Mixed trains on the CNR?

[RobertInOntario]

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

[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

[RobertInOntario]

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

Thanks, Andrew. All of this makes sense, especially re the switching reasons. I believe the British practise was also to run the freight cars behind the engine, with the passenger cars at the end -- again, based on the pictures I've seen.

Cheers, Rob

[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.

This would seem to be the case. I have consulted with some of my other books (mostly local/regional lines - some of which became branchlines, e.g. the Kingston & Pembroke - later CPR) and there are a couple of stories wherein the author complains about the heat in the car. Too much if you sit at the stove end, and not enough if you are at the other...!

Andrew

[cv_acr]

CN actually had one train in northern Ontario that was officially a mixed train right into the 1980s, between Nakina and Hearst. The passenger accomodations consisted of a single heavyweight coach/baggage combine. (Stove heated). Power on this lightweight branchline consisted of SW1200RS road switchers. This secondary line was laid with very light rail, so a GP9 was pretty much the heaviest thing that could operate there.

Another mixed train operated from Hornepayne down a branch line to a small mining town called Manitowadge with similar passenger accomodations. This was still running in the early 1970s I believe.

Mixed trains in the 1950s would have been far more common, especially on branchlines (many of which are completely abandoned without a trace today).