I was under the impression that a substantial amount of the US grain moved down to the Gulf ports, often by barge, but could be wrong. The Great Lakes route, at least for Canadian grain, tends to use the Lakers since their unique design is the most efficient for the locks and canals. The Salties are less efficient because their design has to consider more violent ocean conditions. I believe most modern bulk carriers are far too wide for the seaway anyway.
There has in fact been significant rail shipment of Canadian grain direct to the eastern tidewater. Winter, when the seaway closes, is when it is most common but the price differential has narrowed enough that it can happen throughout the year.
There is a revenue cap on grain hauling, which is adjusted each year. It is not an absolute cap, as far as I know, but some relation to volumes and distances. It gets determined once it is known how much was actually hauled by each railway that past year. I don't envy the back office guys in the railways trying to predict where to set rates so as to come up to but not exceed the cap, when volumes, origins and destinations are unpredictable.
Was the derailment at a site of the previous washouts or was this a new location ? Bridge collaspe under what model loco(s). Thinking of weight on bridge ?
FYI.
Thank You.
Thanks, NDG for the links! The historical 'Wonders of World Engineering' were pretty illuminating as to the Why's and Wherefore's of the HBR's History, and that of what was going on during those times as well.
In the last couple of decades as the mineral wealth of that area has opened up with explorations for everything from diamonds to gold; It would sort of seem that in order to move out the products of those explorations, a railroad(s?) would be highly appropriate?
The question in the above situations is whether the enterprises will generate enough traffic to pay for the outsize investment required to build a new rail line in a hostile environment. Environmental considerations also come into play regarding the establishment of these extraction enterprises.
From what I understand, the Lakers able to fit through the seaway locks can carry more grain than the salties can for that part of the journey. Because of the design, the Lakers don't sit as low in the water when fully loaded; the salties sit too deep for the seaway locks and canals when fully loaded.
When a saltie comes to Thunder Bay or Duluth/Superior, they leave with only a partial load and top up in Quebec. The Lakers can leave fully loaded, and then transfer the cargo in Quebec.
I don't have the knowledge to give out numbers on tonnage but that's just what I have read.
I imagine the salties will be able to come into Churchill and leave with a full load every time.
If the port ends up getting a lot of grain traffic again, that will mean substantially less trains on the route I work on. Not good for my terminal, but good for others.
10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ...
Beavers did it!
An aerial view of a train derailment near Ponton, Man., is seen on Sept. 15, 2018, in this handout photo.
HO, TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD OF CANADA
A Transportation Safety Board investigator says beavers may have contributed to the train derailment in northern Manitoba that left one railway worker dead and another injured.
The train went off the tracks on a washed-out trestle bridge in a swampy area south of Thompson on Saturday evening.
Jerry Berriault, the board’s regional senior investigator, says the train was travelling around 40 km/h when it met with the washed-out piece of track.
The lead locomotive went off the track bringing along two locomotives behind it and four rail cars.
First responders have said the two workers were trapped inside the train for hours.
Berriault, who was on site west of Ponton for two days investigating, says there was high water in the area and signs of beaver activity.
“They’ve had heavy precipitation for spring and summer as well there was beaver activity in the area,” he said. “So, the track washed out as a result of a significant amount of water.”
He says the Transportation Safety Board will still have to look at other factors that may have contributed to the derailment on the Hudson Bay line.
The train cars carrying liquefied petroleum were damaged but none of the product was breached, he added. However, Manitoba Sustainable Development has sent in specialized recovery equipment to clean up diesel fuel leaking from the locomotives into the Metishto River.
The Arctic Gateway Group, a public-private consortium, bought the Hudson Bay Railway earlier this month.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT
Sections of the railway north of the recent derailment washed out in 2017 and the its previous owner, U.S.-based Omnitrax, had refused to make repairs.
Crews have been working since the sale to try to repair the railway, the only land link to Churchill, Man., a community of about 900 people on Hudson Bay.
Murad Al-Katib of AGT Foods, one of the Arctic Gateway Group’s partners, has said the group will not compromise speed for safety during the repairs on the northern section of the rail line to Churchill.
I don't know what it is about the forum software, but in the above posts presentation about the right side 10-15% is cut off when viewed in the forum, however, when making a reply to that particular post - the post gets displayed in full. ??????????
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
It looks like the blue locomotive at the bottom of the pileup had its cab crushed by the red locomotive piling in on top of it.
God bless the soul of that poor crewmember who passed away, and we pray for a full recovery of the surviving crew member.
BaltACD I don't know what it is about the forum software, but in the above posts presentation about the right side 10-15% is cut off when viewed in the forum, however, when making a reply to that particular post - the post gets displayed in full. ??????????
Balt have had the same problem. Found that by changing size could read whole post. That is "ctrl + " to expand or " ctrl - " to reduce. not all of the subject post behave the same ! Good luck !
The port of choice often depends upon ship availability and port of destination. As of the end of the day Friday 9/24 two salties were loading Ag cargo in the Port of Duluth and Superior. The Federal Miyumi was loading wheat at the Riverland Ag. elevator, and the Eriebourg was loading Beet Pulp Pellets(spent sugar beet) at the Gavilon elevator. The Beet Pulp Pellets are what's left after the sugar is extracted from Sugar Beets, and it is used for Cattle Feed.
[quote user="BaltACD"]
I SUFFERED THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS(?) Seems like the grimlins in the I.S. department have been tinkering again? I was using M.S. Edge w/M.S. 10. My responses got going really strange: could make some changes/corrections(?), But then I could not 'post' an entry. Not to mention, there was a problem with adding 'links' in responses. I changed back to Mozilla/Firefox, and I can at least live with the results now.
I guess we are bound to see them 'tinkering' from time to time...I was always told that the job of the I.S. folks was to 'cut' keystrokes, and make things flow evenly; Apparently, that is Not, in the I.S. Playbook?
NDG FYI. Hudson Bay Rwy. Wonders of World Engineering. 1937. http://wondersofworldengineering.com/hudson_bay.html and, http://www.shippingwondersoftheworld.com/churchill.html Thanks to Google. Grade crossing nearest derailment?? 100lb Steel?? Looking North. https://www.google.ca/maps/@54.6521274,-99.1237532,3a,50.1y,305.68h,88.1t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgyHm8NJmBOdktAO8jwOPgw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DgyHm8NJmBOdktAO8jwOPgw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D334.0656%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656 Highway Sign to North of crossing, Looking South. https://www.google.ca/maps/@54.6634537,-99.1485562,3a,36.4y,168.06h,81.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0nKDPGO2ZpXlpL6MEP05Kw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Once Projected Terminal, Port Nelson and Harbour Works. https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Ponton+Service+Station/@57.0494877,-92.5983241,3462m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x52f5947ad80bb93d:0x84b714839ed697cc!8m2!3d54.672978!4d-99.1590034 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Nelson,_Manitoba http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/portnelsonbridge.shtml http://www.bcrobyn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/traintrestle.jpg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-9ISF9A1Wo Thank You.
Cool stuff!
Here's something else you don't see every day anymore, on its way to help with the rebuilding up north:
http://railpictures.net/photo/671370/
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
The Prime Minister will be in Churchill tomorrow and meet with the townsfolk and community leaders. Open to the media. Progress!!
October 31, 2018Ottawa, Ontario
Note: All times local
10:00 a.m. The Prime Minister will make an important announcement, followed by a media availability. Minister of International Trade Diversification Jim Carr will be in attendance.
Arctic Gateway Port of Churchill1 Axworthy Way
Notes for media:
11:15 a.m. The Prime Minister, along with Minister of International Trade Diversification Jim Carr, will attend a community event. The Prime Minister will deliver brief remarks.
Kelsey Boulevard between Munck Street and Hudson Square
samfp1943I don't know what it is about the forum software, but in the above posts presentation about the right side 10-15% is cut off when viewed in the forum, however, when making a reply to that particular post - the post gets displayed in full. ??????????
It's related to the utility that renders links 'active' in posts, if the links happen to be longer than the displayed column is to be wide. Morons can't implement variable width override (as, for example, even a rudimentary mobile-device interface would feature) or the ability to pan & scan the visible window to see the right side of the rescaled item.
It gets even funnier on a phone, because the scaling will actually cause the 'reply' button to be away from the visible viewport on the device, even rotated sideways. That means just what you think: the post can't be answered.
When you go to reply, the 'quoted' text is no longer live, so any URLs or other special formatting renders only as input, and post text wraps appropriately to your entry window. This is how I read about 3/4 of NDG's posts, because when I reply to them I can read everything he's typed, admittedly sometimes with only about 4 words in each line, and at least cut and paste the URLs.
Since one of the "reasons" given back when Kalmbach started tinkering with the forum implementation was to 'make the interface suitable for mobile devices', this seems particularly ironic; it's almost on the Bangalore level of the team that implemented /neo/ on Yahoo (and destroyed most of the value of what well might have been a hundred-million-dollar-plus franchise in the process).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVY8LoM47xI
One warm line, through a land so Wide and Savage
Describes the railroad perfectly.
So glad to see that it will soon re-open.
Thank you so much Dude. The absolute perfect song for the occasion.
They should perform it tomorrow, but of course they won't.
Stan Rogers died in 1983, so tragic, so young.
I believe the line is "wide and savage" but I'm not nitpicking, either way is fine for me. The right kind of female voice could deliver this in a haunting meaningful way as well. But never again Stan, only in recording.
Keep my eyes peeled for the press releases.
You're right, it is "wide". Darn ears. And I was listening to the song as I posted too! Post edited.
At least my eyes work, I must have been reading the lyrics on that video, the uploader has written "wild" too!
I wonder if Sarah McLachlan has ever done a cover.
From the Prime Minister's Web Site (https://pm.gc.ca/)
November 1, 2018Churchill, Manitoba
In 2017, spring flooding badly damaged the Hudson Bay Rail Line, Churchill’s only land link to the rest of Canada. Since then, Churchill has only been accessible via air and sea. Prices on everything from fuel to groceries skyrocketed. Tourism declined. Local families, students, and business owners were left stranded.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, along with Minister Jim Carr, today announced that, by the end of November, the rail line will resume its operations, servicing both passengers and freight.
They also announced more than $3.8 million toward 40 projects that will increase tourism, provide skills training, help offset the freight costs stemming from the rail line closure, and open the door for more investments in the community and more opportunities for residents.
These investments, and the restoration of freight and passenger rail service, will help revitalize and diversify the local economies in Churchill and other northern communities in Manitoba.
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter for Churchill. We know that nobody is more invested in the future of the Hudson Bay Rail Line than the people who live in Churchill. We have committed millions of dollars over the next decade to ensure the ongoing operations of the line, and made significant investments to increase tourism, support skills training, and empower local businesses, which will bring long-term benefits to the people of Churchill and northern Manitoba.”—The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
“Quality infrastructure is key to unleashing the economic potential of our communities. The Hudson Bay Railway Line is not only a vital mainland connection for the town of Churchill and surrounding communities, it represents an important transportation and commercial hub. Together with our $3.8 million investment in people of northern Manitoba, it builds the foundation for good jobs and growth in the region.”—The Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada
“The Government of Canada is dedicated to ensuring the long-term growth of Churchill and the surrounding area. We continue to work with local partners to address the unique challenges in the region and create sustainable economic opportunities for Manitoba’s North.”—The Hon. Jim Carr, Minister of International Trade Diversification
“The CRED Fund has supported some terrific initiatives that have helped to drive forward economic development in the Churchill Region. We’re looking forward to continuing to utilize the Fund to help the dreams of local entrepreneurs become a reality, and to help them capitalize on the opportunities that will arise as Churchill’s access to the world is expanded through Arctic Gateway.”—Jason Denbow, Executive Director, Community Futures Manitoba and Community Futures Saskatchewan
MidlandMike If anything, Canada is projected to make significant gains in overall agriculture production as the pace of warming continues. So is Russia. BaltACD With Climate Change and global warming, the shipping season at Churchill should be lengthened over the historic norms. There is money to be made from global warming and people out there willing to bet on it. What happens if that global climate change dries up the grain crop?
If anything, Canada is projected to make significant gains in overall agriculture production as the pace of warming continues. So is Russia.
BaltACD With Climate Change and global warming, the shipping season at Churchill should be lengthened over the historic norms. There is money to be made from global warming and people out there willing to bet on it.
With Climate Change and global warming, the shipping season at Churchill should be lengthened over the historic norms. There is money to be made from global warming and people out there willing to bet on it.
What happens if that global climate change dries up the grain crop?
Thank You!!
Good news for the folks in Churchill for sure... Hopefully they've got a plan for sustaining the line..
NDGLovely.
YES!!!
And they did it, if I understand the story, in just about a month. Long enough before the winter to get a good amount of provisions in.
Would have been cheaper to move Churchill 500 miles south..
The operating line has been there longer than you have been around and the Native settlements and peoples longer yet.
Overmod NDG Lovely. YES!!! And they did it, if I understand the story, in just about a month. Long enough before the winter to get a good amount of provisions in.
NDG Lovely.
Can the people of Churchill hope that provisions were staged at the tempoary end of track that can be immediately put together onto a train ? Anyone know what the load limit on the route is for each freight car ?
Thank You, Sirs, Everywhere!!
I was thinking the same thing NDG, that the Dude knows or could easily find out.
Thought all the VIA equipment went out by boat but apparently not. Even if it was in use for track crews you would think it would be not VIA stainless Budd but MOW equipment. Probably left there still.
Im heading to Thompson Manitoba first week of December and I'm certain I can garner more info from the locals on all what's happened.
Maybe those units are part of this group. Can't quite make out the numberboards.
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