Trains.com

Do you support the CN BC RAIL merger

1362 views
5 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Do you support the CN BC RAIL merger
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 1, 2004 3:46 PM
I do because if the Crown goverment keeps sutting down Important Services their will be Nothing left also the best way to keep it going is to sell BC RAIL to CN or CPR, If BCRAIL can't pay it's debt they need to file bankrupcy or ask the Goverment to sell it. But the problem is knowing CN they will abaondon lines to remote areas that need the service to the outside world and the Goverment needs to watch CN see if they abandon any Important lines
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 1, 2004 3:54 PM
The way I understood the deal was that CN was going to operate it, NOT own it. The provence is still the owner of the row.

I don't like mergers. There have been far too many. And at what price do these mergers come-- poor service, lost jobs, and abandoned rail lines. The only benefit of a merger is the $$$ to the rich.
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • 964 posts
Posted by TH&B on Thursday, January 1, 2004 4:27 PM
At first I did not... but now i'm not sure. With CN planning on making an in-house wheel shop at Prince George and the lumber express to Chicago from P/G and stuff it sounds better. I also can hope CN can recover some of the bussiness lost recently by BCR. But my fear that still remains is what if CN reroutes traffic from P/G to Vancouver over thier own line, that would be a major loss to loose the BCR route. Perhaps if BNSF was to merge with BCR I would think the BCR line would remain thier gatewway to northern BC.
-I was a bigger supporter of the CN ONR merger, I think ONR blew it, it seemed like a natural fit.- I also support a Railroad to Alaska.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 1, 2004 6:23 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by 440cuin

At first I did not... but now i'm not sure. With CN planning on making an in-house wheel shop at Prince George and the lumber express to Chicago from P/G and stuff it sounds better. I also can hope CN can recover some of the bussiness lost recently by BCR. But my fear that still remains is what if CN reroutes traffic from P/G to Vancouver over thier own line, that would be a major loss to loose the BCR route. Perhaps if BNSF was to merge with BCR I would think the BCR line would remain thier gatewway to northern BC.
-I was a bigger supporter of the CN ONR merger, I think ONR blew it, it seemed like a natural fit.- I also support a Railroad to Alaska.


I agree about the Railroad to Alaska they could use some of the BC RAIL tracks that was proposed in the 1960's or 1970's to build to Alaska. Also If they use the Prince George Wheel Shop and the Lumber Express but wouldn't thwy route it via Jasper and the Via Skeena Route? Hopefully It will get better 440cuin I agree with your fear about them reroutes Traffic which their has been talk about it would be deadly
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 1, 2004 7:26 PM
There was some concern that if CN took over the line, an interchange track would be built in the Ashcroft area connecting BCR with mainline CN. This would permit abandoning the section from Clinton south to Squamish (at least). Does anyone have any further knowledge of this?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 3, 2004 11:49 AM
Spaceman their is from what I heard a interchange track would be built and the abaondon right of way for a road to the 2010 Olymipcs

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy