CP continued to require overhead clearances for electrification on structures
to be built over its lines, well into the 1980s.
I would add that most of the infrastructure for electrification is a "sunk"
cost and cannot be recovered. You can move some of your locomotives to other
lines if traffic patterns change, but you cannot move the wires, not
economically anyway.
In principle there is a way to electrify in small stages, as the capital
becomed available, wiring the steepest slopes first, and saving the cost of
engine changes or of operating both diesel and electric locomotives along
partially-electrified routes. This could be done by the equivalent of "FL9"
diesel-electric/electric locomotives that operate from the electrification when
available and on diesel power otherwise. A drawback would be the need for a
larger fleet of specialized engines than otherwise necessary, to permit
flexibility and through-running of locomotives.
----- Original Message -----
From: John Sutherland
To: cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 1:51 PM
Subject: [cpsig] Electrification (was Re: CPR D-10 from sunset)
CP never got close to "planning" on electrifying around Toronto. In
that era the option was looked at, but for various reasons it was
quickly dropped. A big issue is the enormous capital cost of building
the new electrical plant, upgrading all the existing signal and grade
crossing systems, rebuilding overhead and truss bridges to provide
clearance for the catenary, and new locomotives. This requires very
significant related operational savings to justify, which in general
do not exist. There is usually not the traffic density for the
numbers to add up.
In the Toronto area, there might be some validity for GO Transit to
make the change, especially on the Lakeshore line, but this would be
solely used by GO Transit. Only a limited area will be electrified so
the numbers are smaller.
For the freight carriers, using your example of Toronto west to Orrs
Lake will illustrate why they lost interest. The capital cost might
be low because of the limited distance but introduces inefficiencies
in operation that eliminate any possible savings. You can't eliminate
any diesels since they will be required beyond the electrified
territory, whether they are hauled dead or the power is exchanged at
the end points. So now electrification has to be extended to Windsor,
at considerable additional cost. Still the problem of how to move the
train beyond the end points remains, so to really achieve anything
electrification should be extended east to Montreal, and maybe on to
Chicago. Now the numbers are getting enormous, and there are lots of
other places on the railway crying for investment with a higher,
faster and more certain return.
The most serious look at electrification was out west in the
mountains, where it was considered as an alternative to the double
tracking in the Rogers Pass. The theory was that that the higher
horsepower available from electric locomotives (not limited by the
output of a diesel prime mover) would increase line capacity through
increased train speed on the heavy grades. To eliminate having to
swap power the scenario planned electrification from Calgary to
Vancouver and also the coal route from the Crowsnest area. The entire
route had heavy traffic density.
Studies were advanced to the point that a very short piece of test
catenary was erected beside the tracks on the west side of Rogers Pass
to investigate its performance in the winter snows typical of the
area. The idea, never strongly espoused, eventually faded away.
John
--- In cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "dave hill" <techill@...> wrote:
>
> Ok another question for those out their in Candian Pacfic historical
land
> the grades around Toronto are tough in all directions its a tought
long up
> grade North aclimb to Bolton East climb to Agincourt west the real
tough
> one climb to Orr lake . In the seventys CPR was planning on electrifing
> around Toronto 20/20 hidsight they made an expensive mistake
considering the
> cost of diesel fuel these days any body got the story . regards
DAVID HILL
