Huron Central Railway

Huron Central Railway

HCRY train in Massey, Ontario
Reporting mark	HCRY
Locale	Northern Ontario, Canada
Dates of operation	1997 (1997)–Present
Predecessor	Canadian Pacific Railway
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length	173 miles (278 km)
Headquarters	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Website	www.gwrr.com/operations/railroads/north_america/huron_central_railway

Huron Central Railway Webbwood Subdivision

Legend CN Soo Sub 179.3 Sault Ste. Marie Ont. Shell Sault Ste. Marie Terminal spur Garden River 170.7 Garden Echo Bay 164.3 Ekoba Hwy 17 161.0 Bar River 158.1 Isbester 151.2 Desbarats 149.4 Potlock 143.0 Bruce 135.0 Nestorville 133.2 Sherwood Hwy 17 130.8 Thessalon 126.7 Livingston 121.9 Dayton 112.8 Dean Lake Mississagi River Blind River 102.4 Blind River 95.1 Algoma 87.4 Spragge 83.4 Serpent Serpent River Serpent River quarry spur 78.3 Kenabutch 77.4 Cutler 71.6 Spanish 66.3 Walford Hwy 17 Swift Railroad Contractors spur 58.4 Massey Hwy 17 former CPR Little Current Sub 48.3 Webbwood Espanola Spanish River 41.9 McKerrow wye to Little Current Spur Spanish River Hwy 17 Eacom Lumber Mill spur 32.6 Nairn 28.3 Turbine 25.1 Worthington 21.9 Victoria Mine Hwy 17 18.3 Whitefish Vermilion River 11.1 Naughton Hwy 17 Overpass R.R. 55 (Old Hwy 17) Overpass 4.8 MP 4.8 4.5 Copper Cliff Vale Industrial Railway 2.1 Creosote 0.0 Sudbury CPR Cartier Sub

Huron Central Railway (reporting mark HCRY) is a Canadian railway operating in northern Ontario, operated by Genesee & Wyoming Canada Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc.

The Huron Central Railway was established in July 1997 to operate a 173-mile (278 km) route leased from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.^[1] The lease agreements encompass all but 4.8-mile (8 km) of track at the Sudbury end of the 181.2-mile (292 km) line, known within the CPR as the Webbwood Subdivision, as well as the 3-mile (5 km) Domtar Spur, which branches southwest from the Webbwood Sub at McKerrow. The CPR retains running rights over about 22-mile (35 km) of track at the east end of the Webbwood Subdivision, and the HCRY has running rights all the way into Sudbury.^[2] The railway operates one train in each direction six days per week between its two endpoints (westbound from Sudbury in the evening; eastbound from Sault Ste. Marie in the afternoon) plus a train, leaving Sudbury most mornings, to Espanola and return. On weekends, movements are combined.

Coil steel manufactured by Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie and freight from the Domtar paper mill at Espanola account for 80% of freight traffic,^[3] although pulpwood, chemicals used by the steel industry, slab steel, paper, and miscellaneous goods are also carried. In 2008, the railway handled 16,000 carloads a year,^[4] though carloadings have decreased in subsequent years.

The route has variable topography and typically two to four locomotives are used to haul trains varying between 25 and 50 cars in length. The line parallels Ontario Highway 17 for much of its length.

Locomotive Roster

Several locomotives lettered for affiliate Quebec-Gatineau Railway also populate the roster.

Discontinuing operations

The railroad had been asking the provincial government since 2006 for funding to improve track conditions, and in April 2009, Genesee & Wyoming warned that, due to the ever-deteriorating track - and the resulting increased operational costs - it would be forced to shut down the railway, unless the provincial government would provide money with which to undertake the necessary upgrades.^[5] On June 15, 2009, Genesee & Wyoming announced that the railroad's operations would be discontinued by October and that 45 people would be laid off. Due to the economic downturn, it suffered a significant reduction in carload volume - down by almost 50% from the previous year - which rendered the line insolvent.^[6][7]

This announcement however triggered a series of negotiations between HCRY, the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Essar Steel Algoma, and Domtar in order to keep the rail line open. A temporary agreement was reached which provided $15.9 million to cover operating expenses and maintain service until August 15, 2010.^[3][8]

On September 24, 2010, $33 million in funding was announced for the rehabilitation of the railway, with the provincial and federal governments each contributing $15 million and Genesee & Wyoming making up the remaining $3 million.^[9] Work began on August 10, 2011, with contracts going to Swift Contractors for tie replacement and track surfacing; and M'Anishnabek Industries - a joint venture between B&M Metals of Sudbury and Serpent River First Nation - for ballast distribution.^[10] Work continues through summer 2012.

Derailment

On April 14, 2014, three locomotives and one flatcar were derailed likely due to collapsing infrastructure at mile 30 (about 3 km from Nairn Centre). There were no injuries however the spilled diesel from the locomotives required the issue of a drinking water advisory for the small community.^[11] The locomotives that derailed were QGRY 800, QGRY 3800, and HCRY 3011. QGRY 800 made it over the washout and sat upright with its rear truck off the tracks, QGRY 3800 ended up off the track and rolled onto its side, while HCRY 3011 remained upright, but sitting on its fuel tank at a 90° to the track with its rear truck hanging by the electrical cables.

In June 2015, 15 cars left the tracks near Worthington. November 1, 2015, 13 cars jumped the tracks near Spanish. There were no dangerous goods and no injuries.^[12]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Huron Central Railway.

• Official site