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    Interesting tidbit

    This is what we are competing with. Canadians need to give their collective heads a shake.
    Either we start a real build out of infrastructure... Not water treatment plants and hockey rinks....

    Or we will be left in the dust.






    In sum, Argentina is making great efforts to rejuvenate its rail systems. Modernization efforts seem to be resulting in significant performance improvements and a substantial shift in traffic from motor to rail service. The United States, on the other hand, is relying somewhat less on its extensive rail network. Recent figures indicate that motor transportation has replaced rail as the preferred mode for movements from the elevator to processor or export port locations.
    Water Transportation
    The significance of motor and rail operations in all three settings has been clearly demonstrated but water transportation cannot be overlooked. Table 2 shows that approximately 20 percent of all U.S. grain movements from the point of consolidation to the processor or export port location are made by barge. In addition, more than 90 percent of U.S. grains moved by barge are ultimately destined for export markets. Barges serve as the primary mode of export movement for U.S. corn and soybeans (rail maintains a 60 percent share of wheat export movements). The use of waterways for export delivery is even more pervasive in South America.
    Argentina and Brazil are currently looking to expand their already extensive network of navigable inland waterways. Significant investment in recent years extends the reach of barge and vessel traffic inland from the deep rivers of the region's major port cities along the Atlantic coast. Perhaps the most ambitious, and certainly the most controversial, of all South American transportation developments is the creation of the Rio Paraguay-Rio Paran� Hidrovia. The Hidrovia, or "water highway," is a multinational effort to extend the reach of inland navigation from Uruguay's Nueva Palmira to C�ceres in the Mato Grosso region of western Brazil, spanning 3,442 kilometers through all four Mercosur nations (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) as well as Bolivia. The extensive dredging and realignment in South American rivers is anticipated to have a significant economic impact on producers and carriers alike. It is estimated that transportation costs for upstream shippers will be cut in half by using the river system rather than rail or truck.
    Progressive barge carriers in Argentina are already achieving considerable efficiencies within the nation's current network of navigable waterways. Foreign investment has dramatically expanded barge and towing capacity while also improving the navigability of large tows. Satellite tracking and guidance systems are helping South American barges to operate with efficiencies on a par with those of the United States. U.S. shippers and barge operators, on the other hand, are concerned with an aging waterway infrastructure. After several decades of extensive use and reliance on the river system for efficient bulk materials movement, the rivers are in need of renewed attention. Special concern is directed toward the aging lock system of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi serves as the backbone of efficient grain movement in the United States. The proximity of growing areas for corn and soybeans to the Mississippi and its tributaries make the system imperative for low cost exporting. The ability to quickly and efficiently access port facilities located at the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana has proven critical to the export success of these U.S. crops.

    #2
    And in Canada the carbon tax will dramatically raise the cost of western Canadian grain to the coast . All on a rail system that has been slashed to the bone for stockholder profits .

    Comment


      #3
      Yup all about the investors Furrow! CN and CP can make or break communities that they are SUPPOSE to service regularly. Too bad our governments are to stupid to realize it. Just think of the value added businesses that could be built to help keep small communities viable but the railways often dont give good enough commitments to ensure startup. Real sad that we tear our infrustructure down instead of add to it.

      Comment


        #4
        It might not mean jack shit in the grande scheme but with all this container traffic I can’t understand why more grain isn’t shipped back to China etc in empty cans. Fill the can wherever, put on truck and move to rail head or direct to port. Some done with specialty stuff but in a time of rusting grain cars and unreliable grain car logistics why not more of the bulk stuff? I think I know a partial answer like say the producer needs to do it themselves cause it’s piddly blah blah blah. Maybe a sea can of flour, oat flakes, cleaned cwrs, processed pulses etc. Klause you’ve done this stuff. What’s your take

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by WiltonRanch View Post
          It might not mean jack shit in the grande scheme but with all this container traffic I can’t understand why more grain isn’t shipped back to China etc in empty cans. Fill the can wherever, put on truck and move to rail head or direct to port. Some done with specialty stuff but in a time of rusting grain cars and unreliable grain car logistics why not more of the bulk stuff? I think I know a partial answer like say the producer needs to do it themselves cause it’s piddly blah blah blah. Maybe a sea can of flour, oat flakes, cleaned cwrs, processed pulses etc. Klause you’ve done this stuff. What’s your take
          Depends on the market. Location. Etc.


          Container shipping works great if you're after a niche market... For us high value wheat and whole clean peas. Looking at shipping dehulled oats next year if I ever finish building my dehuller.


          It doesn't work for mass production though. Too much labour and not enough material... For instance a 20t container of wheat is great for a mom-and-pop bakery in Nigeria. It doesn't work well for large corporations like Warburton.

          As far as costs... Freight rates change all the time though. Haven't looked lately. Sometimes you can freight a container to Asia for less than you can get a bulk car to Vancouver.

          Comment


            #6
            Klause. ...meanwhile CP is thinking about closing some sections of branchlines ...4 in Sask and 2 in Alta. They also closed 9 Producer Car loading sites in Sask and are now down to 27 from 79 in 2005.

            From an article in the Western Producer.

            Edit...it talks about the closures being "volume related"....well between GrainCos and RRs....they can design the outcome they want.
            Last edited by farmaholic; Nov 5, 2017, 21:26.

            Comment


              #7
              How much Canadian grain now goes south? Thereby using Ol'Miss and the Colombia?

              Comment


                #8
                Funny story about containers. I was involved with a project that required meeting with CN a lot in the early 2000s.

                So the business development guys were brainstorming and wanted to run something by me. If they could supply containers would I load them in the field rather than going to the bin? They were going to revolutionize farming. Now one of these guys had close to 30 years in.

                I said ok, let's see. We are two and a half hours from Saskatoon. You would need say 10 or 12 of these a day and I am only one of 50 guys that need the same thing. You guys buying the equipment to achieve those?

                They realized pretty quick that idea wasn't going to fly.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by LEP View Post
                  Funny story about containers. I was involved with a project that required meeting with CN a lot in the early 2000s.

                  So the business development guys were brainstorming and wanted to run something by me. If they could supply containers would I load them in the field rather than going to the bin? They were going to revolutionize farming. Now one of these guys had close to 30 years in.

                  I said ok, let's see. We are two and a half hours from Saskatoon. You would need say 10 or 12 of these a day and I am only one of 50 guys that need the same thing. You guys buying the equipment to achieve those?

                  They realized pretty quick that idea wasn't going to fly.
                  "When common sense is fleeting..........!" Must have been one of those "book smart practically stupid" guys.... probably never even been on a farm.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Klaus

                    Read the whole article which is basically explaining how the USA utilizes their waterways to move grain to export position. It also explains how the South Americans are dredging and realignment of their rivers to move grain to export. Everybody and their dog knows this is the cheapest way to move grain to export.

                    Canada has no natural east to west river system, twining rail lines across the country isn't going to make movement cheaper. So Klaus, you tell me what exactly Canada can do to make moving grain to export position in a cheaper matter to compete with nature water ways other counties enjoy?

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Transcontinental rail is our waterway, just needs some maintenance and upgrading but.....

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Sum

                        "Transcontinental rail is our waterway, just needs some maintenance and upgrading but..... "


                        As I stated in my post I realize that our rail lines are our only means of moving grain to export. But I'll ask you as I asked Klaus how does twining lines or fixing current infrastructure make us more competitive. This will not reduce our cost of moving the grain, freight rates will not decrease. Canada does not have a natural water way moving east to west which is a cheaper way of moving grain.

                        I have to think that Klaus's thread is nothing more than another of his anti-Canada bitching sessions that he likes to start. Time to move, again!
                        .

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Holy forage give your head a shake.



                          Trains have to pull over and stop sometimes for hours waiting for another train to pass.


                          You could tripple the amount of freight on rail with teinned tracks


                          Down there they are building tunnels under the Rocky mountains to make traveling safer and faster. Here we shut the Cocahalla down every time it snows.


                          Our oil industry struggles because we can't get it to market.
                          Our grain industry struggles because we can't get it to market.


                          We keep telling about billions in infrastructure but nothing comes of it... a patch on a highest err a water treatment upgrade there... Doesnt do anything for the economy.


                          Why not build a high speed passenger train connecting large cities. Make it electric (green transportation).

                          Twin the main rail beds.


                          Dredge the south sask river... You could connect it to Port of Churchill. Imagine how cheap that would move grain. It was actually studied in the 30s... And found to be feasible.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Been saying this for years....part of the open market was to ensure all market players....farmers railways graincos .....do their part....


                            All I see is farmers adding thousands of tonnes of on farm storage....

                            You are right the railways will stop split the train and wait for 6 hours to let others pass...

                            Just twinning the lines from Calgary to thunder bay would improve logistics...


                            High speed rail....how else will you entice immigrants to come here....I know if I could hop a train to different places I would for a brief holiday....
                            Last edited by bucket; Nov 7, 2017, 08:21.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Heard this one ....
                              cut the transfer payments to Quebec
                              Use that money to help twin rail from western Alberta to ports in Vancouver and Rupert.
                              Build the oil pipeline to the BC coast , China / Japan would buy every drop .
                              Get our resources to markets that want , need and will pay for it .

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