The picture of the Rouge River Bridge? It does have a unusual appearance to it, almost like it was kitbashed but your technical explanations helps quite a bit. It's been a while since my statics and strength of materials days, so exactly how does the darn thing stay put hanging onto by its fingernails to the rock like that. It has been there a good long time so obviously it is sound.
Hope this is what you are referring to.
Recommend that the resident Canadians (and others so inclined) look at the 'Unknown Ontario Train' thread on RyPN.
Electroliner 1935 . . . I always remember how it was found that radon gas was getting into peoples homes. A worker at a (I believe it was Three Miles Island) nuculear plant was coming in to work and set off the radiation detectors. The resulting investigations found that natural occuring radon gas was rising through the ground and into his basement. . . .
- PDN.
Firelock76Miningman, that picture's amazing! The last I've heard of pitchblende was that it was the ore Marie and Pierre Curie' had to boil down a ton of to discover radium. There's more amazing stuff on and in this planet than most of us can imagine, that's for certain.
The last I've heard of pitchblende was that it was the ore Marie and Pierre Curie' had to boil down a ton of to discover radium.
There's more amazing stuff on and in this planet than most of us can imagine, that's for certain.
WikipediaUraninite, formerly pitchblende, is a radioactive, uranium-rich mineral and ore with a chemical composition that is largely UO2, but due to oxidation the mineral typically contains variable proportions of U3O8. Additionally, due to radioactive decay, the ore also contains oxides of lead and trace amounts of helium. It may also contain thorium, and rare earth elements.[1][3] It used to be known as pitchblende (from pitch, because of its black color, and blende, a term used by German miners to denote minerals whose density suggested metal content, but whose exploitation, at the time they were named, was either unknown, impossible or not economically feasible). The mineral has been known at least since the 15th century from silver mines in the Ore Mountains, on the German/Czech border. The type locality is the historic mining and spa town known as Joachimsthal, the modern day Jáchymov, on the Czech side of the mountains, where F. E. Brückmann described the mineral in 1772.[3][5] Pitchblende from the Johanngeorgenstadt deposit in Germany was used by M. Klaproth in 1789 to discover the element uranium.[6]
It used to be known as pitchblende (from pitch, because of its black color, and blende, a term used by German miners to denote minerals whose density suggested metal content, but whose exploitation, at the time they were named, was either unknown, impossible or not economically feasible). The mineral has been known at least since the 15th century from silver mines in the Ore Mountains, on the German/Czech border. The type locality is the historic mining and spa town known as Joachimsthal, the modern day Jáchymov, on the Czech side of the mountains, where F. E. Brückmann described the mineral in 1772.[3][5] Pitchblende from the Johanngeorgenstadt deposit in Germany was used by M. Klaproth in 1789 to discover the element uranium.[6]
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Miningman, that picture's amazing!
The Millisievert count is beyond the beyond. That's all I'm willing to say.
The PreCambrian Lab has over ten thousand core boxes stored in long aisles and 30 feet high. Close to fifteen hundred of them have the Radiation warning labels affixed to them. There are many pulp samples ( pulverized rock and ore) as well with the radiation warning.
The Lab comes under 2 regulatory agencies, the Province of Saskatchewan OH&S and Mining Regulations and the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Agency both watchdogs and inspectors with regular monitoring.
I have always thought that a Prism Station should be installed but the inspections say it is not necessary. We have extremely good ventilation to take care of Radon gas. Anyone in the core library must wear PPE and the provided gloves and follow sanitation steps when leaving.
Visitors and the Public are most welcome and get an orientation.
Here is a plan and section showing the geological structure. The mineralized zone where the sample came from is in black.
https://i.imgur.com/yuS3lyI.jpg
What amount of radiation doseage does the pitchblend emit?
I always remember how it was found that radon gas was getting into peoples homes. A worker at a (I believe it was Three Miles Island) nuculear plant was coming in to work and set off the radiation detectors. The resulting investigations found that natural occuring radon gas was rising through the ground and into his basement. Now many home sale contracts require a test for radon. My sons house has a system to capture and vent any gases from under the basement floor which was required when he purchased it.
I never felt unsafe working at my companies nuclear plants because the doseages were closely monitored. When I first went to them security was there but today it has become so much no extensive. Drug tests, background tests, etc. Double razor wire fences with all sorts of sensors. The crazies are ruining things.
Stay warm.
Miningman https://imgur.com/a/j7aJO Ok...here's a cool picture..this is a very very high grade Pitchblende sample ( Uranium Ore )... We saw this today at the PreCam Lab..not many have ever seen it....It glows under normal light, under UV it is dark ...the opposite of everything else. We have a 3 minute window to retrieve it, unpack it, gaze and put it back! Look if you DARE!
https://imgur.com/a/j7aJO
Ok...here's a cool picture..this is a very very high grade Pitchblende sample ( Uranium Ore )... We saw this today at the PreCam Lab..not many have ever seen it....It glows under normal light, under UV it is dark ...the opposite of everything else. We have a 3 minute window to retrieve it, unpack it, gaze and put it back!
Look if you DARE!
The Hudsons Bay Churchill story will have a good ending. The Native folk will do a good job and serve their communities very well. They have all the motivation in the world.
AgentKid cx500 GM used different names for some of their models back in the 60's. Chevrolet used "Laurentian", and there was a second model of each marque as well, but I can't immediately recall the name (and my spelling may not be exact). A lot of this had to do with Canada's spread out population, and except in the larger cities there was often only one dealship for each of the old "Big Three". Pontiac: Strato Chief-Laurentian-Parisienne Chevrolet: Biscayne-Bel Air-Impala Ford Division: Ford-Frontenac-Lincoln-Ford Trucks Mercury Division: Meteor-Mercury-Lincoln-Mercury Trucks I do not recall the specific models but we had Dodge-Chrysler-Dodge trucks, and Plymouth-Chrysler-Fargo truck dealers. Before DeSoto ended you bought those at Plymouth dealers insted of Chryslers. Irricana had one of those dealerships. Comets were the Canadian Falcon twin. Acadians were a bit different with two models to choose from, Acadian Canso=US Chevy II, and Acadian Beaumont=US Pontiac LeMans. I always thought it would be funny to have a big house in CA or FL with a big driveway and park a Fargo, a Mercury truck and a Meteor Rideau 500 out front, and watch the hoity-toity neighbours get all confused. Irricana also had a Pontiac dearlership whose owners remained friends with my parents long after we moved to Calgary, until they both passed away. Bruce EDIT: I just checked and Frontenac was indeed the Falcon twin for 1960 only. From '61 on it was called Comet.
cx500 GM used different names for some of their models back in the 60's. Chevrolet used "Laurentian", and there was a second model of each marque as well, but I can't immediately recall the name (and my spelling may not be exact).
A lot of this had to do with Canada's spread out population, and except in the larger cities there was often only one dealship for each of the old "Big Three".
Pontiac: Strato Chief-Laurentian-Parisienne
Chevrolet: Biscayne-Bel Air-Impala
Ford Division: Ford-Frontenac-Lincoln-Ford Trucks
Mercury Division: Meteor-Mercury-Lincoln-Mercury Trucks
I do not recall the specific models but we had Dodge-Chrysler-Dodge trucks, and Plymouth-Chrysler-Fargo truck dealers. Before DeSoto ended you bought those at Plymouth dealers insted of Chryslers. Irricana had one of those dealerships.
Comets were the Canadian Falcon twin.
Acadians were a bit different with two models to choose from, Acadian Canso=US Chevy II, and Acadian Beaumont=US Pontiac LeMans.
I always thought it would be funny to have a big house in CA or FL with a big driveway and park a Fargo, a Mercury truck and a Meteor Rideau 500 out front, and watch the hoity-toity neighbours get all confused.
Irricana also had a Pontiac dearlership whose owners remained friends with my parents long after we moved to Calgary, until they both passed away.
Bruce
EDIT: I just checked and Frontenac was indeed the Falcon twin for 1960 only. From '61 on it was called Comet.
Norm,
You are right about the grain. The volume shipped through Churchill dwindled once the Canadian Wheat Board was dismantled a few years ago, for those unfamiliar with the CWB it was a goverment-run agency which purchased grain from western Canadian farmers and then marketed & sold it globally. Its end was either very good or very bad depending on which individual farmer you ask. Omnitrax had actually shut down Churchill's grain terminal (which it also owns) prior to the washouts due to lack of grain being shipped through it.
But while the Hudson Bay Railway was originally conceived and built to ship grain it grew into far more than that, and is a strategic connection to the Canadian Arctic. Over the past 15 years there has been a greater realization among Canadians that we have essentially abandoned exploration, development and securement of our northern frontier, and now that global warming is reducing sea ice levels year after year other nations (especially Russia and the U.S.) are making moves toward the now navigable Northwest Passage, and the undeveloped natural resources surrounding it. Successive federal goverments (both Liberal and Conservative) have largely ignored this except for a few harsh, hollow words whenever a foreign ship tests our boundaries.
Being the only rail connection from western Canada to part of the our Arctic ocean, Churchill is strategically very important. Abandon this key link, and it's not only the Polar Bear tourism we say goodbye to, we take a big step towards completely losing sovereignity over our north. That is why the Hudson Bay Railway must not be abandoned.
These topics do not receive anywhere near the amount of news coverage they deserve in Canada, so I imagine they get next to none in the lower 48.
I hope Miningman's reports from the front lines about good Omnitrax-First Nations relations are accurate, both the Keewatin and Tshiuetin railways have been quite successful, and a third native-run railway should work just as well.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
The Federal government has shown zero leadership and point the finger against OmniTrax. Their media buddies and mouthpiece CBC just toe the line.
Relations between OmniTrax and the First Nations groups is pretty good with both sides eager to cooperate.
There is, as OmniTrax has pointed out, an apparent and hidden agenda by the Feds, showing bad faith overall in the North including the Port of Churchill.
It goes to my comment regarding holier than thou academics in their thousand dollar parkas ( probably paid for by the taxpayer on an expense account).
Regardless, I would not mess with First Nations groups at this time. OmniTrax and First Nations will reach an agreement and then the Feds should simply pony up, shut up and go back to sucking lattes on Parliament Hill.
Just for the record: some of the usual readers of this thread might be interested in this Railway Age story, dated October 18th, about the Hudson's Bay Railway.
It occurs to me that this is both newer and more timely than the Newswire coverage that is supposed to be 'breaking news' ... but we haven't heard about it there, let alone been given a readable full version of a Newswire story on it.
Keep up the "Canadian Content" gentlemen, I'm finding it fascinating.
Our own press here in the US reports almost next to nothing about what's going on north of the border.
SD70M-2Dude--You could be right. The big difference is that it is Native folk and their communities, which of course we all know is a super hot potato right now with "Reconcilliation" and all. The optics would look bad big time. I suppose for how long would be the question. People forget, but Native groups do not these days.
Restoring rail service run by Natives for Natives is a win-win.
The Trudeau governent is politically correct to the extreme and very sensitive to this issue. On the one hand they are demonizing the big bad capitalist OmniTrax, so no money, on the other the distraught Native communities, so lots of money.
We all hope it does not turn in to another Vancouver Island or Kettle Valley.
My personal views are 1) it is a strategic asset in the nations interest 2) if they could fork over 10.5 million to a murdering terrorist yet turn their backs on numerous Native communities who know how to run this line, providing much needed employment, then they better do it.
There are a lot of rumblings about this, and the opposition parties would make a lot of hay.
It certainly is obvious that Northern regions across the land are suffering, labelled as unsustainable by academics and people with no vision and an agenda.
Of course the further South you go in Canada the more necessary, as a fashion statement only, are $999 Canada Goose parkas, especially if you are doing a media interview.
SD70M-2Dude,
Other than wanting to go to Churchill to see the bears in their natural habitat I haven't researched Churchill regarding it's economic worth and benefits. I do know the port is iced over for much of the year and that limits shippments of grain to a rather narrow window.
Given that the Manitoba prairies are nearly equidistant to both Churchill and Thunder Bay which is has a far longer shipping season and that the rails to Churchill are tougher to maintain it seems to make sense to ship via Thunder bay even though the voyage by ship may take longer from there.
Given that, I would think it best economically to abandon Churchill and let the bears have free reign.
Norm
Miningman Only piece of the puzzle left is VIA Rail removing their equipment which has been stranded at the Port of Churchill. My concern and a rather obvious conclusion is they don't want to be involved with this anymore and the First Nations group is going to have yet another hurdle by having to buy their own cars for passenger service and the tourist train business. Maybe not...perhaps they just do not want to wait until the track repairs are complete. It just seems as if they want to get the heck out of there and in a hurry and some expense.
Only piece of the puzzle left is VIA Rail removing their equipment which has been stranded at the Port of Churchill. My concern and a rather obvious conclusion is they don't want to be involved with this anymore and the First Nations group is going to have yet another hurdle by having to buy their own cars for passenger service and the tourist train business. Maybe not...perhaps they just do not want to wait until the track repairs are complete. It just seems as if they want to get the heck out of there and in a hurry and some expense.
The northern Manitoba passenger trains are classified as an essential service by the federal government, VIA cannot simply choose to abandon the service. It is more likely that they have decided to hedge their bets in case plans for reopening the line are delayed or abandoned, and at any rate the 2 locomotives will burn a significant amount of diesel fuel keeping themselves and the coaches from freezing over the winter, and diesel is both expensive and hard to get in Churchill right now.
But I fear we are witnessing another Vancouver Island or Kettle Valley episode, the Malahat dayliner and the Coquihalla line were both supposed to be restored quite quickly after the initial service "suspension" but neither were. Perhaps our infinitely wise leaders are coming to the conclusion that water transportation in summer and ice road Cat trains in winter are a cheaper, permanent solution, and the railway will never be rebuilt.
I hope I am wrong.
Great little writeup that pretty much explains things for now. Could be a bit of a promo for the upcoming Ice Road Truckers season on TV, but Polar Industries is the real deal, not Hollywood.
Also nothing terribly new about this, it has been done before. It is a very short hauling season.
The rail repairs are going ahead and will allow for passage of some freight into Churchill. In the meantime the big repairs are next spring, of which the Federal government has pledged total funding support On condition of OmniTrax selling the line to the Native groups at a reasonable price.
I'm pretty sure all the pieces are in place now just not solidified and all the legalities signed and monies exchanged yet, which will happen over the winter. This will happen and OmniTrax will be gone.
By the start of next summer season we will have running trains again over repaired track operated and owned by First Nations groups.
In the meantime a dramatic and thrilling season of Ice Road Truckers!
CBC News: A scheme is in the works to build a temporary winter road to Churchill so food, fuel and other supplies can be delivered in the absence of train service.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/churchill-winter-path-1.4363611
MiningmanThe Empire Hotel in Saskatoon is now the quite pretentious "Senator Hotel" ...some people think that's a big deal to stay there but not this guy.
It is so pretetious they now call it the Hotel Senator. I took a look at its' website after you mentioned it last night.
I can see why it could happen in Saskatoon. It is the HQ city of the NA potash business and the economy is mostly good. But, it is not so good that the building was demolished to make way for an even bigger building, like would happen in so many other NA cities.
It may not be the Bessbouough but I'm still glad they saved it.
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Agent Kid--- The Empire Hotel in Saskatoon is now the quite pretentious "Senator Hotel" ...some people think that's a big deal to stay there but not this guy. I'll take the Bessborough anyday, even a Days Inn. No tracks any longer near any of them, although the CPR still cuts through the center of the city. The VIA Rail Canadian Saskatoon stop is some moose pasture out of town with some modern concrete bunker thing on the mainline. I suppose it was a CNR station at one time. The magnificient CPR station in Regina is now a Casino, heaven help us all.
tree68 One must recall that both ALCO and EMD manufactured locomotives in Canada as well as the US. Canadian ALCOs still said ALCO under the hood, but were referred to as MLW's.
One must recall that both ALCO and EMD manufactured locomotives in Canada as well as the US. Canadian ALCOs still said ALCO under the hood, but were referred to as MLW's.
The Canadian Locomotive Company became a licensee of several American manufacturers, including FM and Baldwin. All American engineering under the hood.
The Canadian-built EMDs always have a General Motors Diesel Division (the London plant's official name) logo somewhere on the unit, later ones have a "GM Locomotive Group" sticker or plate with three logos on it:
cx500Did you mean the Pontiac Parisienne?
I did. I was under the impression that the Parisienne was strictly Canadian. Dad worked at GM's Proving Grounds, so I was pretty up on the various US GM models of the day.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
"Whew!!"
I just played "Raised on Robbery" and "Carey", and I've now got Joni Mitchell out of my system.
Now I'm going to have to play Joni Mitchell's "Raised on Robbery", "he had a '57 Biscayne, put her in the ditch".
The Empire Hotel in the song was in Saskatoon. Truly one of the most Canadian Top 40 Hits of the era.
cx500GM used different names for some of their models back in the 60's. Chevrolet used "Laurentian", and there was a second model of each marque as well, but I can't immediately recall the name (and my spelling may not be exact).
Don't forget the Pontiac Beaumont and Acadian!
Only in Canada eh?.....pity.
Beaumont was a make of intermediate-sized automobiles produced by General Motors of Canada from 1966 to 1969. These cars were based on the Chevrolet Chevelle; however the line had its own logo and nameplate, and was not marketed in the United States. Its logo consisted of an arrow, similar to that of Pontiac, but with a maple leaf to signify its dual heritage from both sides of Lake Ontario.[1]
Fresh, Frisky and Functonal!....Now that's a car!
Did you mean the Pontiac Parisienne? GM used different names for some of their models back in the 60's. Chevrolet used "Laurentian", and there was a second model of each marque as well, but I can't immediately recall the name (and my spelling may not be exact). The Canadian Pontiacs were apparently a Chevrolet under the hood.
Ford briefly produced the Frontenac as the Canadian equivalent of the Falcon.
tree68 I recall seeing "Parisians" on our trips through Canada...
I recall seeing "Parisians" on our trips through Canada...
mudchicken (Never knew what a FARGO was until some showed-up on a construction site in OH as water trucks in a contractor's fleet)
(Never knew what a FARGO was until some showed-up on a construction site in OH as water trucks in a contractor's fleet)
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