Tshiuetin train failure, 282 stranded at -27?F

[jamesontheroad]

Some bad news from the north - Tshiuetin Rail's mixed train from Schefferville, Quebec to Sept-Iles lost power about 50 miles from Labrador City on Friday. Incredibly (since I never knew it was that well used) 282 passengers had to be rescued, having spent eight hours waiting in temperatures in the minus twenties.

Some bad luck, presuming that both locomotives lost power?

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/282-stranded-train-passengers-in-labrador-catching-flights-1.2464070

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

What locomotives did this train have?

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Locomotive and equipment photos here:

http://www.tshiuetin.net/an_informations.html

 

[jamesontheroad]

According to this page, they have four engines, two of which are ex-Amtrak.

Two F40PH, TSH 600 and 601 (ex AMTK 265 and 291); a and two GP38-2W, TSH 701 and 702.

Like all northern operations, the few photos that I've seen always show paired locomotives. Maybe lightning struck twice :-/

 

[railiner]

Wonder how they 'rescued' the passenger's.....is there a parallel highway to that railroad? Or did they have to wait for another locomotive? Pretty risky place to be stranded...

Imagine the train to Churchill having trouble....kind of far from any highway's, IIRC.....

 

[NS VIA Fan]

The news report says the train was stopped about 65 km from Labrador City so that would put it around Ross Bay Jct. which is located along the Trans Labrador Highway towards Goose Bay

http://goo.gl/maps/xR8Nj

QNS&L passengers trains once ran between Lab City and Ross Bay but now you have to catch Tshiuetin Rail at Ross Bay.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Could they have run out of fuel? Maybe someone did the measurements wrong like with the Gimli Glider and the locomotives failed.

 

[chakk]

Were those minus-20's temperatures in Fahrenheit or Centigrade? Not quite so bad in the latter, but still pretty cold.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Were those minus-20's temperatures in Fahrenheit or Centigrade?

Just about every society known to man has converted to Celsius.

Well, except for the "don't tread on me" tribe of clueless rebels.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Were those minus-20's temperatures in Fahrenheit or Centigrade?

Just about every society known to man has converted to Celsius.

Well, except for the "don't tread on me" tribe of clueless rebels.

Didn't you get the Memo? Dividing by 10 is too Tough for the Residents of this Glorious and Free Republic! Can't have our Kiddies Learning about all this Left Wing Science Stuff!!! And if I Remember Correctlly the Grandparents of the Black Helicopter Movement (aka Wing Nuts/Cockoo Birds/T-Partiers/Flat Earth Society etc.) Convinced the Powers that be in Satan's Capitol (aka Washington DC) that We sure Didn't Want to be like all those Foreign Countries! They even Coined the Term "Junk Science" so Beloved by the No Nothings of the Lunatic Fringe that Now Scares the Pants Off our Politicians!!!(aka Statesmen") :help:

 

[fairviewroad]

Were those minus-20's temperatures in Fahrenheit or Centigrade? Not quite so bad in the latter, but still pretty cold.

-27 C = -17 F.

So yeah, "not quite so bad." Downright balmy, matter of fact. Why, when I was a kid we were stranded in trains at

-35 F both ways going to school.

 

[fairviewroad]

Incredibly (since I never knew it was that well used) 282 passengers had to be rescued, having spent eight hours waiting in temperatures in the minus twenties.

Bear in mind the train appears to run just twice a week. Schefferville appears to have a smattering of weekly turboprop flights to Quebec City

and Sept-îles, but I'd imagine they are cost-prohibitive to many local residents. The train is likely the only affordable way out of town for many

people there.

But yeah, definitely not a rail service on most North American railfan's agenda.

 

[CHamilton]

Why, when I was a kid we were stranded in trains at

-35 F both ways going to school.

Oh, I thought you walked five miles to school barefoot from the log cabin you were born in.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Were those minus-20's temperatures in Fahrenheit or Centigrade? Not quite so bad in the latter, but still pretty cold.

-27 C = -17 F.

So yeah, "not quite so bad." Downright balmy, matter of fact. Why, when I was a kid we were stranded in trains at

-35 F both ways going to school.

For your info, I converted Celsius to Fahrenheit in the OP and thread title. CBC reported the temperature range as - 26 C to - 33 C, so - 17 F to - 27 F. I don't believe those temperatures included windchill.

In amongst the comments at the bottom of the CBC article linked in the OP is this comment from a passenger.

Since I was one of the passengers on the train with my husband and two small children (3 &5) I can tell you that the rail workers did do everything they could to get it going. There were 3 generators on board, but they think the cables connecting each car were the problem, because they could get heat to one of the front cabins, but not all. Some of you mention the cabin they put us in to try to get us warm, well there is a small trailer at the Emeril Junction site where we waited for the busses to come and get us, they put women and children in there with the heaters to warm up. Others are complaining about phones, some had phones, and were putting them to use trying to get things working and us evacuated. Do I think they should update the trains? Absolutely. Do I think there should always be an emergency plan available? Definately. We were lucky the crew pushed on through to Emeril Junction or it would of been a much different story being reported. The red cross in Lab City was amazing and did everything they could to get us warm and fed and then on our way home the next day

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Incredibly (since I never knew it was that well used) 282 passengers had to be rescued, having spent eight hours waiting in temperatures in the minus twenties.

Bear in mind the train appears to run just twice a week. Schefferville appears to have a smattering of weekly turboprop flights to Quebec City

and Sept-îles, but I'd imagine they are cost-prohibitive to many local residents. The train is likely the only affordable way out of town for many

people there.

But yeah, definitely not a rail service on most North American railfan's agenda.

Why not? Might not be bad in summer, and the equipment's interesting.

 

[railiner]

Why, when I was a kid we were stranded in trains at

-35 F both ways going to school.

Oh, I thought you walked five miles to school barefoot from the log cabin you were born in.

Like the many oldtimer's that bragged about walking miles to school in their youth.....and don't forget....it was uphill, both ways!

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Incredibly (since I never knew it was that well used) 282 passengers had to be rescued, having spent eight hours waiting in temperatures in the minus twenties.

Bear in mind the train appears to run just twice a week. Schefferville appears to have a smattering of weekly turboprop flights to Quebec City

and Sept-îles, but I'd imagine they are cost-prohibitive to many local residents. The train is likely the only affordable way out of town for many

people there.

But yeah, definitely not a rail service on most North American railfan's agenda.

Why not? Might not be bad in summer, and the equipment's interesting.

The north shore of the St. Lawrence River is an interesting place to railfan with lots of action and really not that hard to get to……about a 14 hr drive from Boston or 10 hrs east of Montreal on excellent roads. Or take VIA’s Ocean to Mont Joli......rent a car there and cross to Baie Comeau on the car ferry from Matane. Best time to go is August or September. I was in Labrador this September and we had 20C (70F) temperatures.

Map Here:

http://goo.gl/maps/2VOgS

Beginning at Baie-Comeau, there’s a freight operation that’s connected by railcar ferry to CN at Matane. Next is the Romaine River Railway at Havre-Saint-Pierre then the big iron ore haulers near Sept-Iles (Seven Islands): Cartier Railway and the Quebec North Shore and Labrador (Tshiuetin operates the passenger trains on the QNS&L)

These are not obscure branchlines but heavy freight operators…...fast track with CTC. Trains Magazine did an article on the QNS&L last year (Feb 2012) “North America’s Heaviest Freight Trains”

Here’s some shots along the Cartier Railway:

 

[NS VIA Fan]

The Town that Disappeared:

On my drive along the highway from Labrador City down to Baie Comeau (which parallels the Cartier Railway for part of the trip) you come across the abandoned town of Gagnon. It was built in the late 1950s and once had a population of 4000. After the mines closed in the 1980s, the complete town was bulldozed. After driving for miles along Hwy #389 through the wilderness and seemingly in the middle of nowhere, you come across a wide paved Boulevard with curb and sidewalk. This is all that’s left of Gagnon’s Main Street. Even the abandoned Airport that was once served by Quebecair jets is still there and you’re free to drive the 6000’ runway!

 

[fairviewroad]

But yeah, definitely not a rail service on most North American railfan's agenda.

Why not? Might not be bad in summer, and the equipment's interesting.

Oh, I agree. The reason I don't think it's on most railfan's agenda is that they simply don't know about it. Of course, it's not terribly

convenient to get to for the bulk of the North American population, either. (A "ten hour drive east of Montreal" isn't what I'd call

centrally located.) So, it's one for the completists out there but for most of us, the logistical challenges put it out of reach.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

.........(A "ten hour drive east of Montreal" isn't what I'd call

centrally located.) So, it's one for the completists out there but for most of us, the logistical challenges put it out of reach.

Guess it all depends on how adventurous you are.

My drive time to Boston for some Amtrak riding is 10 hrs but I usually stretch that out to a 12+ hr day and take in CN, VIA, NBSR & PanAm along the way……even took in some Maine Eastern last summer.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

The Town that Disappeared:

On my drive along the highway from Labrador City...

Thanks for sharing this post and the others on the region. :hi:

 

[railiner]

Thanks from me, too....always enjoy reading and viewing NS VIA Fan posts.

Exploring remote and also historic highways is a whole other world of fans out there, with many dedicated websites...I have traveled the entire AlCan (by bus!), but still have not 'done' the 'Haul Road', aka Dalton Highway. The drive to Labrador is also on my 'list'.....

 

[Anderson]

Is it just me, or is it a bit impressive that the train in question had 282 passengers onboard?

 

[chakk]

Why, when I was a kid we were stranded in trains at

-35 F both ways going to school.

Oh, I thought you walked five miles to school barefoot from the log cabin you were born in.

Like the many oldtimer's that bragged about walking miles to school in their youth.....and don't forget....it was uphill, both ways!

Well, my walk to middle school was more than a mile, and did involve a climb of 200 feet over a ridge midway in both directions.