Mixed trains on the CNR?

[MasonJar]

I think coaches were at the back so that they weren't involved in any shunting that went on. This would isolate them from steam heating and I suspect that they would be fitted with stoves.

Thanks, David. This seems to be the case, at least so far in terms of the comments here and from what I've seen in this CP book. I wouldn't be surprised if there were exceptions though!

Cheers, Rob

I don't have a definitive answer Rob, but I would guess that there were very, very few exceptions to this "rule". Placing the coach behind the engine would enable steam heating to be used, but would require either:

1) the coach to go through all the switching manoeuvres; or
2) the steam lines to be repeatedly disconnected and reconnected, along with the train line itself (for the brakes on all the trailing rolling stock), and an extra move or two at every stop to remove the coach from the middle of the consist.

For more info on so-called head-end cars in passenger trains being placed at the end of the train, look for doctorwayne's excellent posts from a while back about the various CNR head-end rolling stock. In short, the reason for head-end cars to be tail-end was ease and speed of switching upon arrival at their destination.

Hope that helps.

Andrew