Ticket To Ride

High Efficiency

Although I have seen CP's new high capacity hopper cars for hauling grain, the hoppers painted grey and wearing the CP logo on the side, I finally got the chance to photograph one of these unit trains consisting of 145 loaded hoppers with units 8043 & 7028 up front, the mid-train remote unit 8778, and bringing up the rear unit 8057 as the west bound train approaches mile 139 marking Strangmuir siding on the Brooks sub just east of Carsland AB.

The new hopper cars are lighter, shorter, and carry 15 per cent more grain than the older grain hoppers. The cars carry this extra product on a frame 5 percent shorter than the older cars, meaning more cars can fit into a train of the same length.

These new modern hopper cars can also be loaded and unloaded more quickly, the new cars featuring a three-pocket design that can be loaded and unloaded more efficiently than the old four-pocket government cars,


While waiting for the unit train to come in to view after tripping the detector at mile 130.6, and once I could see the headlights of the lead engine in the distance, it seemed to be travelling extremely slow. Finally the train got closer but came to a stop about a mile east of my location at the lights located there. I realized this stop was probably due to a rail crew working on the signal lights at Carsland mile 144.4 I'd noticed when I drove through Carsland earlier on my way to Strangmuir siding. I didn't have to wait long as about 10 minutes later the train began moving making me wish I'd brought my recording equipment, as the sound of the train powering up the grade from a standing start was wonderful to hear.

This location on the east side of Strangmuir Crossing has a cut the train travels through with commanding views east and west, the location allowing for eye level close-up views between the crew and yourself. A blast of the horn from 20 feet away almost blew me off my perch as they passed by slowly building up speed as the fully loaded unit grain train continued making its way west.

Expand the photo for a closer look.....

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