Trains can’t be built for winter, says expert

[fjlip]

And a "FREE" market allows a duopoly to dictate to all customers and our elected officials. They are gods, immune from laws. If they had cold specific iron, our costs would double!
I think rail transportation is TOO important to be in the hands of business. What are European railroads, public or private and wonder what their regulations are like? Anyone know?

[blackpowder]

I just had dumb thought. After recalling a couple evenings spent over cocktails with a CP VP. An American who had worked in Prince George for some years.
I wonder if their isn't a lot of ignorance about how a train works? A railroad would be an obstinate company to change. But education on how a train works might go a long way to educate the railroads customers.
Challenging grower orgs. to arrange info tours etc. reminded of certain CIGI or _ _ _ tours/workshops. Didn't save the _ _ _, but it opened my eyes a little.
Learn, don't guess.

[farmaholic]

Well then, do you "think" it's as big a hurdle as they claim?

[Partners]

Maybe they should bring back the "Steam Engines" for the winter months?

[Guest]

its no different than how much more work it is for us to get our grain hauled in winter , just a fact of life on the prairies . i also work a little in the patch in winter months . its twice as much work when its -40 , but we get the job done . as long as our govt is catering to railroads or vice versa , not sure ? nothings going to change . this particular government sure is scared of them , thats all i know. what other kind of business wioud not know where their cars or people are at any given time ? like cars not showing up ? what a joke ,they should know where every car is at every minute , what an arrogant bunch . maybe this is why they have several derailments every year

[bgmb]

He didnt say trains "cant" be built for winter. He said with the way the industry operated right now they have no reason to.

[grassfarmer]

fjlip,
Can only speak for the UK where the railways were nationalized in the late 1940s and offered poor service and usually at a loss until they were privatized in the 1990s. Service and profitability have been up and down since then notably down when there were a series of accidents due to poor maintenance by the companies.
Big difference from here is that they are mainly passenger trains - only something like 10-12% of UK freight is moved on the railways.

[sumdumguy]

IMO, this spineless government should give them real good reason to make an effort. Give them an ultimatum, WITH TEETZ.

[Koldkanuck]

Who the hell is this so called expert trying to kid? I can still remember the last of the steam locomotives in the late 50's, and they always ran, 40 below or not. I can remember the elevator agents, as they used to be called, coopering and loading them old boxcars in -40 weather. They bitched and swore under their breath, but got it done because they were told by the railways, that they have no time to waste, and if the car was not loaded , it was hooked up and taken empty. Then the company would get 1 or 2 less cars next time as a penalty. You don't **** around with the CN. Now they claim they can't run in minus 25.? What a ****ing joke. As a kid one winter, I hauled dray from the CN station in Lynn Lake Man. in the 60's. It was minus 50-60 for 2 weeks in a row that winter, and the trains always ran. Trucks ran. You just never shut them down. Don't believe it for one minute that trains can't run in cold weather.