Page 24 - NMRA Roundhouse March-April 2020

Operational and Scenic Modelling
Mike Hughes
Looking back at the coal cars being loaded from the cab of an SD70M photos by Mike Hughes
MODELLING ARTICLE
ARocky Mountain prototype positioned the truck to put the rail
lends itself to operational and scenic modelling.The town of Grande Cache,
Alberta was incorporated as a new town in 1966. Construction began in 1969; hospital, schools and first homes were built by 1971.The town’s economy depended on one product – coal.There are several mines that provide coal. Some are open cast while others are underground.
Rail service for the coal is provided by CN at the nearby Winniandy sidings. However, this is not a simple ‘empties in – loaded out service’.The area has had a boom and bust economy in line with coal demand. When the mines closed at one time previously, Milner Power, the power generating company entered in to a contract with another coal com- pany to supply the coal they needed to generate power.
By the 2000s Winniandy had the unique situation of receiving empty coal trains for loading with coal to be sent to Rob- erts Bank and Thunder Bay for export while also receiving coal from elsewhere and sending empties out. Logic would suggest that the train company could just re-fill the incoming train but that’s not possible. Outgoing coal is loaded
in to aluminium cars each capable of carrying 100 tons. Each train is usual-
ly over 100 cars long – the one that I drove in 2009 (in the mine at 0.25 mph) had 113 cars. These trains are unloaded at Roberts Bank using a rotary unloader. The cars are fitted with one coupler that rotates to allow for this. Incoming coal is loaded in to iron cars.These
are unloaded using 2 CAT excavators mounted on overhead platforms.
In addition to the coal trains Winniandy is a crew change point for trains between Swan Landing and Grand Prairie.These manifest trains can be seen running all sorts of cars in addition to the ubiquitous Canadian grain cars.There’s often a train that leaves at around 1330 when the incoming crew have booked on.
In 2009 I was fortunate to be taken along the track by the track supervisor in a hi-rail pickup truck.We joined the tracks at a grade crossing where John
wheels down. I’d been loaned suitable hi-vis clothing, hard hat and safety boots. The first thing I was told when we were on the rails was to undo my seatbelt.As John said “If we see a runaway coming towards us we want to get out as quick- ly as we can!”.
John was making a regular inspection
of the tracks.With my modelling eyes I spotted what appeared to be a break in the track. We stopped to examine the rail. Sure enough we discovered a break in the rail joint plate.This had resulted
in the track being ‘hammered’ by a train making a large flat spot at the end of one piece of rail. John explained that as little as 50 cars would have been enough for that.As he is the track supervisor he carries spares to repair track. Reaching into the back of the pickup he brought out a petrol powered machine to take off the nuts, remove the bolts and dis- card the broken plates.When the new
ROUNDHOUSE - March/April 2020
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