Thirteen New Trains Assigned (But What About a Searsport Local?).
Most CMQ Hourly Workers Retained; Management Given a One-Way Ticket.
Searsport Branch to be Upgraded for Unit Trains.
04 June, Bangor ME – Canadian Pacific completed its acquisition of the Central Maine & Quebec Railway US Inc. (CMQ US), 30 days after the Surface Transportation Board’s 04.May approval of CP’s Exemption for control of CMQUS’s rail lines in Maine and Vermont.
Taking ownership of the CMQ’s 481 owned route-miles (Canada and U.S., combined) makes CP a 13,000-mile rail network, connecting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts across six Canadian provinces and 11 U.S. states. CMQ’s enlarged network links CP to Port Saint John (PSJ) NB via EMR and NBSR connections, and directly to the Atlantic Ocean port of Searsport ME. CP plans to invest as much as CA $90 million over the next three years to bring CMQ’s rail infrastructure up to Federal Railroad Administration Class 3 standards.
CMQ Jobs 1, 2, 400 pull out for good; CP 250 arrives
CMQ dispatched the last pair of road trains on its US trackage on Tuesday, 02.June, and a final Job 400 train round trip from Brownville Jct. to Millinocket, ME on 03.June. The return to Brownville Yard concluded the 28-year era of independent railroads operating on a line that CP relinquished in 1992.
Last CMQ-dispatched trains were all business , with diverse, heavy loads.
{Steel Wheels Photography}
Orderly transition
At 0001 hrs on Thursday, 04.June, CP employed a six-hour transitional stand-down for inventory and dispatcher cutover, the latter planned to shift from the RailTerm offices in Rutland, VT to CP’s Minneapolis, MN offices under Soo Line oversight. However, civil disturbances in Minneapolis had temporarily closed the dispatch location, and CMQ instead would be dispatched from CP’s Battle Creek Yard (Saint Paul MN) backup dispatch “bunker,” until further notice.
At 0601 hrs, Canada-U.S. integrated operations resumed as a Soo Line/CP subsidiary. A new CP 250 train departed at Montreal QC to Brownville Jct. ME, and the counterpart CP 251 train returned (05.June), reasserting CP ownership and operation of its prodigal Atlantic region property, augmented by the thing CP has never had before — direct Atlantic Ocean access at Searsport, ME.
New CP/Soo/CMQ train schedule
Sunrise in Searsport
While CP is eyeing PSJ as a key terminal for autos, intermodal, and certain bulk commodities, Searsport will be developed to specialize in potash exports. PSJ has a potash terminal that is contracted exclusively to CN. Searsport will require additional upgrades to bring the plan to fruition. CMQ had tried for several years to maximize potash movement at Searsport, but had only minimal success.
In anticipation of carrying regular, longer trains, the Searsport Subdivision is being reinforced by a rail anchor program to manage the additional pressures of six-axle locomotives, which CP plans on using on any unit train operations to Searsport.
Searsport ME
Most hourly employees retained; new management structure
CP will retain all of the CMQ US and Canada engineering and transportation hourly employees, as well as eight mechanical workers. CP will place the CMQ property workers under the CMQ US or CMQ Canada employee umbrellas. However the CMQ management structure and executive staff will not be joining CP.
Corporate-wise, an Assistant Superintendent will oversee the CMQ, reporting to the same Montreal office as the Delaware & Hudson. Reporting to the Asst. Supt. will be a General Manager, and train masters for US and Canada.
New opportunities already emerging
“This transaction is a generational business opportunity for CP,” reiterated CP President and CEO Keith Creel. “It enables us to serve customers through a larger coast-to-coast network across Canada and brings a direct Class 1 freight-rail service to the State of Maine for the first time in decades. It is with great pride that I formally welcome CMQ’s U.S. employees and customers to the CP family” {CP press release, 04.June.2020}.
Some new customers have already been won in anticipation of CP’s Atlantic reach. Creel mentioned to investors that they had been fulfilling new LPG business that originates and terminates in Maine on the CMQ. CMQ and CP had also won new Hyundai automotive business, though commencement has been delayed by the pandemic. Creel has also strongly implied that CP is hot on the trail of multiple other lucrative traffic opportunities {CP Investor Call}.
