Re: [cpsig] Re: Did it ever happen
- From: "W. A. (Dale) Wilson" <dale.wilson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:02:05 -0400
On 13-Apr-09, at 11:17 PM, soomodels wrote:
Dennis is right. I was looking for CPR "running trains" traveling
south on Soo Tracks, coming from and going to a Canadian destination.
In the 1990s, I've seen Soo Line diesels in Montreal numerous times
especially around the Port of Montreal. I wonder if the other way
would have been possible in the fifties and sixties (which is the
period I model)
Not to my limited knowledge.
I reckon he is also right when he points that going "across FIVE
crew districts and two motive power districts on the Soo" would have
made it virtually impossible during the steam era.
If I recall right, was there not an 'Atlantic' passenger train from
Montreal to St-John NB travelling through Northern Maine from
Sherbrooke, that would be a great shortcut? I vaguely remember
someone saying this to me.
There was. Go back far enough in SOO/CP history and there was a
passenger train carrying the "Atlantic" name for a Boston-Montreal-
Minneapolis service, running through the Sault.
I read a bit about the CPR history and at one point the Northern
Michigan route was favoured. I always thought that CPR involvement
with the Soo was kinda selfish, my feeling is that CPR kept Soo Line
going for its own purpose either to, as I proposed use the southern
route as a shortcut or just to have an alternate route should they
have problems on their own main line. I also figured that owning an
american Railroad gave CP an entry to the US shipping market.
All of the above has some truth to it. At one point in the
construction saga of what became the CPR there were firm plans to
build the first Canadian transcontinental line from the Ottawa Valley
through Sault Ste. Marie, along the south shore of Lake Superior and
thence to connections with lines into Winnipeg. This was a sensible
economic alternative to building through the Canadian Shield, but
politically unacceptable, so CPR did it the hard way.
It was not until the Grand Trunk of Canada (who had reached North Bay,
ON from the south very soon after the CPR passed through on its way
west) began plans to extend its lines towards the Sault and
connections with a "friendly American" railway, whoever that might
have been, that CPR pushed its Algoma branch to the Sault and
connections with the DSS&A and SOO in 1887. Believe it was soon after
that CPR took control of both lines, thus protecting its southern
flanks.
There is no question that the SOO provided CPR with interchange
opportunities over the years at all their mutually served points, and
that continues on through Portal, ND today.
Dale Wilson <dale.wilson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Nickel Belt Rails, Box 483, Station "B", Sudbury, ON, P3E 4P6
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