The number$2000.00 per rail car would be close on loaded cars going to Vancouver, however on Lumber, Pulp, and Paper going into the USA the number would be closer to $8000.00 per car. These are gross numbers however there would still be a substantial profit per car, or the CN would not be able to make profits per year in excess of $ 1 billion. Each 150 car train departing Prince George for the East would generate approx $1 Million gross revenue. A 200 car container train (400 Containers) leaving Prince Rupert for Chicago would gross something in the area of $ 1 1/4 Million. At one train per day you can see how lucretive this business is.

Some of this revenue would be used to offset the cost of returning empty containers and rail cars, however any Containers loaded on the return trip would be **gravy**

In the early 1960's an 80 car train would have generated much less revenue and would have had the following personal.

One Engineer, One fireman, and One Head End Brakeman. on the lead Engine.

In the Caboose they would have had.
One Conductor, one Brakeman, and because the train was 80 cars long another brakeman to relay signals.

In the sixties all signals were relayed by Lanterns, and Hand Signals.

Once the railways converted to diesel generators they got rid of the Fireman, then because of radios they got rid of the extra man, then they got rid of the caboose, the conductor, and the tail end brakeman.

A 150 car train to-day would have One Engineer, and One Engine Service Brakeman on the lead engine and that is all. These people are all cross trained so that they can work each others jobs.

At one time there were Section Men up and down the rail line who were responsible for maintaining a section of track, and reporting any problems. (All gone)

Cars were visually inspected by Carmen, however this has been reduced also and a lot of the inspections are done electronically.

There are hundreds of other areas where personel has been reduced, and CN Rail has gone from something like 150,000 employess in the 60's 70's to approx 30,000 today.

Prince George used to have something in the area of 700 or 800 employees overall at CN. Now with both the CN and BC Rail I doubt if they could scape up 300. Thats why adding 60 jobs for their Container loading and Intermonal Terminal in Prince George is a laugh. CN got rid of its intermondal facility in Prince George back in the 70's and BC Rail got rid of theirs in the early 2000's. To re-instate it now and call it new is a gas. All we are doing is replacing some jobs we lost years ago, and of course we will lose some in other areas, like Warehousing, Trucking, Commercial, etc; as CN takes this business away from those Companies that are presently handling it to Vancouver.

The so-called **New** intermodal terminal is in fact the **old** roundhouse (Diesel Locomotive Shop) where CN Diesels were repaired and maintained. This is all done at the BC Rail **Diesel Locomotive Shop** with a lot less personel.

So there you have it. Corporate greed at its best, and the devil take the hindmost.

I think the Mayor and Council should have invited representatives from Transport Canada.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/rail/menu.htm

They/he/she could have provided accurate government statistics about derailments for all of Canada, each province and territory.

I mean, what did the Mayor and Council expect CN to say, except defend itself vigorously and make elephants into mice???

There are strict regulations about transports of dangerous goods and environmental concerns, and, of course records of locations, frequencies and reasons for derailments.

The basics of rail transport have remained virtually unchanged - a flanged steel wheel is in thumbnail sized contact with a steel rail which is hopefully securely fastened down.

Derailments are common, everywhere, all over the world and it is virtually impossible for any railroad to bring the incidents of derailments down to Zero altogether.

Where does our area fit in when it comes to the number of derailments per tonne of freight?

Transport Canada has the answers.

It used to be every 45 days a locomotive was shopped for regular maintainance. Now it has a minor inspection at 90 and 270 days, with a major inspection at 180 and 360 days. Every time a locomotive came to a terminal [PG, Edmonton, Vancouver etc] it would come into the trip center to be over a pit to have a trip inspection. Now it only has to be over a pit every 10 days. A locomotive safety inspection [not mandatory to be over a pit to inspect gearcases, suspension bearings etc]is theoretically done everytime a new locomotive consist departs the locomotive shop tracks. And there is always a rush to get power out on a train with as little dwell time as possible[ they don't make money not hauling] Sometimes they come in with stuff not right and you know it had to have left somewhere with it wrong.You do the math.

the other thing to remember about the old days is that then rail cars were only 40' long. That meant short sidings and lots of them. Most centre beam lumber cars are now 76' long. So a modern train is not only an extra 40-60 cars longer but the cars are also twice as long. The extra lenght of the cars when going around curves causes more forces on the cars that wants to pull them "straight" causing derailments such as the Cheakimus (Sp.) derailment.

Yes, I think you can improve profit by whittling away at the safety margin.

I appreciate the history and the "facts" of what is happening in PG re jobs, etc. in Prince George.

In my opinion, City Council bows and genuflects to CN representatives who give nothing but "spin" and are the hired underlings.

My wish would be Councillors would not be so impressed with Corporate giants and would look to the safety and well being of its' citizens. This is really Council's mandate.