Rogers Pass, Tunnels making the grade

Part 6 in this series, This video focuses on the CP rail Rogers Pass area in Britsh Columbia Canada including the Shaughnessy, Macdonald and Connaught tunnels.

This video has a trainload of information on it so pay attention and be prepared to learn alot about the construction and operation of the tunnels.

Some extra information:
The Connaught tunnel had the railbed lowered by about 4ft in around the mid 1980s to accommodate the double stacks trains after the double track was removed.

Trains can be moved in either direction through both routes if needed as RTC can adjust the fans to accommodate eastbound trains going through the Macdonald tunnel.

In case of emergency there are safe rooms about every 5000ft within the Macdonald tunnel for crew or anyone else to get out of the tunnel into fresh air if a train gets stopped within the tunnel. Crew is also given oxygen masks that are in the cabs of the trains that go through the tunnels in case of issues.

The Connaught Tunnel had originally two 16V71T engines running the fans. They were replaced by new engines after a fire in the Right fan house that destroyed everything. The big squirrel cage fans turn at 160 rpm. . You can see a grade off the main line on the RHS where they used to push tank cars up under the fan house to supply fuel they finally put a fuel tank in there and closed up the basement. Behind the fan house you can still see the footings of the houses that housed the crew who ran the fans. They were finally replaced by the Detroit Diesels using a 10:1 Falk gear to keep the rpm at 160rpm. There is still one diesel running and the other has been converted to electric motor.

Contrary to popular belief the fans were never powered by steam engines. This is a popular myth that even CPR employees get wrong. The original engines were MacIntosh & Seymour, 4 cylinder, 500 hp diesels of a very early type. The engines were Type 4-A-38. M&S diesels were there until a fire in 1972. They were 4 single cylinders on a common crank case. The tunnel did have boilers, but they were used to provide steam to heat the heavy bunker C oil that was burned in the M&S engines. The steam was also used to heat the homes of the tunnel operators. Thanks to Doug Mayer of the Revelstoke Railway Museum for this new information.

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