what is the bottleneck in rail transport

[grassfarmer]

I think weather in jan feb march, and mountains are the biggest bottlenecks.

Settlers have been here long enough you'd have thought we'd have figured out that we get winter in winter and have a mountain range to our west.

[bgmb]

I dont disagree, we can increase capacity but i think winter and mountains will always be the pinch points.

[ajl]

This is a problem with no solution. Can't beat poor government, poor geography, and poor weather. The solution that will be forced on us is to reduce production in Canuckistan. Time to unload this overpriced land to investors before they realize it. (Some have done that) Talked to a farmer from the Ft Vermillion/LaCrete area of northern AB and he said a lot of land in his area has been converted to organic. Global cooling will also help reduce production as some northern areas will no longer have enough season to produce some crops. As farmers bank accounts empty, inputs get cut and more marginal land gets taken out of production. Chem fallowing is another option in dryer areas. One thing that is not explained that if there were more tons at the west coast, how much price reduction would it take to find a buyer for the extra tons as no one with $USD on hand does without wheat in today's market if they want it.

[SASKFARMER3]

Funny last time this shit show happened they pulled grain out of Alberta to hide the facts and make it seem like they were actually moving grain. East of that line got nothing.

This winter we have been lucky and getting cars lots of cars but have a big terminal with lots car space and fast turn around. It is working.

But the games and rail is a serious issue.

Time to think out of the box and do something else. Im for North and out or something totally radical.

BC and Quebec and Ontario are problem and only way to deal with problem is cut them off.

[bucket]

I have been watching Rocky Mountain Railway ....maybe the railway executives should as well ....

CP's public service announcement thru that show indicates they stay ahead of problems....and the brainwashed employees say how important the railway is to the economy of Canada. ...

One even said Canada wouldn't be where it is without the railway. ...

Too bad the railway didn't run Noth south instead of east west. ....but you can't fix brainwashed stupidity.


There is a solution ....install a grain terminal inland BC so when winter hits they draw from there to keep grain moving....

Stats prove they move very little in winter so figure that tonnage out and build accordingly .....grain wouldn't have to stop moving....they just choose not to..

Where are the graincos in all of this since we are talking about their grain ....oh yeah the farmers are doing their bidding ....again. ..

They are laughing all the way to the bank.

This started last fall.... I don't know why anyone is surprised....the graincos kept the system backed up to keep from bidding for grain. ...

[ErgotErnie]

It looks like a lot of the elevators in Alberta are starting to get cars more often , we saw this a few years ago when the rail ways started to get pressure from government. They hammer the cars into the closest elevators to port to get there numbers back up to show that there moving grain to everyone.

[bucket]

They did that in 2013-14 Alberta was getting cars because the turnaround was better....guys were hauling midpoint Sask to alberta to get movement.


Same thing happening here again....trucks are moving grain to Abbotsford BC....pretty ****ed up .

[farmaholic]

Does potash, oil, container and general freight feel the same pinch?

If it doesn't, maybe it needs to. Remember the "radical" solution I proposed.

[furrowtickler]

I can make guesses what the problem is but does anyone have insight?

bill c49 still sounds like more doing nothing.

why don't we look at what is really possible to do.

a lot of things like joint running rights are not going to happen .

the cn cp monopoly is here to stay .
at least as long as NAFTA is in place. you can not touch them .
so you can be sure NAFTA will be around a long time .

the grain co.s are not our friends in this .
the bottlenecks or just lack of effort from the railways .
have made grain .co.s business super profitable.

as evidenced by everyone and their dog building terminals these days .

with the grain. co.s and the railways having the govt.s ear
the mess will continue .
grian co.s will not want a fix , because then they would have to compete
with the other players. and cut margins

the rail roads do not want a fix , because the worse service they give .
the more raises they get. the way it has always been .

when a full compensatory rate plus profit , plus Return on investment is not enough .
what the hell is .
they have a real incentive not to preform .

there has to be some agency to make sure all products have access to transportation
is a reasonable time.

a national policy
why is there not one ?
how basic and simple is that.
some one should be in charge .
but we have 50 years of nothing.
absolutely nothing



oil potash grain lumber. how can their real value be determined , if they can not get to their destination in a reasonable time

the first and simplest is oil in pipelines.
that is the easy one.

if the rail lines to the coast are the problem.

then how about for every $ over what they spend now , on system improvements .
govt. or shippers would match. or help them out .
it would have to be audited

grain shippers would not pay to improve a total coal line . etc. etc.
and vice versa

kinda make the railroads our friends , not the middle man grain .cos .
market forces will bring grain. co.s in line .when anybody has access to shipping .
they might have to work instead of steal for a change .


we are screwed anyway, so if we have to pay more, for improvements . at least the $ are not buying a US railroad
for the shareholders.

same with locomotives, etc. if the railroads would have and maintain enough here to do the job .
and we would help them out .
if not , then give the money back

I would say 2 simple things for the bottle neck
1. The Rocky Mountains
2. Oil on rail because of the lack of sufficient pipelines .
Most other rail inefficiency’s are because of those two things.

What exaggerates the issue was the gutting of both rail lines by Harrison for shareholder profits .

No quick fix to any of it. Also additional rail through the Rocky’s would be astronomicaly expensive

[bucket]

Does potash, oil, container and general freight feel the same pinch?

If it doesn't, maybe it needs to. Remember the "radical" solution I proposed.

The endusers of those products have large warehouses and it can move smoothly whenever....

BTW the potash companies have large warehouses to hold supply as well.

Graincos don't want to invest in warehouses for easier movement ....they downloaded that to the peasants thinking the grain movement will be better....doesnt help the graincos to have the grain on the farm...

It will be a tough lesson to learn.

G3s footprint will be an interesting study of a grainco in western canada over the next 5 years.