Climbing the toughest grade on CPKC’s Nephton Subdivison

May 2023

H06 returns to Havelock Yard after lifting loaded hoppers of Nepheline Syenite from Covia’s Nephton and Blue Mountain mines in Southern Ontario. Although the trip to the northern mines is a climb overall, this southbound grade at mile 4 is particularly challenging owing to the loaded southbound trains weighing nearly 5 times that of a northbound with empty cars, and the subdivisions 10mph restriction. As track conditions deteriorated in the early 2000s the route was downgraded and maintained as class 1 track from it's previous 20 and 30mph speed limits. This line still requires 6000 or more horsepower on a route once serviced with lighter 1200hp S and SW units when a faster run could be made on the mountain grades.

Indusmin
TCRC 295
Doin' it Right
Canadian Pacific Kansas City