First part of a documentary about the project by CP Rail to build a new rail line through the Rogers Pass, increasing railway capacity westbound the grade from 2.2 percent to 1 percent over 35 kilometres. Before the project, Canadian Pacific needed to use additional locomotives, called pusher locomotives, to haul heavy freight trains up the grade. Omer Lavallée, Canadian Pacific corporate historian and archivist discusses the history of CP train travel through the Rogers Pass. Russell Allison, President of CP Rail, and John Fox, CP Rail Vice-President of Engineering, Special Projects, comment on the significance of the project. The documentary's narrator describes the various physical features of the project, including the tunnels. Fox talks about the planning for project. President Russell Allison speaks at the official start of the construction project, describing it as the largest CP Rail construction project since the building of the transcontinental railway close to 100 years earlier. There is footage of the camps built to house workers. Footage shows various features of the surface route, such as culverts, bridges and a viaduct, under construction and completed. John Fox, Ron Tanaka, chief construction engineer for Special Projects CP Rail, Norm Tennock, construction manager for Special Projects CP Rail, Greg Hamilton, Project Engineer, Special Projects CP Rail, and Trevor Webster, deputy chief construction engineer Special Projects CP Rail, explain various details of surface route construction. John Fox and Dave Polster, environmental supervisor, Special Projects, CP Rail, describes measures CP Rail took to minimize impact on the environment, including revegetation and erosion prevention, in consultation with Parks Canada. The next major feature discussed and shown is the Shaughnessy Tunnel, also known as the short tunnel. John Fox and Pete Penner, tunnel superintendent, Special Projects CP Rail, comment. Ron Tanaka provides further detail about the specific problems related to the construction of the tunnel and the point where it meets the Trans-Canada Highway. Next, the documentary discusses the construction of the Mount Macdonald Tunnel. Tanaka and Fox comment on the method used to cut the tunnel. Footage shows tunnel construction at various stages, starting in 1983. Rob Simmerling, survey engineer, Special Projects CP Rail, explains the use of lasers and Global Positioning System equipment when constructing the tunnel. This video ends during discussion of details of the tunnel construction. <59mn 52s>
