CP vs. CN

[Anonymous]

Hopefully without starting any fights on this board, does anyone have any opinions about CP vs. CN? Insofar as what it’s like to work for them and are there any major differences? I have a friend who works for CP (3rd generation) and thinks CP is ‘the best company by far’, and he has nothing good to say about CN.

The reason I’m asking is because I’ll be returning to Canada, in the next couple of months, after 8 years of living and working in Japan, and I’m hoping to get a job with CP or CN. I’d like to work either as a conductor (and eventually as an engineer) or in rail traffic control. I’d be happy to get a job with either company but I’d just like to hear a few more opinions besides my friend’s obviously biased views.

Thanks!

[CNW 6000]

I don't work for either but IMO opinions will vary to both extremes within each company.  If I was you I'd do a much objective (versus subjective) research on opportunities available, pay, and what your career ambitions are.  Good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Good luck to you.

Thanks! 

[CNW 6000]

BTW... aboard!  I see you joined on Monday the 12th.

[CPRail modeler]

CP: best railroad ever (in my opinion).

CN: mixed feelings

[cprted]

CP: best railroad ever (in my opinion).

CN: mixed feelings

Which one do you work for?

[Ulrich]

Both are fine companies..and I'm not employed by either. Like any company, each has its good and bad points, and whether they are good or bad to work for would I imagine depend on where you work and on the people you work with and supervise you. Around here both roads look good...good track and clean locomotives...and both are profitable.

Maybe you should consider where you want to live and go with that. CP is Western based and doesn't have operations east of Montreal. CN on the other hand operates from coast to coast...so forget about CP unless you want to live in Ontario or west or unless you speak French and want to live in Quebec.

[selector]

As in all corporations and groups, you'll find the following: the motivated, the demotivated, the keen, the indifferent, the leaders, the followers, the disaffected, the favoured, the beavers, and the loafers.  They each have well-established cultures that, like all cultures, are highly resitant to change.  They each have the same issues between the unions and management that you find at Ford, Phillips, AT&T, COMINCO, and any other number of entities.

In a room full of Ford and Chrysler owners, you are hollering into the room asking which company is best.  Without setting some firm criteria, you have a heck of a row to how in trying to sort out the useful material.

[Anonymous]

Without setting some firm criteria, you have a heck of a row to how in trying to sort out the useful material.

That's a good point. What I'm really interested in is the overall morale of the employees at both companies, but unfortunately that's almost impossible to gauge objectively.

I realize of course that there will be unhappy/troublemaking employees and unhelpful/idiot managers at any company and that's to be expected, especially in a large company. However I'm hoping to avoid working at a place where the work atmosphere has become truly poisonous. My current job in Japan has turned that way in the last couple of years so I don't want to jump from one VERY unhappy work environment to another.

 

[Anonymous]

CP: best railroad ever (in my opinion).

 I really didn't expect to hear this from a poster named "CPRail modeler"

[Ulrich]

Happy work environment? Where? Most people are miserable and blame it on something else..."my job" seems to fit well. Forget about poisonous work envirment and tear a page from "Crowded House" (the band) and "bring your own weather". The only place you'll find where everyone is happy is a nuthouse.

 CN, CP...lots of regionals and shortlines to pick from too..

[Anonymous]

Both are fine companies..and I'm not employed by either. Like any company, each has its good and bad points, and whether they are good or bad to work for would I imagine depend on where you work and on the people you work with and supervise you. Around here both roads look good...good track and clean locomotives...and both are profitable.

Maybe you should consider where you want to live and go with that. CP is Western based and doesn't have operations east of Montreal. CN on the other hand operates from coast to coast...so forget about CP unless you want to live in Ontario or west or unless you speak French and want to live in Quebec.

Thanks for your opinions and info!

I definitely want to work out west, that's where my family is, but I've heard that CN and CP will usually take into account the employee's wishes about which Provence he/she wish to work in.

[selector]

CN has had some bad press in the past 30 months because of accidents.  I am not in a position to attribute the various incidents to a systemic problem or to a cultural one endemic to the organization, but if their sheer numbers over that period have raised a cloud over the working bodies, maybe CP gets the nod...for now?

-Crandell

[CliqueofOne]

Since you plan on working for either CN or CP in Canada you're better off asking for the opinions of those who are or have actually worked for either one of the railways. Retiring a year ago after 37 years in the Signal Department of the Canadian National Railways, my blood still boils whenever I hear how not only the guys on Signals but the members of every other department, are being bullied and terrorised by foreign 'Thugs & Goons'. I do a double boil whenever someone who never has had a real experience working for CN, or any railway for that matter, spout off about the Canadian employees of the CNR, in such a derogatory manner.

Opinions from the 'Bubble Gum Crowd' are entertaining but absolutely useless. What you need are the opinions from the flesh and blood, men and women who have to tolerate daily the intimidation and harassment on the 'New CN'. Get honest and informative opinions at Running Trades Dot Com. An all Canadian site, for the Canadians who have had their share of experiences. www.runningtrades.com

Just my opinion. If anyone is unable to stomach it, I have many more.

[CPRail modeler]

CP: best railroad ever (in my opinion).

CN: mixed feelings

Which one do you work for?

Err...none. I guess this was one of my "type first, think later" mistakes. Same case with my forum name. I just like the CPR because I do. The mixed feelings with CN was due to the rash of derailments last year.

[selector]

For me, it is a bit more.  I have a personal peeve when it comes to Government bail-outs, and the CN exists today only because it happened in their favour way back when...about 80 years ago or so.  It is a personal bias, truly, and probably not all that well informed in the first place.  It may even be that CPR had its own glad hand extended to them in a way that the CN or its various component entities did not.  More recently, there is a rather serious police investigation happening in British Columbia over the sale of the BC Railway to CN.  Some folks are crying foul, and I would eventually hope to know what part, if any, CN had in it that was not above board. 

Additionally, like the gentleman above, the rash of rather bad derailments came a bit too often for my liking over the 15 or 18 months that they happened.  Sounds like poor leadership to me.

-Crandell

[cprted]

For me, it is a bit more.  I have a personal peeve when it comes to Government bail-outs, and the CN exists today only because it happened in their favour way back when...about 80 years ago or so.  It is a personal bias, truly, and probably not all that well informed in the first place.  It may even be that CPR had its own glad hand extended to them in a way that the CN or its various component entities did not. 

I would argue that the public funds and huge land grants awarded to the CPR during construction were of much greater consequence than the creation of a crown corporation out of a handful of bankrupt lines that already existed. Not that that has any impact on which one is a better employer for the original poster in this thread.

[selector]

I suppose you could argue, but what would have been the alternative?  In the absence of any extant railway, the Government had to offer inducements to the private sector...the old quid pro quo.  You build us the railway, we'll provide you some cash, but we'll also sweeten the inducement (to secure the contract) by offering you 20 miles on either side of the right of way and guarantee you no competitor between your mains and the USA border.  I believe the PGE,  GTW, CN, GTP, and others were all given similar help, although after the fact.  In fact, the PM at the time, Borden, wanted to nationalize all railroads, including the CPR.

The GTP was largely financed and shareheld by Britons, although it came under American leadership early.   It secured an agreement with Laurier (earlier than Borden) to build a line west of Winnipeg if the National Transcontinental could be managed by the GTP and run east under the Government's auspices and support.  The GTP's shareholders objected, as did the leader who felt that the eastern road would not be under his control.  Eventually, since financing became a stumbling block, Laurier had to agree to more Government support, and only then did the GTP proceed with shareholders' approval to points west.

I am unaware of any eventual bailout or aid above the initial contract that was ever extended to the CPR...they always swam on their own.  The GTP and others got bailed out because they would otherwise have failed during WW I, not a good thing from Borden's point of view.

[Ulrich]

Why not apply at both and THEN see what happens? You are very unikely to get offers from both carriers as they are both inundated with applications on a daily basis...hmmm ...I wonder why.

People who work for these companies may have negative comments...but  they seem to  forget the alternatives...ie. conducting a freight train  is still alot better than delivering pizza in downtown Toronto on the midnight shift.

 

[TH&B]

l have worked for both CN and CP as Conductor in Canada. CP has a better moral I'd easily say over the last 20+ years.  Some hard working CN Conductors see bigger pay checks then anyone at CP though that l have seen.  Many railroad employees think the grass is greener on the other side.

 

But there are many other aspects, like pay and locations and since I'm still a rail fan so peresonal preferences ( l prefer the CN colour schemes, CP engines and freight cars  are too red for me)  l was also brought up along the CN tarcks.  But CP does have better moral.