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CN Rail Line north of Edmonton to Winnipeg

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CN Rail Line north of Edmonton to Winnipeg
Posted by Doc Murdock on Monday, December 23, 2019 1:41 AM

The line I am referring to is the CN rail line that follows the Yellowhead Highway for much of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Is there a lot rail traffic along this line, local or cross country? This is a line that fascinates me as I live along this line years ago.

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Posted by Ed Kyle on Thursday, December 26, 2019 8:32 PM

15 years ago CN probably ran about 20-30 freight trains per day on the Edmonton-Winnipeg main line.  I'm not sure about current numbers.  The line is single-track and CN is talking about adding a second main in places, so it is possible that train counts have increased in recent years.  One local newspaper complaining about the double tracking plans said it was 32 per day.  Some of the current PSR-era trains are nearly three miles long, apparently. 

 - Ed Kyle

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Posted by SD70Dude on Friday, December 27, 2019 12:09 AM

The ex-GTP mainline does indeed see well over 30 trains a day. 

The ex-CNoR Prairie North Line is unsignalled except for the very west end between Edmonton and Scotford, and sees only 2 or 3 trains a day in each direction, less than that on some stretches.

The PNL can be much busier when trains are rerouted due to a disruption on the mainline.

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

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    March 2012
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Posted by Gotrans on Friday, December 27, 2019 6:53 AM

See the link provided by SD70Dude on the thread "Average Speed Limit on CN" for additional information on the subs between Edmonton and Saskatoon/Warman.

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