notice the "Railway Crossing" signs, common when i grew up, but now all are "Safety" neon red and white

[TheSubatomicCheese]

Looks like 1017, which was converted from an H16-44...a lot of the others were converted from C-Liner B-units

[TheSubatomicCheese]

On closer inspection it looks like 1007, which was an ex C-Liner B-unit

[gaycowboy31]

no thats and ex Alco FA B unit

[iggyjill]

its a robot car used to make locos not locotroled or radio controled as pushers the history is Built by CLC as CPB16-4 #4449 (1952). Converted to Robot Control Car (1970) Retired (5/1984)

[iggyjill]

In canada theres a law that all highways have to have lights at crossing or town access from highways.

[iggyjill]

BC Rails has double ditchlights because they operate in heavily wooded areas and I believe one set point inward to go around curves better

[TommyBNSF]

That candy cane scheme doesn't really spark my interest that much but I do like it.

[PATRICK10868]

its the candy cane train

[BCRDean]

VERY nice.

[CalDaCPRGUY]

Man trainz675 is right look at all the new grain cars and no ge's man this is when the railroad was in its glory

[wappaw]

Yeh thats what we say but if you ask the older guys that ran these things they would say steam was the glory days. And the guys that ran steam would say that the horse and buggy was the glory days and the guys that rode the horse and buggy would say..................!!!!!

[PrentonPimp]

God, that's a great video. Thanks for posting!

[PULSEON3R]

where's all the graffiti???? gall darnit

[seasonoflight]

Just now caught this - really nice and thank you for posting it! - Lyman

[kmothersil]

Do they still use the same horns om the SD40-2s? Plus can someone tell me what type of horn is that?

[GP30RDMT]

The Canadian Parliment required horns to sound a D# chord. The most popular horn after the M3H was the Nathan Airchime formerly Holden K3L. -Jeffrey

[TrainmasterCurt]

And the Yellow Cabooses which i saw a lot of in Manitoba in the 80's, miss those days, many more branchlines back then, damn globalization and getting rid of the Crow Rate

[TrainmasterCurt]

5833 has the candy stripes!! That was the first CP Rail livery. the last unit is 2nd gen CP Rail

[trevorandy]

oh and if im not mistaken, those engines had 3000 hp each

[trevorandy]

i remember riding in those old sd40s for cp rail when i was younger, like the early 90s. they were still plentiful on the freight lines at that time.

[trainz675]

man cp rails have changed over the years

[wctrain]

just like how the trains used to be in the rogers/kicking horse passes they would have 10 to 20 sd40/sd40-2 pulling the trains through or over the passes.

[wappaw]

uh uh uh buddy. Not so fast. You would never see 20 units on a train. The most was probably at Stoney Creek to Rogers. That was a 2.2 percent grade and they had to add 6 pushers to shove most trains up the hill. Unit trains usually consisted of

3 or 4 units on the head end and 2 slaves midtrain. Then add 6 pushers around 30 cars or so from back for total of maximum 12 units. Just for your info

[wappaw]

Really light trains usually 2 units on the front but not enough power to run the hill would get a nose job. 6 unit pushers on the front for a total of 8 units to run the hill. Just for your info.

[AZZ124567]

The NS used a Boxcar with the same kind of radio control equipment to make any locomotive from Southern Railway/N&W or NS a helper engine and the NS used that up to the mid 90's on the Rat Hole from Daville Ky to Chatanooga TN I am not ahure if they are still using it though, the Southern RY developed the concept in the mid 60's. Andy Bowe

[e44e33]

I have a picture of one on my site: clarkrail dot com. Look in Norfolk Southern SD50 6502. GN and NP (later BN) used several F7 B-units for the same purpose.

[motorcoach]

The unit in the middle was called a ROBOT it was an engineless gutted ex FM C-Liner B unit. It held all of the electronics and remote equipment to run the pusher engines (slaves, helper engine"s). Ive heard from a cp rail trainmaster that it used to take up to 2 hours to program them into a train. Now with the new stuff its as soon as 10 mins. Absoulutly beautiful. Thanks for posting.

[TTGVP]

unreal, simply unreal

[zartok35]

If I didn't know any better, I'd say the speeder was trying to sneak over the grade crossing while the train had the protection going.

[patmix]

yahooooooooo

wow powerfull

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