(rshsdepot) CP's Niagra River Bridge to lose rail traffic

["Jim Dent" <james.dent_@_itochu.com>]

=46rom Trains.com...

Spike-pulling ceremony to mark end of Niagara Falls line

Railway, province, and city officials will hold a ceremonial =93spike pul=
ling=94
event next week in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to mark the pending abandonmen=
t
of Canadian Pacific=92s line through the city=92s tourist district, CP sp=
okesman
Paul Thurston said today.

CP has already diverted rail traffic off the Hamilton Subdivision. As par=
t
of a redevelopment project, the city and other interests are purchasing a
seven-mile stretch of the line. The ceremony, set for Wednesday, will
include officials from CP, Canadian National (which has an interest in th=
e
line), the province of Ontario, and the city.

CP has shifted its traffic running between Buffalo, N.Y., and Hamilton,
Ontario, to a portion of Canadian National=92s Stamford Subdivision.

Previously, the eight trains CP operates a day between Buffalo and Hamilt=
on
ran via CSX=92s Belt and Niagara subdivisions to Niagara Falls, N.Y., cro=
ssed
the border on CP=92s Niagara River bridge, and then turned southward on t=
he
Hamilton Subdivision to Brookfield and Welland before turning northwest t=
o
Hamilton.

This traffic now runs over CN=92s shorter route using the International B=
ridge
between Buffalo and Fort Erie, Ontario, then over CN=92s line from Fort E=
rie
to a connection with CP=92s Hamilton Sub at Brookfield.

A group wants to convert the massive steel-arch railroad bridge across th=
e
Niagara Gorge into a truck span. Amtrak=92s Maple Leaf uses the Whirlpool
Bridge just north of the CP span.

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