I have pictures of the Leaman to Niton section 12 miles that I took at the end of Aug. They were putting in a crossover at MacKay and a lot of work had been done.
I saw that the 5 miles between the bridges at Entrance was in progress.
I have seen pictures of Greenshields to Wainwright, might be done. Anyone know?
I have seen pictures of a new roadbed at Jarrow that was done, as far as I know this was not a section to be done.
Dufault to Clavet SK is reported done.
Atwater to Zeneta is reported done.
Exira to Deer in progress.
Biggar to Neola in progress.
Fenwood to Bailey just needs switches.
Bangor to Waldron was on the list. Any reports?
SD70Dude? or anyone, Are they currently doing the 5 miles between the bridges at Entrance? Are they working on Leaman to Niton? Is that the correct spot?
Any good places to get pictures of this in these 2 spots? I plan to be through there at the end of August. Thanks for any help.
Thanks for finding and sharing that - very informative.
You may want to see the discussion on this thread -
- here: http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/275772.aspx
- PDN.
Paul, this is copied from Seeking Alpha P.12 & 13.
Seldon Clarke
Thanks very much, and just getting back to the margins for a second with everything going on across the industry in regards to PSR. So this is like the floor for OR has been lowered at all from the high 50 level, high 50s level you guys have previously talked about. And if so, do you think CN can return to being the industry leader there?
JJ Ruest
Well, where's the floor, it all depends how much risk you want to take the business. So one can have the lower floor and then take the risk of not being able to meet demand on being able to respond the pressure when demand and harsh conditions come in. So we have a blend and we want to be a cost leader. But the cost leaders also takes things in balance from how we serve our customers and move the economy, but also be a leader that's also looking at the return on invested capital as much as EPS growth, as much as operating ratio. So now the one trick pony of operating ratio only does not necessarily give you the best easiest growth. And when we have investment that can generate a good return on investment capital, taking to cost of capital, we are inclined to do these things as opposed to sit on the sideline and shave off one more point of OR. So this is where we saw it evolving from what we were doing the last 15 years. And we're looking at cost efficiencies, organic growth, some acquisition strong focus on returning invested capital but also strong focus on operating ratio. So what you'll see -- what you're seeing from CN is a more balanced scorecard than strictly pure PSR.
So that’s still at high 50s level is the right way to think about it longer term?
We don't guide on the -- we're not going to get drawn in into the PSR discussion and how low can you go on the limbo contest. We'll leave that for others.
Paul, it is the earnings call transcript on CN's web page. That last quote was about page 13 maybe 12.
Responding to the williamsb post of Wednesday, May 01, 2019 at 8:09 PM:
Thanks for sharing that information from the earnings call.
You may be interested to know that CN's OR was already down to 80% in 1996 = post-privatization. That was long before EHH came onto the scene - his reputation on that point is mostly a myth. See the first post in this thread:
http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/220120.aspx
They are hard at work on the double-tracking projects in Alberta. Brush clearing and grading work has been ongoing for some time already, and materials like welded rail, ties and prefab 45 mph turnouts are arriving.
Yard work around Edmonton (Walker and Scotford) is still happening too. They ripped out all the old hump switches at Walker this winter and spring, but no one seems to know now if the master plan is to re-open the hump, or just make the old bowl tracks double-ended again (most have been stubs since the hump closed in 2011).
Lots of layoffs happening around here too, but I haven't counted the exact numbers.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Let's hold our breath on these projects being completed. Mike Cory said they weren't going to make the mistake of abandoning the programs if traffic drops. Let's see if that holds true.
Traffic is DOWN.
They are dumping rock on the Sprague Sub right now which is great to see. There are still no survey marks for that possible expansion between Devlin and Fort Frances, so I think it may not be happening, at least this year.
36 more conductors to the retention board today in Winnipeg and I would imagine those 36 will go into layoff next week if traffic doesn't pick up.
Seeing numbers from other terminals is Western Canada shows that they're again going to lose A LOT of guys if traffic doesn't come back.
10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ...
CN just had an earnings call and some interesting things from the transcript.
22 Capital projects planned this year, 2 already completed, does anyone know what they are?
CN has got 63 new locos this year, 52 more by the end of June.
The 1st question asked was by Chris Wetherbee from Citigroup was about OR.
Turan Quettawalla from Scotia Bank asked about CapEx, JJ said work done in yards in Edmonton and Winnipeg last year helped alot. CN was the best in the industry in volume growth in the 1st quarter.
Seldon Clarke asked about OR and PSR. JJ said CN is not a one trick pony of OR and asked where is the floor and made quite a few comments on this. Seldon pressed on about OR and I liked JJ's answer saying "we're not going to get drawn into the PSR discussion and how low can you go in the limbo contest. We'll leave that for the others."
RailsMBSK reported today 75 conductors have been laid off in Winnipeg.
If you looked at the amount of CN's subdivisions that are double-tracked between Vancouver (Surrey's Thornton Yard) and Winnipeg, including sections of double-track along with all sidings, it is currently less than 50% (737.18 miles out of 1,541.20 miles). Here is the breakdown based on what I had calculated:
Yale Sub: 90.7% (includes directional running with CP)
Ashcroft Sub: 68.4% (includes directional running with CP)
Clearwater Sub: 38.9%
Albreda Sub: 61.3% (includes portion that is Red Pass Sub since line is for westbound traffic north of Valemont)
Edson Sub: 50.8% (will increase to over 58% by end of year due to double-tracking projects)
Wainwright Sub: 30.0% (will increase to over 32% due to additional double-track)
Watrous: 33.4% (will increase to over 43% due to additional double-track)
Rivers: 46.0% (will increase to over 50% due to additional double-track)
Considering traffic is excess of 100 million tons per year between the points and growing substantially due to Prince Rupert, 47.8% of the lines being double-tracked is not very much. It's surprising that it took a while to make the Edson Sub more than 50% double-track considering that is CN's busiest mainline of them all.
Adams1Do you have any details of construction in Illinois?
There's not a lot of detail here, but have you seen this?
https://www.progressiverailroading.com/mow/news/CN-schedules-rail-projects-in-Illinois-Louisiana-Tennessee-and-Wisconsin--57299
It's a part of this overall coverage of projects (and other stuff):
https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=CN+Railroad&qpvt=cn+railroad&FORM=EWRE
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
williamsb CN announced today April 8 Capital Spending in 4 states. $120 M in Wisconsin, most notable 8 mi. of DT near Hawthorne. $100 M in Tennessee. $95 M in Louisiana, start rebuilding 2 mi long Lake Pontchartrain bridge $190 M in Illinois. All figures in $US. Do you have any details of construction in Illinois?
CN announced today April 8 Capital Spending in 4 states.
$120 M in Wisconsin, most notable 8 mi. of DT near Hawthorne.
$100 M in Tennessee.
$95 M in Louisiana, start rebuilding 2 mi long Lake Pontchartrain bridge
$190 M in Illinois.
All figures in $US.
While it is possible Transport Canada could over rule Parks Canada, since I imagine CN still owns sufficient right of way, it is always better to come to an amicable agreement with your major neighbour. Easy vehicle access to much of the route requires use of Parks infrastructure.
You must remember there are legal issues and property issues that have to be addressed before they can just drop another track down.
williamsb I think they all are still single track, ... and London to Sarnia in Ontario
I think they all are still single track, ... and London to Sarnia in Ontario
I would guess it was about at that same time that the GTW was single tracked on the US side of the border.
I think they all are still single track, Bickerdike East to Bickerdike West, Devona to Henry House on the Edson Sub. Fitzwilliam to Grant Brook on the Albreda Sub and London to Sarnia in Ontario
One graphic has showed a siding extention near Fort Frances, Ontario. That is said to be connecting Fort Fracnes to the first siding west of it, Devlin.
The Manitoba and Ontario releases both say nothing about this. I doubt it's going to actually happen.
CN's practice is to convert existing sidings into parts of the double track section, may as well use up as much pre-built grade and track as possible. The vast majority of our sidings are already laid with heavy, welded rail, and many have already been upgraded for 25 mph instead of 15. Many of the double track sections that have been constructed over the past 10 years have connected two sidings.
As it exists right now, the siding at Entrance is about 6500' long, which makes it almost useless in today's world of long trains. Between the ends of double track at Dalehurst and Park Gate the only places for long trains to meet are Hinton and Swan Landing, both of which are regularly clogged by trains stopping to switch. Extending Entrance to 5 miles would allow two long trains to be brought over there instead of waiting farther back.
That's great. Thank you. I am very surprised about that double-track section as I thought that was a siding which was difficult to be extended, especially by another five miles. Upon looking on Google Earth, it didn't actually look so bad. Do you also know if the sidings at Niton and Leaman will be integrated into the 12 mile double-track section?
I love the smell of creosote in the morning! Keeps the bugs away (sort of).
(with apologies to Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore (Robert Duvall) in Apocalypse Now)
ADRIAN BALLAM The double-tracking at Entrance is extending the 6,500 foot siding west to towards the bridge over the Athabasca River, correct, to almost Solomon?
The double-tracking at Entrance is extending the 6,500 foot siding west to towards the bridge over the Athabasca River, correct, to almost Solomon?
Yes. I was told this segment will be "bridge to bridge", so the siding may be extended eastward as well, to the west end of the Prairie Creek bridge.
williamsb CN has pretty much told us where expansion is taking place in 2019. BC 2.5 Mi. DT west of Prince George A new siding at Port Edward They are spending a lot of money in BC, what else are they doing?
CN has pretty much told us where expansion is taking place in 2019.
BC
2.5 Mi. DT west of Prince George
A new siding at Port Edward
They are spending a lot of money in BC, what else are they doing?
They rather ambiguously mentioned "capacity improvements" in and around Vancouver and the ports there.
Materials have started to arrive for the construction projects, sometimes well in advance of when they are really needed. As an example, the brand new prefabricated 45 mph turnouts for Entrance, Niton and Leaman, AB showed up riding flatcars and gondolas a couple weeks ago. A nice sight and smell, there's nothing quite like fresh creosote!
I am not familiar at all with Superior and area. I appreciate the posts by kgbw49 and the detail he puts in it.
I bought a 2019 CTG (Canadian Trackside Guide) and the only DT listed on the Superior Sub is from Mission Creek to South Steelton. Kgbw49 said it was definitely done from Hawthorne north of the Amnicon River bridge in 2018. Are there any milepost mileages for this? How long is this stretch?
I have looked at Google maps, it is a very rugged area with a lot of bridges and rail lines and hard for me to figure out.
Looks like there is a gap between Hawthorne WI and Solon Springs WI that might make sense in terms of ease of construction and few small bridges.
Hawthorne is at 1,178 ft of elevation and Solon Springs is at 1,122 ft of elevation.
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