Scotian Railroad Society 1982-09-30 News - DAR/CNR Interchange, VIA RDC Troubles

Scotian Railroad Society News 30 September 1982 - DAR/CNR Interchange, VIA RDC Troubles

DAR conducts six month trial using Rockingham yard as interchange point, RDC problems

Reference Tag

Please use this tag when referring to this article: Scotian Railroad Society, News 30 September 1982

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Miscellaneous news:

This summer saw the retirement of the last CN NW2 # 7941. Its duties as a switcher at the standard gauge yard in Port aux Basques, Nfld. have been taken over by SW8 # 7150.

The Dominion Atlantic Railway has been carrying out a six month trial of using Rockingham yard in Halifax as their only interchange point. This may have been brought about by the recent derailment of two engines on a train between Windsor and Truro on the Midland Sub. Since the removal, a few years ago, of the mixed train on this line, it has been freight only -to the interchange at Truro.

In the first two weeks of September the D.A.R. received 126 cars and and returned 114. The trip is made about three times a week, and sometimes the trains require the use of all five of the SW1200's allocated to the D.A.R.

Stored units:

Moncton, John St. shops 28.7.82. 
CN 2535 (wrecked), 8042, 8064, VIA 6759.

Moncton, Gordon Yard 28.7.82. 
CN 2534, 2549, 2564, 2568, 2571, 2573, 2575, 2583, 2584,
3616, 3617, 3623, 3626, 3629, 3631, 3642, 3643, 3644,
3651, 3652, 3656, 3657, 3659, 3664, 3667, 3670, 3678,
3680, 3684, 3685, 3695, 3700, 3702, 3704, 3706, 3708,
3836, 7941, 8216, 8241.

Sydney E.T. 27.8.82.
CN 2583, 2584.

Halifax O.T. (Coachyard) 29.9.82.
CN 1773, 1782, 1783, 2530, 2531, 2532, 2533, 2536, 2537,
2538, 2539, 2540, 2541, 2542, 2543, 2544, 2547, 2548,
2549, 2550, 2551, 2553, 2554, 2555, 2556, 2557, 2558,
2559, 2568, 2571, 2575, 3616, 3617, 3626, 3628, 3629,
3642, 3643, 3651, 3659, 3667, 3678, 3684, 3700, 3704,
3706, 3708, 3836. + 3664

Please note that various units have changed locations.

Via's Railliners are living a hard life as parts are becoming harder to come by. The brake systems, which are designed to keep the disc brakes from locking up when they are applied, are breaking down causing flat spots.

When listening to an RDC go by it sometimes may sound as if the wheels have flat spots, but this sound may be caused by a dirt build-up due to the fact that the face of the tyre does not have a brake shoe rubbing the surface and keeping it clean.

The change over to Cummins diesels in all units, whilst improving the performance, has created more problems. The transmissions are wearing out faster due to the increased power of the engines.

The engines, which were originally designed for trucks, are suffering from lubrication problems from being fitted on their sides. Representatives of Cummins have been in Halifax working on the problems.

Industrial loco. news:
Seen at Sydney Steel Corp. on 27-8.82
GE 65t - 2 (28656), 3, 4 (29250).
GE B0t - 7 (31867), 8, 9 (31032), 10 (32662).
SW 9 - 11, 12.
Sysco had only just re-opened after an extended break and only # 8 was in use. # 12 was the only unit not painted in the latest colours of orange and dark green.