Canadian National: world's best?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the great website James. The old Erie main is a great example of a line that Conrail did everything in their power to keep out of another railroads hands. The funny thing is, they could have done this easily by simply operating it. It is great to see it getting another shot at life after so many years of dormancy.

[jsanchez]

Conrail actually fought the communities, industries, shortline entreprenuers who tried to save this line. Thankfully Conrail lost in court, parts of this line now has many customers who would have been forced to use trucks or move to other areas, causing job losses in an already depressed area. It was stupidty like this that makes many of us strongly dis-like Conrail. Why they just couldn't cooperate and sell it is beyond me? To Norfolk Southern's credit they were a lot more helpfull.

[CliqueofOne]

As a 32+ year CN employee in the signal department I find it strange that a railway magazine of respect would write such an article without any input from the rank and file workers. What I and many others, that have the nerve to speak out, find is that the Canadian National Railways is now owned by interests south of the Canadian border. We now have Americanized corporate terrorism directed towards the employees by half-witted company lackeys.

[cardon]

Clique,congrats on the 32+,exactly what my father had in,when on a Monday some twenty years ago,the superintendent told him,the only layoffs would be through attrition.That Friday his entire department got their notice they had 2 weeks left! Ask him if he thinks CN is the best in the world.I hope you're not 1 of the 1100+ in todays pre-Christmas sale.

[CliqueofOne]

I now have 1,644 days to go. I'm on vacation now until January 6, 03. Since I'm in the signal department as a signal mechanic on construction, I believe my job is safe. Even as a blametainer for the contractors. I might get a buy out but I doubt it as I can still perform my duties. What these duties may encompass, come Jan. 6, only time will tell. Gene B. Signal department. CN.

[Anonymous]

Well trains did prove CN to be one of North Americas best but not the worlds best who knows there could be a railroad over seas with 50,000 miles of track

[Anonymous]

Anyone on here a CN worker?

I have heard many a rumors about CN being an awful place to work for as far as being a RTE, lots of stories that center around being treated poorly by management that are jerks. On the other hand I have also heard lots of great rumors about CP being a great place to work, where the employees really feel like they are welcomed.

I rarely hear anything good about CN, yet someone always seems to have something good to say about CP. Of course these are always rumors, and I suppose you have to take them with a grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Steve4031

The way CN handle passenger traffic on the ex IC mainline is atrocious. I used Amtrak to go from Chicago to Champaignn to see the Bears games. The dispatcher stuck us behind freights on both trips resulting in 45 minutes to 60 minutes delay. In additon, we had to pull into sidings and back out on each trip. This was tolerable after the Bears beat the Vikings. But after the loss to the Saints, I summed up the day by stating that the Bears offensive coordinator stunk, and that the CN dispatcher stunk even more. LOL.

I agree 100%, CN passenger train service was not a service, it was more like CN passenger Train disservice.

So i don't know where they are pulling those numbers out of, But goll-ie, evedently from people who have never ridden on a CN anyhting!

[CliqueofOne]

macguy asks 'Anyone on here a CN worker?'

I'm a CN worker with close to 34 years on the Signal Department, macguy. I've had many of my posts deleted because this forum will not tolerate an opinion from a railway employee that actually works for the Canadian National Railways that states just how badly the company is being run. The company has such a tight rein on the media in Canada that the whole storey never reaches the public. All they get is the crap from the company. Most people don't even care about the railway unless there is a derailment that interrupts their daily activities, being stuck at a crossing while a slow moving freight goes by, complain about the loud horns at crossings, wonder why VIA has less service and is late, etc. If
only they would read between the lines and find out whats actually
happening to not only to the employees but to the company as well. In
a nut shell. It ain't pretty. As a railway employee and a railway
enthusiast I'm frustrated as to the lack of understanding and caring
from many of my fellow partisans. This is understandable of the
general public but I can never comprehend why there would be a train
watcher that didn't show an interest into the behind the scenes
workings of the railway. Gene B. Signal Department. Canadian
National Railways.[:(!]

[Hugh Jampton]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Amtrak2437

I've also heard that in Spain, you are refunded a certain amount of money if the train is so many minutes late (this may be BS).

Absolutely correct.

What about the Japanese?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hugh Jampton

QUOTE: Originally posted by Amtrak2437

I've also heard that in Spain, you are refunded a certain amount of money if the train is so many minutes late (this may be BS).

Absolutely correct.

What about the Japanese?

In Japan The Engineer probobly gets shot if the Train is late.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CliqueofOne


macguy asks 'Anyone on here a CN worker?'

I'm a CN worker with close to 34 years on the Signal Department, macguy. I've had many of my posts deleted because this forum will not tolerate an opinion from a railway employee that actually works for the Canadian National Railways that states just how badly the company is being run.

Hmmmm your posts suffer from Being-deleted Syndrome aswell? i'm sure many executives of Trains.com would rather it be known as "vanashing act" "Houdini act" or It's-been-misplaced.

I rememebr what happened the last tiem i Tired to state what could happen if Cn didn't resolve their strike, And i almsot got terminated from this website.

Seems like evryoen hates Statistics these days, And All i was reporting what what i saw in the paper.

Actually I have done the math, and about 75% of the topics i start have been deleted for one reaon or another. But i suspect i shouldn't get into this.

Cliqueofone, I do work for CP. And i don't want to sound like CP is better then Cn, CN has great potential, But what i see- I msut admit, I don't like.

But oddly enough, i'm repeating myself, I posted this in one of the posts That got deleted, hopefully this wasn't the reason it got Deleted.

I bet i'm making it look easy to verbaly abuse Cn- well it is not. CNR, Canadian Northers is one of the fundemental Building blocks of Canada, along with the CPR. 95% of people that live 50-100 miles from a major City ought to thank CN RR for then being there.

95% of the people in canada live really close to a Railway, or did at one point.

Canada built the Railways, and the Railways built Canada, thats what we are famous for, And both RR's Deserve a hand for making such a great country.

But what Cn has becoem is truly upsetting- I started off as a purely Canadian compnay, but moved south, which intern i believe devistated Cn as we know it, because people look at it like it has betrayed the Canadian people

And an American CEO, if it has come to that, DOES NOT KNOW what is best for This country, Canada.

Cha-Ching theres my two cents.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CliqueofOne


macguy asks 'Anyone on here a CN worker?'

I'm a CN worker with close to 34 years on the Signal Department, macguy. I've had many of my posts deleted because this forum will not tolerate an opinion from a railway employee that actually works for the Canadian National Railways that states just how badly the company is being run. The company has such a tight rein on the media in Canada that the whole storey never reaches the public. All they get is the crap from the company. Most people don't even care about the railway unless there is a derailment that interrupts their daily activities, being stuck at a crossing while a slow moving freight goes by, complain about the loud horns at crossings, wonder why VIA has less service and is late, etc. If
only they would read between the lines and find out whats actually
happening to not only to the employees but to the company as well. In
a nut shell. It ain't pretty. As a railway employee and a railway
enthusiast I'm frustrated as to the lack of understanding and caring
from many of my fellow partisans. This is understandable of the
general public but I can never comprehend why there would be a train
watcher that didn't show an interest into the behind the scenes
workings of the railway. Gene B. Signal Department. Canadian
National Railways.[:(!]

What you're saying is basically exactly what I hear around town in the gossip.

[Anonymous]

Thats what i have heard also that alot of employees in the states hate working with CN and rather go to CP because such a great place to work but that could this be a rumour

[broncoman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by coasterjoe

Best in the world... SNCF(French National Railways) with the TGV. Or DBAG (German Fedaral Railways) with a small but expanding high speed network of its own and excellent punctuality. Nothing in north america even comparis with the Western Europen networks so you can't call a North American railway the best in the world.

I thought that the SNCF was in a big financial hurt do to paying of the chunnel? It would be great though if America could look at passenger travel like Europe does. It would be great to take a 200+MPH train from San Francisco to Chicago, what would that be like 10 hours or so?