Aquatrain ends service

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Re: Aquatrain ends service

by guest » May 30, 2021, 2:02 am

CPRs loss in CNRs gain win some loose some, re: saint john, n.b.

Re: Aquatrain ends service

by Syd BC » May 29, 2021, 7:50 pm

I wonder if the rail line out to Prince Rupert is at full capacity All the containers in and out of PR are by rail The Ridley island coal terminal is busy CN recently got a big coal contract that CP had Instead of going to Roberts bank the coal is handed over to CN at Kamloops and taken to PR It’s becoming a busy port

Re: Aquatrain ends service

by badger » May 25, 2021, 8:34 pm

in the 70s or 80s the aquatrain barge use to go to ketchikan, alaska from prince rupert, b.c. correct me if im wrong but the current president of algoma central had something to do with the operations

Re: Aquatrain ends service

by Darryl » May 25, 2021, 3:00 pm

Maybe the ships will be used in other locations, possibly on a Great Lake.

Re: Aquatrain ends service

by Mr Link » May 25, 2021, 2:54 pm

By my count that leaves five active railroad car ferry operations left in North America:

1) Matane to Baie Comeau and occasionally Matane to Pointe Noire (Sept Iles) operated by Canadian National. https://sopor.ca/en/our-facilities/

2) Greenville NJ to Bay Ridge NY (New York Harbor) run by NYNJ Rail, which is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. They purchased two new carfloats within the past 5 years or so and rely on contracted tugs. https://nynjr.com/

3) Mobile AL to Coatzacoalcoso Mexico trainferry, operated by CG Railway, which is a joint venture between Genesse and Wyoming and SEACOR. Their future looks pretty secure since they just ordered two new ferries. https://gwrr.com/railroads/north_americ ... -one-panel

4) Seattle WA to Whittier Alaska railbarge service operated by Alaska Marine Lines (a Lyden company), using tugs provided by Western Towboat. http://www.lynden.com/aml/

5) Annacis Island (Vancouver) BC to Nanaimo BC (on Vancouver Island) operated by Seaspan. They also ferry rail cars to serve several isolated coastal pulp mills. https://www.seaspan.com/fleet/rail-barges

Aquatrain ends service

by Mr Link » May 25, 2021, 2:53 pm

This isn't Great Lakes related, but I know quite a few visitors here still have an interest in railroad car ferries.

The June 2021 Railfan and Railroad Magazine reports that CN's Aquatrain service between Prince Rupert BC and Whittier Alaska ended service in April. It had run for more than 55 years and had been operated by Foss Maritime for much of that time. The current barge, Aquatrain (425'x100'x21'), was built in 1982 specifically for the run.

Here are some links about the operation which is still listed on both the CN and Foss websites:

CN (pdf datasheet download)

Foss Aquatrain webpage

Oil-Electric historical info

Drone footage

On board footage

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