Title: Westward Expansion: While the Trains Kept Moving, CPR Built New Capacity in Western Canada To Handle Surging Traffic
Abstract: Canadian Pacific is spending $160 million to expand capacity in its western region on tracks and routes crossing the Continental Divide. The last major upgrade happened in the mid-1980s, when the Mount Macdonald Tunnel and the Fox Tunnel were blasted through the Selkirk Mountains in British Columbia. This newest project, called Western Capacity Expansion Project (Westcap) was the beginning of what could be a $500 million investment over the next five to 10 years. It was completed in October 2005, and it serves the rising number of exports from Canada through Vancouver, as well as imported containerized cargo from the Pacific Rim. Capacity is now up to 38 trains a day across the Rocky Mountains, an increase of more than 400 freight cars a day. It was done in the busiest corridor, and it consisted of almost all new construction. The article describes the amount and type of materials used and the scheduling methods to complete work in the short May-October season. Concrete tie laying, for example, had to be done in a way that did not foul adjacent tracks. Photographs depict some of the various installation methods that were used.
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-11-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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