Sudbury Division Train Number of the 1970s

Trains of the Sudbury Division in the 1970s

 

Passenger

Symbol Origin Destination Notes
1 Montreal, QC Vancouver, BC “The Canadian”
2 Vancouver, BC Montreal, QC “The Canadian”
11 Toronto, ON Sudbury, ON “The Canadian” – Toronto Section
12 Sudbury, ON Toronto, ON “The Canadian” – Toronto Section
417 Sudbury, ON White River, ON White River Budd RDC run
418 White River, ON Sudbury, ON White River Budd RDC run
427 Sudbury, ON Sault Ste Marie, ON S.S.Marie Budd RDC run
428 Sault Ste Marie, ON Sudbury, ON S.S.Marie Budd RDC run
 

Inter-Division Freights

Symbol Origin Destination Notes
901 Toronto, ON (Parkdale) Vancouver, BC (Coquitlam) Intermodal, express & Autorack train
902 Vancouver, BC (Coquitlam) Toronto, ON (Parkdale) Intermodal, express & Autorack train
911 Montreal, QC (St Luc) Sault Ste Marie, ON Manifest – Connects with SOO #911 to Schiller Park,IL (Chicago)
912 Sault Ste Marie, ON North Bay, ON Manifest – Traffic east of North Bay lifted by # 952
921 Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Winnipeg, MB Pool (l.c.l.), Intermodal & Manifest traffic
925 Montreal, QC (St Luc) Thunder Bay, ON Manifest. Replaced 951 in 1975.
946 Winnipeg, MB Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Stock (in season) & Manifest (paper loads and eastern empties). Replaced in 1975 by 956.
949 St.John, NB (Bayshore) Calgary, AB (Alyth) Intermodal/Pool/Perishables – via Chalk River line from Montreal
951 Montreal, QC (St Luc) Vancouver, BC (Coquitlam) Pool/Intermodal/Manifest – lifts west of Winnipeg traffic off 921 & 953. Replaced by 925 in 1975.
952 Calgary, AB (Alyth) St.John, NB (Lancaster) Intermodal/Perishables/Autorack train – via Chalk River line to Montreal
953 Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Winnipeg, MB Pool (l.c.l.), Autorack & Manifest. Runs as required with overflow from 921 and 965. Extended to Calgary in 1975.
954 Calgary, AB (Alyth) Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Pool (l.c.l.), Stock & Manifest. Handles overflow from 902 and 952; sets off Montreal/East and Sudbury traffic at Cartier for #974
955 Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Sudbury, ON Manifest (local cars for Sudbury & North Bay area)
956 Winnipeg, MB Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Pool (l.c.l.) & Manifest. Replaced 946 in 1975.
965 Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Vancouver, BC (Coquitlam) Intermodal, Autorack & Pool (l.c.l.) traffic
967 / P.A.T. Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Vancouver, BC (Coquitlam) “Pacific Auto Train” semi-daily unit autorack train
974 Cartier, ON Montreal, QC (St.Luc) Manifest (Montreal set-off from # 954)
 

Local Freights & Turn Jobs

Symbol Origin Destination Notes
50 Sudbury, ON Toronto, ON (Agincourt) Counterpart to # 955, mainly hauled empties, listed within CP freight procedures book as ’50’ but was operated under any timetable schedule
73 Sudbury, ON Little Current, ON Recovered INCO iron ore in coal hoppers to Turner docks
74 Little Current, ON Sudbury, ON Coal from Turner docks, trains 73/74 were also called the ‘Little Current Turn’ or ‘The Coal Train’ by crews
 96 Webbwood, ON Sudbury, ON Extension of Thessalon Sub locals # 88/89 – a SOO/Sudbury swing job serving local industries
Espanola Turn Sudbury, ON Espanola, ON (E.B.Eddy) Turn job exclusively for E.B.Eddy paper mill in Espanola
North Bay Turn Sudbury, ON North Bay, ON A Cartier Sub east-end turn job, traffic was mainly for Abitibi-Price paper mill in Sturgeon Falls and ONR interchange at North Bay
Phelans Turn Sudbury, ON Phelans, ON As required turn job for aggregate pit at Phelans, crews also called it ‘The Stone Train’
INCO Job#1 Sudbury, ON Creighton Mine (INCO) INCO Clarabelle-Creighton nickel/copper ore shuttle
INCO Job#2 Sudbury, ON Crean Hill Mine (INCO) INCO Clarabelle-Crean Hill nickel/copper ore shuttle
INCO Job#3 Sudbury, ON Levack Mine (INCO) INCO Levack-Sprecher nickel/copper ore shuttle
The “Falcon” Sudbury, ON Falconbridge, ON Turn job exclusively for Falconbridge Ltd, mainly handled matte hoppers and dolomite (a flux used in the smelter)
Strathcona Turn Sudbury, ON Strathcona Mine – Falconbridge Falconbridge nickel concentrate hoppers, crews and railfans often called it ‘The Slurry Train’
 

Unit Trains *

Train Origin Destination Notes
Pulp Train Cartier (Ramsey), ON Nairn, ON (E.B.Eddy) Turn job – tree length pulpwood for Eddy plant at Nairn Centre
Kidd Creek Acid North Bay, ON Various Unit sulphuric acid off ONR to various destinations
Copper Cliff Acid Sudbury, ON Various Unit sulphuric acid from INCO to various destinations
Grain Extras Thunder Bay, ON Quebec,QC (or) St.John, NB Winter Only – during St.Lawrence Seaway shutdown
Potash Extras Various (Western Canada) Various (Southern Ontario) Seasonal movements from various mines to farm co-ops in Ontario
* Note: Symbols were given to these trains, but they were often unused by crews or dispatchers

 

Recent Posts

In Memorial: Jim ‘Skid’ Robinson

It is with heavy hearts that all of us at the WRMRC wish to honour and say farewell to James ‘Jim’ Robinson, a cherished member of our club who passed away peacefully on 14 November 2025. Jim, who also affectionately went by the nickname ‘Skid’, was our club treasurer and also served in that capacity on the board with the Waterloo Railway Expo.

Skid aboard a caboose on the Waterloo Central Railway

Before moving in retirement to Waterloo, Jim was a longtime Sudbury resident and a former accountant with INCO, and he applied the same commitment and accuracy to our club as he gave on the job. A self-described ‘numbers nerd’, Skid was drawn to operations on our Sudbury Division layout, and studied the real-life CP Rail freight procedures manuals to apply them in miniature form. From this Jim helped to set up paperwork and stage trains before WRMRC operating sessions, and successfully learned the Sudbury Yardmaster position (no small feat).

Jim was also a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, and loved to share his adventures on the road which, when coupled to his zest for life, gave us stories that both entertained and lifted us all. But above all, Skid was a genuine people person—quick with a word of encouragement, endlessly patient, and always ready to lend a hand. He welcomed every member, or potential members at train shows, and made our club feel more like a family. We will miss his dedication, his generous spirit, and the spark in his eye when he spoke about his many experiences and tall tales.

We wish to extend our sympathy and commiseration to his family, and his many close friends. We honour Skid’s memory by supporting one another, and by keeping his stories and adventures alive.

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