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Neptune Terminals in North Vancouver, the only coal unload-
ing terminal on CN at the time, was also restricted to handling
trains of 6000 feet, or about 98 coal gondolas plus engines and
caboose. Eventually the train length was increased to 100 coal
gondolas or any other car of similar length.
Neptune Terminals only handled coal from Luscar mines
at Cardinal River and Coal Valley, as well as the mine at
Winniandy, both in the foothills of the Rockies in Alberta until
the Obed Mountain mine opened in 1984.
When CP began shipping coal from southeast BC, a new super
port at Roberts Bank was opened (3). All trains originating
2
2. Load-empty feature – Newer cars had the same
feature that was mechanically-applied when the car
was loaded. Norman Skretting photo.
CN Coal and Sulphur Operations - 2
3
3. Roberts Bank Coal & Container Terminal.
from Gregg River and some trains originating at Coal Valley and
Obed Mountain (Dalehurst) on CN also unloaded at Roberts
Bank. Track length at Robert’s Bank did not limit train length,
but siding capacity on CN did, so CN’s trains were always
shorter than CP’s.
Ridley Island, near Prince Rupert, was developed to handle coal
mined in Northeastern BC, (4) and the trains were designed
to operate in the same manner and length as coal trains from
Alberta on the mainline.
All port terminals used rotary dumpers which necessitated
the use of rotary coupling systems on the cars. The rotary cou-
pler end of the car was indicated by a yellow stripe or stripes
on that end of the car. Double rotaries had a yellow stripe on
both ends (5), as well as two air hoses, one on each side of the
index contents
MRH-Apr 2013