Hopper Rail Cars

[TOM4CWB]

Question;

How should rail cars be allocated?

I understand that the Non-board grain shipped by CN/CP is allocated in cars controled by the railways, have I got this right?

Further the new "bid cars" are becoming part of the new reality... as a shortage of non-board hopper cars means the railways are allocating this resource by allocating the hopper cars to the highest bidder.

I understand the railways want the "Bid Car" revenue to be on top of the revenue cap.

How would this change our freight system?

Does the CWB have to deal with the "bid Car" system, or only the non-board grains?

[carebear300]

I am thinking that this system will reek to high heaven of collusion and collaboration of the two railways to gouge rail companies(in the end farmers) out of every last cent they can. You talk about an industry that has decided to work together to rip off a captive market(legislated that way by government of course). I thought we had anti combines legislation to prevent just this type of thing happening, oh sorry apparently that legislation doesn't apply to railways and banks. Why would anybody be surprised? So much for the free market! Which will only work where the parties each have the same kind of power in an industry.