Canadian National: world's best?

[Anonymous]

Did TRAINS Magazine prove its assertion that CN is today's best railroad? Or are there other contenders to the title? Tell us what you think!

[eolafan]

Perhaps, just perhaps, they are the winner in rags to riches, but the world's best? NO WAY IN HELL!

[Anonymous]

Well then who is?

[Anonymous]

World's best? Probably nothing in North America--probably somewhere in Europe, such as Germany. Waiting for a train that's FIVE minutes late? The onboard crew is very apologetic. 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). Now this is service!!! WORLD'S Best? Do people in the deep jungles of Vietnam know about our WORLD series? Hmmm.......North America may not be the world after all.....

[jsanchez]

I think the Swiss run the best railroads, France is up there also.....

[Anonymous]

It proved that the CN has made a number of decisions that have proven to be very good ones. But to claim to be the worlds best, that is really open to conjecture. The world is still a very big place, and since the CN is a freight RR, what about the fine European systems that have a tremendous passenger network, and do a great job day in and day out. CN can arguably be called the best in North America, but the world is still a big place, with lots of RR systems that should be considered.

[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.

[eolafan]

Well, not being a world traveler I can not comment on any roads outside the US but inside the US I would vote for BNSF or UP.

[Jackflash]

Saw that Bears Saints game on TV, it was a real
good game though....jackflash

[Anonymous]

We in North America tend to think that because something is big it must be the best. Yes CN is big, although not as big as UP or BNSF, but big is not necessarily better. One reason why CN is currently on top of the heap is because of its financial performance. In order to do this CN has shed miles of trackage so it is basically an end to end system, not a network. It takes much more work and skill to run a network and have co-ordination at many different nodes than the structure of CN's routes. This is why it is difficult for BNSF, UP, NS and CSX to achieve the same results. It becomes even more difficult to compare the results with those of European rail networks. In order to achieve its financial sucesses it has taken short term views by announcing decisions to decrease the amount of double trackage in several key areas such as between Jasper and Kamloops and between London and Sarnia. These segments are not low density routes but high density routes. Where is the logic? One can only surmise the this is being done to improve short term shareholder performance. As a CN shareholder this does not benefit the company in the long run. This has a short term improvement in costs but in the long term it leads to higher future costs since the future costs of replacing the trackage will be much greater. In the interim, trains move at a slower velocity making it more difficult for trains to compete with trucks or passenger trains to compete with automobiles. It is easy to shed capacity but much more difficult to add capacity. It is also easier to shed capacity than to build traffic to utilize the existing capacity at a moderate traffic density.
You are quite correct in saying that a number of CN's decisions have been good ones, let us hope that most of the decisions in the future continue to be as good.

[Anonymous]

I would say the Florida East Coast has got to be right up there. Not Flagler's folly after all. One kick-butt regeonal.

[eolafan]

Since we're now including regionals in our discussion,let me nominate Wisconsin Central (long may it's flag wave now that it is no longer exists in seperate form). A great piece of railroad, with excellently maintained power (and great to look at/listen to power at that), very prompt timetable keeping, etc.

[Soo2610]

I'll second that nomination! WC was one heck of a well run railroad. Will be interesting to see if Burkhardt is as successful in his new endeavors on the east coast.

[eolafan]

Thanks for seconding my nomination of WC! I also hope Ed B. is successful, if for no other reason than to keep those wonderful SD45 and F/FP45 units in service for years to come that he bought from WC recently. Jim

[Anonymous]

Have no fear CN will run the Wc into the ground just like Cn is headed no power, no crews, no good!

[Anonymous]

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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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

[Soo2610]

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

[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]

Jim, Thanks for the information.

[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.

[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]

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]

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 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]

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?

[jsanchez]

http://www.jamestownrailfan.net/

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