So what is it with CN anyways?

[skeezix]

Ok, here in Halifax we have a large container operation, which we refer to as 'Hal-term' (Halifax Terminals) Now, we've just had 2 container companies pull out of halifax last week, because halterm hasn't been able to ship the containers out in a timely manner. Nearly 6 years ago when I first came here, CN, being the major carrier for halterm used to have no less than about 6 units over there at any given time. CN employees tell me that the container traffic has increased significantly since then and now they only have only ONE unit to handle the container traffic. I could perhaps see CN's point if they were struggling, but they recorded profits of over $600 million last year!


What the heck?!?!?

[busyEMT]

(I am not a railroad consutant, keep in mind)

I think it is the amount of available rail. Like the growth the UP has had since the mid 90s has been a catch-22. If it isn't a power shortage or freight yards brimming over with loaded cars, it is mainline routes being jammed up.

[Pat Lorenz]

I would say your exactly right busyEMT, its everything combined, all the railroads are stuggling because of the all the shipping going on these days. Railroads are working as hard as they can with what they got but it doesnt seem to be enough. There hoping that by ordering more cars and more loco's it will solve alot of problems but its not that, the big problem is no rail to run on and get the trains moving, like what busyEMT was saying. Freight car back orders for 2004 were up in the 60,000 range (holy cow thats alot of car to build), orders for new power are up there as well, UP keeps putting in orders by the hundred for loco's.
A perfect example of this problem is the UP, the sunset route is there biggest problem and it has always been too, i sit out on the sunset route and can go with out seeing one train for about 3 to 4 hours, and i wonder, its because of a track short, but then again its because sunset route is single track for many hundreds of miles- things get clogged. I wouldnt say that its just CN, i still belive that CN is the most efficient railroad, i also thing the BNSF is very efficent too, and UP just has been having a series of misfortunate event and bad decisons (triple track in Nebraska vs Sunset route, hard hitting storms in CA, underestimated retirement leave, and just plain bad organization). but all the other railroads have had there trouble too, hey at least UP has the money to take care of it! But overall i would say its not enough track and in UP's case not enough of everything.

[skeezix]

But that's the thing though. CN had double trackage here a few years ago and ended up tearing it up for whatever reason, and even with only single trackage now, they only run maybe one or two trains out of here in a day. CN says that they don't really profit from anything east of Montreal but yet they have opportunities to do so. It' almost seems like they want to 'strangle' the economy down here for political reasons.