Algoma Central

[Anonymous]

I just took a look at the Proximity Issues rail map of Ontario. I was looking to see if Algoma Central was still around. Did they got bought out by Canadian National or were they always a part of the CN rail system[?]

[fuzzybroken]

AC was purchased by Wisconsin Central, which itself became part of the Canadian National CN system.

Funny that two of the major railroads in Wisconsin are "Canadians"... then there's all those geese too...

-Mark from "Canada South"
Milwaukee, WI
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[nanaimo73]

The Algoma Central was purchased by the Wisconsin Central Feb 1, 1995, and CN bought WC October 9, 2001.

ACR had one of my favorite paint schemes-
http://algomacentral.railfan.net/algoma1.htm

Similar to EL-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=EL

QUOTE: -Mark from "Canada South"
Milwaukee, WI

TheAntiGates says Minnesota is the most Canadian State.
They do have a NHL team, and better curlers ! [;)]

[Hugh Jampton]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

The Algoma Central was purchased by the Wisconsin Central Feb 1, 1995, and CN bought WC October 9, 2001.

ACR had one of my favorite paint schemes-
http://algomacentral.railfan.net/algoma1.htm

Similar to EL-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=EL

QUOTE: -Mark from "Canada South"
Milwaukee, WI

TheAntiGates says Minnesota is the most Canadian State.
They do have a NHL team, and better curlers ! [;)]

But how do they pronounce "about"?

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hugh Jampton

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

The Algoma Central was purchased by the Wisconsin Central Feb 1, 1995, and CN bought WC October 9, 2001.

ACR had one of my favorite paint schemes-
http://algomacentral.railfan.net/algoma1.htm

Similar to EL-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=EL

QUOTE: -Mark from "Canada South"
Milwaukee, WI

TheAntiGates says Minnesota is the most Canadian State.
They do have a NHL team, and better curlers ! [;)]

But how do they pronounce "about"?

In the northern 2/3 of Minnesota, it's pronounced "uh-boot", don't cha know.[;)]

[Clutch Cargo]

The Algoma still has a fleet of Great Lakes vessels, sailing under the Algoma Central stack colours.
Does anyone know if CN is operating these vessels in addition to the U.S. Steel great lakes fleet?

The "Tin Stackers" still operate under their old Colours. Although they are owned by CN.

Its pronounced aboot... you heathan.

Kurt

[nanaimo73]

This website says the parent company sold the railway to WC and has bought more ships.
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ca~hf1.html#acm

[doghouse]

Wasn't the slogan of the Central "The route of the Black Bear."

[coborn35]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

QUOTE: -Mark from "Canada South"
Milwaukee, WI

TheAntiGates says Minnesota is the most Canadian State.
They do have a NHL team, and better curlers ! [;)]

No,no,no. Canada WANTS to be Minnesotan.
YA FOR SHURE!

[trainboyH16-44]

MAX - YOU'RE CRAZY!!!
Doghouse - Yes, I do believe it was something like that, and they did have a black bear on their shield.
This is another of those railroads that I only discover after they're long gone - And I don't discover that they're long gone until long after I discover them..

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The Algoma Central was definitely long on scenery but it doesn't look like it was the easiest railroad to operate. No long grades but lots of curves and a fair amount of wilderness along the way. It was probably a smaller version of the British Columbia Railway.

Doghouse: you're right about the slogan.

[Murphy Siding]

I saw some old, broken down AC passenger coaches sitting in NW Iowa a couple years back. How long ago was it that they ran passenger trains?

[nanaimo73]

Good news-
CN is still operating the passenger trains on the former ACR
http://www.algomacentralrailway.com/

[Anonymous]

Just a note. U of Wisconsin men's and women's hockey teams each won the NCAA championships this spring.[:)]

[FJ and G]

AC livery sort of reminds me of Erie Lackawana.

Is AC still running; track still there? Back in 70s I dreamed of riding the AC but didn't have enough money to get out that way.

[wctransfer]

Ahh, the Algoma Central. WC was very classy when they bought them. The F units were put on the passenger trains, and it was still the Algoma Central pretty much. CN came, bye bye F Units. I agree, what a paintscheme they had, nice colors. I mean, where can you go wrong with maroon?

Alec

[doghouse]

Did the AC have any route miles in Maine?

[fuzzybroken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

AC livery sort of reminds me of Erie Lackawana.

Back in 70s I dreamed of riding the AC but didn't have enough money to get out that way. Is AC still running; track still there?

Well, sort of... CN still runs the ACR operations, though not quite the same as days gone by, but you've still got your chance.

QUOTE: Originally posted by doghouse

Did the AC have any route miles in Maine?

No, it pretty much went straight north from Sault Ste. Marie. Only connection between AC and Maine is MMA's owner (?), Ed Burkhardt.

[Soo2610]

QUOTE: Originally posted by doghouse

Did the AC have any route miles in Maine?

Not that I know of. They run from Saute Ste Marie to Hearst. Mostly flag stops. They do run a spectacular day excursion trip to Agawa Canyon. They drop cars off in the canyon and the train coming down from Hearst picks them up in the afternoon and brings them back to Saute Ste Marie. Spectacular trip and a great way to see the railroad. Was strange stopping in the middle of the forest and seeing a group of hunters get off and head down a foot path. What a way to run a railroad!

[ddechamp71]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wctransfer
The F units were put on the passenger trains, and it was still the Algoma Central pretty much. CN came, bye bye F Units. I agree, what a paintscheme they had, nice colors.
Alec

I remember an article in Railfan and Railroad 10 years ago about AC's last F-Units, and with the exception of LTV Steel, defunct since 2001, AC must have been the last operator to run F-Units in scheduled freight service. Oftenly the F-Units weren't alone as they were mixed with Geeps, but 10 years ago it was still possible to see an F-Unit heading a freight.

The author of the article was then remembering the same F-Units (wearing Soo Line's paintscheme) at the same location when he was a youngster.

Dominique

[cnw4001]

Except in the fall when the Canyon trains swell in size so much that extra cars have to be added to the Hearst trains, the Canyon trains have their own power up and back. In the fall the northbound Hearst train takes extra cars which layover at the Canyon until the southbound Hearst train picks them up for return to Sault Ste Marie. They also have a caboose which can be rented and set out at the Canyon overnight or longer. I'm not sure if it is still available but they also had a Private Car (Passenger) which a group could rent and ride in on the line.

As to the F's, many of the AC crews were not sorry to see them leave as they had become less than adequate for the service. At least three of them went to the Gettysburg RR in Pennsylvania where I believe they have now been repainted.

Dale

[tatans]

OK you hosers, check out Algoma Central CN website, still lots of train travel to the middle north, some great equipment. Minney Soda ?? who down there remembers Fat Emma chocolate bars eh ? ?

[coborn35]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ddechamp71

QUOTE: Originally posted by wctransfer
The F units were put on the passenger trains, and it was still the Algoma Central pretty much. CN came, bye bye F Units. I agree, what a paintscheme they had, nice colors.
Alec

I remember an article in Railfan and Railroad 10 years ago about AC's last F-Units, and with the exception of LTV Steel, defunct since 2001, AC must have been the last operator to run F-Units in scheduled freight service. Oftenly the F-Units weren't alone as they were mixed with Geeps, but 10 years ago it was still possible to see an F-Unit heading a freight.

The author of the article was then remembering the same F-Units (wearing Soo Line's paintscheme) at the same location when he was a youngster.

Dominique

LTV is actually still making a few runs with their F9's.
And when did CN scrap the F's...? Wasnt it 2001, when WC went under?

[nanaimo73]

FP9A 1753 is now (ex)CN 6514 (original number) at the Alberta Railway Museum, Edmonton.
F9B 6614 (1762) is there as well.

1750-1755 6 FP9A
1756 1 FP7A
1761, 1762, 6602, 6606 4 F9B
Taken out of service by WC July 2001, replaced by GP9s and GP40s, before CN took over (in October)

1750, 1751, 1752 at Homewood May 2002-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=6691
1750-1756-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=6699

1750, 1751, 1752 to Pioneer Railcorp 403, 404, 407 during 2003.
1754, 1755 to PR 408, 405 '03
1756 to West Coast Railway Museum 2002.
1761 to PR 406 '03
I don't know what happened to 6602 or 6606 (Scrapped ?)

Pioneer Railcorp-
http://www.gettysburgrail.com/

[ddechamp71]

QUOTE: LTV is actually still making a few runs with their F9's.

For which purpose[?] I believed the line was closed as the industry has gone off....

Dominique

[coborn35]

Well, as the price of steel has sky rocketed, they are running a number of trains to get the dropped pellets.

[Anonymous]

There are still lumber mills in Hearst and there is interchange freight with CP at Franz. There may also be some interchange traffic from the ONR depending on its destination. I believe all the iron mines have been closed. The Agawa Canyon train and the triweekly passenger train to Hearst still operates. I am not sure who does the switching for Algoma Steel and the paper mill n Sault Ste Marie, CN or Huron Central.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH

The Algoma Central was definitely long on scenery but it doesn't look like it was the easiest railroad to operate. No long grades but lots of curves and a fair amount of wilderness along the way. It was probably a smaller version of the British Columbia Railway.

Doghouse: you're right about the slogan.

Originally, it was called the "Algoma Central and Hudson Bay" or AC&HB, which some said stood for: All Curves and High Bridges.

Now that Algoma Central (and Wisconsin Central) are part of CN, how does most of the intermational traffic move at Sault Ste. Marie? When the Wisconsin Central was the Soo Line, it connected with the Canadian Pacific line from Sudbury...a natual east-west route. Now the Sudbury-Sault Ste. Marie branch is the Huron Central, but certainly their primary connection must be with the CP at Sudbury. So, does international traffic still flow between the CN west of Sault Ste. Marie and the CP via the Huron Central, or does the traffic go north out of the Soo on the ex-AC to Oba to the CN main? That would be a roundabout way. Also, IIRC, that is not the most direct connection between the International Bridge and the Algoma Central.

[Anonymous]

I would imagine that all westbound traffic CN or CP would be handed off at Sudbury/Capreol. All westbound traffic originating at Sault Ste Marie would be interchanged with CP at Franz and with CN at Oba. All eastbound traffic destined for Sault Ste Marie would be interchanged at Franz and Oba. Any international traffic originating east of Franz and Oba would probably go south on CN or CP to Toronto unless it was going to MN or WI. The only international traffic would be traffic originating between between Winnipeg and Oba or Franz or was generated from on-line shippers. There maybe some ONR traffic that is interchanged in Hearst for southbound movement but most of it would go to CN at North Bay and then south to Toronto.

[squeeze]

I remember back in the late 70's and early 80's that you could get a ticket to ride to a particular MP and get dropped off and when you wanted to get picked up the train would wait a certain amount of time at the MP for the return trip. This was a real pleasure for the outdoorsman and rail enthusiust. Too bad I could never get the time to do it. I would have loved the chance to fish some of that country and ride a train to get there. Hindsight is always 20/20, and the thought of doing it at a later date never came around again. Within two years the my longtime friend and originator of train watching (my Dad) had passed on and the opportunity was gone forever. Such is life!