Forget the pipeline build another railroad!!

**Hopalong** · Mar 9, 2015, 22:38

Announcement today by Mosaic of one billion dollar investment in Esterhazy mine making it biggest in world with the expansion.
Extra production scheduled to start 2017 .
Looks like more competition than ever coming for rail shipping capacity.
Think the days of grain getting preferred treatment have ended as shown by past two years.
Whole grains industry, including growers, has to rethink position on best way to handle rail transportation issue.
Unless we are willing to go to even more regulated system, first choice is more integration with US network.
Federal and provincial governments can support moving in that direction.
Globalization is here and time to recognize that.

**Oliver88** · Mar 9, 2015, 23:12

Esterhazy will be largest in world.
When BHP Billiton is completed it will overtake Mosaic-Esterhazy and push it down to second.
BHP will produce 8 MMT per year I believe but it's along ways from being completed.
Another new mine, K S at Bethune is currently in the construction phase too.

For grain to have a chance of good movement, we need oil travelling through pipelines and more railway outlets to Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Thunder Bay, USA connections and Churchill needs to be active.

**TOM4CWB** · Mar 9, 2015, 23:19

riders2010 hopper,

Last March I suggested to Minister Ritz and Olsen that the BC Peace link to Prince Rupert/Vancouver needed to be directly enhanced and upgraded... so direct shipments to port do not need to be detoured back through Edmonton from northern Alberta.

Huge increases in capacity and efficiency would easily be realized, with very little investment required. CN eats this now... and puts the inefficiency to a normal cost of doing business in Western Canada... Lumber, Oil in the future, coal... all pay extra for this as well... while all graingrowers in western Canada pay for this extravagent misuse of infrastructure by CN. CN and CP could easily share the track to Prince Rupert, Port expansion would be lowest cost... shipping distance the shortest by 2 days to Asia from Prince George... and well as relief and reliability of the added capacity to the Vancouver port links.

Very simple... and cost effective capacity enhancers.

**farming101** · Mar 9, 2015, 23:33

IMHO Prince Rupert is the cost effective answer for large west coast expansion.

**TOM4CWB** · Mar 9, 2015, 23:36

Until the CNCP Alliance are forced to pay for intentional abuse of grain shippers in Western Canada...
By CN/CP claiming maximum capacity while purposely ignoring simple infrastructure solutions... they think forcing grain growers to remove the 'cap' on profits... will be an acceptable solution to the depreciated value of our grain products...

The CN/CP Alliance... can then get another giant boost in capacity and efficiency... without any reduction in freight costs to western Canadian grain growers captive to this strategic RR with holding of capacity.

CEO Hunter is very slick and smooth. Unbelievable investments in lobby and PR claiming unfair treatment of the CN/CP Alliance... has descended on our federal government... many grain farmer reps say that traveled to the Hill... Overkill by many fold.

**riders2010** · Mar 10, 2015, 05:11

Our own rail system for grain going out skip the elevators, and fertilizer coming in. 4 or 5 major distribution points each province.
Fertilizer the other joke,we produce so much here
And have to buy it above world price.

**TOM4CWB** · Mar 11, 2015, 16:19

Sorry,

I apologize for these negative posts.

I should not have been critical of the railroads. Please forgive me.

Forget the pipeline build another railroad!!