Canadian National: world's best?

[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?

[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

[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]

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 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.

[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?

[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.[:(!]

[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!

[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]

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

[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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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]

http://www.jamestownrailfan.net/

this is a cool website with whats involved in re-opening an abdanoned Conrail line(The ex Erie main).

[jsanchez]

NS has been a big disapointment, they have serious management problems, their customer service is a joke. There is still a lot of bitterness of the closing of the Holidaysburg shops and poor treatment of ex Conrail employees. It seems CSX is a little better. Norfolk Southern used to be a great company. What happened?

[Anonymous]

I agree, Conrail spent much of its history cutting back lines that should have been profitable, not really building the business. Retraction seemed to be the Conrail motto for years. The wisdom of NS and CSX taking over Conrail in the first place was suspect, now I can't believe that anyone could call it a success. Both companies have had much poorer results than was forecast. ( by their own spin doctors)

[jsanchez]

Conrail neglected far to many lines and cutback more than they had to, I know in Pennsyvania, a lot of money is being spent by the state, shortlines, and CSX/NS rebuilding what they short sightedly destroyed, almost every shipper I've talked to had nothing but negative things to say about them, many will never use rail again.
Conrails motto should have been "It is easier to destroy than to build."

[Anonymous]

I definately think that CONRAIL should rank first in this category before. CN merged or with some healthy or well managed railroads. I say this because they had to overcome a lot of major obsticles in thier history before being took over by rivals CSX AND NS.

Union Pacific and BNSF rank second and third over all.

[jsanchez]

The reason I picked the French and Swiss is because they run very good freight service along with great passenger service, both systems carry a higher than average percentage market share of freight traffic than other euro systems and are very innovative with handling freight. I think North American railroads could learn a lot from these two countries on how to haul freight at high speeds, with short distances, and punctuality. Something the U.S. could really use since most freight moves under 400 miles with 90% of this short distance traffic going by truck. To CN's credit they are one of the few North American railroads having succes with short distance freight(Montreal/Toronto corridor). We could use a New York to Boston or Pittsburgh to New York type service big time in the Northeast, why not an Oakland to LA service in the west. The divdends could be huge and interstate highway traffic congestion seriuosly improved.

[Anonymous]

When you talk about who has the best railroad I believe you must talk seperately about freight and passenger. The French or Swiss may indeed have the best passenger railroads in the world. However, the big North American freight railroads even with all their flaws are heads and shoulders over anyone else in the world.

[Soo2610]

Jim, Thanks for the information.

[eolafan]

Len, sorry but I was looking for an SD45 and the 3026 is a GP40. CN evidently is keeping all of the GP40 units for service in the old WC lines. Jim

[Soo2610]

unit number was 3026. Took me a while to dig it up.

[eolafan]

Sorry, can't say for sure if that unit is one sold to Ed Burkhart who just bought RailWorld. The units he bought include 6609, 6613, 6623, 6627, 6629, 6640, 6634 (SDP45) and F45 units 6650, 6651, 6653 and 6656. Let me know if you know the number of the centenial unit with the map on the side. I saw it once on the bridge over the entrance to O'Hare Airport in Chicgo once but can't remember the road number. Jim

[oltmannd]

It's hard to argue against CN with their low, low operating ratio and that they run a scheduled RR for car load freight. However, it is not nearly the feat it would be if one of the US class 1s accomplished the same thing. The main reason for this is CN's network is fairly simple - a giant "T" with the IC the vertical part and the CN the top. It's not impossible for a planner to hold a large part of the operating plan in his head and develop a good operating plan. On the larger US systems with their more complicated networks, it is nearly impossible to do this and much more reliance on computer simulation/optimization is needed to develop efficient operating plans. NS has recently done this and BNSF is in the process. Should either road come close to CNs benchmarks for Op ratio and car load performance, you could make a case that they are better, but until then, CN reigns.

Personally, I think the most stunning thing about CN is their complete change in culture from a typcial gov't agency with a HUGE staff to a lean, mean, high performance organization. Whatever medicine they took, I think Amtrak could use a good dose!

[Soo2610]

Jim, Any idea if one of the purchased units was the centennial unit that had the route map painted on the side? Got some nice photos of this unit just north of the Quad Graphics plant in Lomira a couple of years ago and the unit is also featured on WC's screen saver download.

[Soo2610]

Sure hope you are wrong! They seem to be on the right track with the funds they donated to Ladysmith, Wi. after the tornado went thru there on labor day. Really tore the place up! Hope they restore the Soo passenger train that was on display on an old siding. Storm dumped all the cars on their sides and blew the windows out of the engine though it was still standing upright. The plow that was stored on the old mine siding was untouched.