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Spring 2007
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Big Action in "Little
Chicago"
Growing Rail Center: In recent years,
Moose Jaw has increased its capacity and acts as a
relief valve for the rail system in the
West.
Railway operations in Moose Jaw play a strategic and increasingly important role in keeping
the CP system fluid. Located where our Southern Corridor connects with our Western Corridor, Moose Jaw is a key
maintenance and repair center, and an active transportation hub that keeps traffic moving smoothly east and west on
our main line, while providing direct, single-carrier service between western Canada and the U.S.
Midwest.
Over the course of the last 20 years, the importance of Moose Jaw as a service center has been on the rise. From
modest beginnings in 1985, when the modern rail car and locomotive facility in Moose Jaw was first erected, the shop
activities in the city dubbed "Little Chicago" for its historical connections with Al Capone have grown by
leaps and bounds. "We started as a "jiffy lube" operation," said machinist George Allerton with
a laugh. "Now we're equipped to do most anything."
Moose Jaw is the biggest locomotive fuelling station between Calgary and Thunder Bay, currently pumping more fuel
into the railway's workhorses than any other location on our system.
"We go through on average about 15 million litres of fuel per month, or approximately 500,000 litres per
day," said process manager Drew Farrer.
"In the shop," he added, "we not only get locomotives that are due for scheduled maintenance, but also
those that require unscheduled repairs. In the first two months of 2007 we have put through 329 units, scheduled and
unscheduled, some that were overflow from Coquitlam and Alyth. We are, for want of a better term, a "relief
valve" for when things are busy across the system; and lately, our people have been working very hard.".
The shops in Moose Jaw shop also do an impressive number of repairs on bad order freight cars, safely and
efficiently. This last January alone, 1,000 wheelsets were changed out, double what any other CP facility is
currently handling. The largest client is Canpotex, the giant potash exporter whose more than 3,500 cars got an
overhaul a few years back.
"Shortly before I started in Moose Jaw, every wheelset in the Canpotex fleet had to be changed out," said
process manager Chad Jones. "And that was before the first remote trackmobile on the system arrived to help
out.".
Remote-control trackmobile.
The new trackmobile is operated remotely, in much the same way our employees use "pitch and catch" control
packs to shunt yard goats around. A wheelset changeout that once required a good deal more coordination can now be
performed efficiently by two workers, where three were previously needed - and more safely than ever.
"The use of the trackmobile in connection with work being done with the drop table has allowed us to free up
an FTE (the equivalent of one full time employee) to do other tasks," said Jim Lewis, a process coordinator who
appreciates the increased flexibility. "We have five tracks where work is going on, including the welding jobs
needed to repair or replace as many as 600 defective gates on potash and grain cars, every year."
Though all types of freight cars roll through the Moose Jaw shop, it's the Canpotex potash fleet that requires the
most attention.
"It has to be a team effort," says Jim Woodrow - the mechanical service area manager for Saskatchewan, who
is better know as "Woody" to everybody up and down the ranks. "We have to provide a seamless operation
for this valued customer, in much the same way that Golden handles our coal traffic.".
Much of the potash traffic originates in northern and central Saskatchewan and is destined for both North American
and offshore customers. The business is highly dependent upon maintaining regular cycle times and a coordinated
effort between our field operations and mechanical employees.
"Everyone in the service area is proud to play their part in serving this client efficiently," Woody said.
Woody was one of the CP operations people who first implemented a water bottle collection program - along with Moose
Jaw store supervisor Rod Markewich, and others - to raise money for the Children's Wish Foundation, while helping to
reduce garbage in our yards and along the right of way.
To date, the Saskatchewan Service Area has donated more than $34,000 to charities and has now enlisted the aid of the
local Boy Scouts to help sort and ready the bottles for recycling. The work of the Boy Scouts will help them raise
funds for their annual jamboree.
Change Out: L-R, freight car is positioned at drop table, old
wheelset is removed, new wheelset is lifted and moved to table.
This Momentum article is copyright
2007 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and is reprinted here with their
permission. All photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Company.
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