Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada

Customer
Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR)

RailWorks Business Unit
PNR RailWorks

Description
PNR RailWorks worked side by side with CPR crews on the railway’s $160 million Western Capacity Expansion project (“West Cap”).

Scope
PNR RailWorks constructed several long passing sidings and yard expansions as well as a second main line track between Saskatchewan through Calgary to Vancouver, totaling 37 miles of track. Work was completed amid on-going train operations during the short May to October work season.

The project increased CPR’s rail capacity in this area by more than 400 freight cars per day to accommodate rapidly increasing imports and exports moving through the Port of Vancouver.

Unique features
To facilitate rapid new track construction alongside mainline track in operation, PNR RailWorks developed an innovative concrete tie-laying process. A hydraulic hoist grabs ties prearranged in groups of seven off stacked pallets at the work site. The hoist lowers the ties into position along a plumb line, automatically spreading them to the designated spacing. Workers then manually install tie pads. After rail is threaded into place using a boom-equipped crane (Pettibone Speedswing) rolling along the adjacent track, workers manually install the insulators and e-clips. Although not as fast as an automated new-track construction machine, this process was extremely efficient. Crews of about 15 workers laid up to 1,100 ties per day, while temporarily clearing the right of way of on-going traffic.