SiemensSays.com Podcast: Harry Siemens Talks to Gerry Ritz catching up on issues.

[FarmRanger]

Prettty sure you're wrong bucket. I'm all for the government staying out of our business in a free market, but rail transportation is not a free market. As others have emphasized on here, it is 2 monopolies operating side by side. The 160 km interswitching allowed the 2 monopolies to operate in each others territory, but this still left oligopoly power in the hands of 2 players in only part of their territory. Even interswitching is recommended to be removed, so the report is for all intents and purposes recommending unbridled monopoly powers for the railroad. This is NOT in the best interests of farmers or grain handlers, or anybody but railroads shareholders for that matter.
I doubt they will increase capacity any, because that will increase their costs, and they'll be able to charge much more for the same inadequate service that they're providing now.
Short of making open running rights or some other way to increase competition, regulation is the best way to deal with the "duopoly".

[bucket]

Anderson asked me a couple years back if it was time for farmers to pay commercial freight rates.

The first priority should be a costing review.

70 percent less elevators. 112 car unit trains.

The government needs to have a new baseline to calculate freight rates from.

Railways won't invest in their infrastructure which is too bad. More freight on rail would allow this country to become more efficient.

As an example. Talking to an input supplier from Alberta and asking if he can bring his product in by rail. He said it's just easier to use trucks. He has the spot for railcars. Interswitching is an insane cost. So he has from June to February to get his supplies and trucks make more sense.

There are some major issues with railways in this country and they are holding the economy hostage.

[Oliver88]

What has the new Transport Minister Marc Garneau said on these issues?

With the $30 billion deficit can some $ be allocated to new rail infrastructure?

[bucket]

No money should go to the railways.

It's time ....and when you look at trucks on the road.....for a new startup railway.

This country will spend 100s of billions on highways but it should be for a new railway.

****ing running out of tinfoil is a bad thing on a Sunday.

[sumdumguy]

Wish we had a Mississippi River, eh Canucks?

[wilagro]

One would have to be desperate to find someone to interview when they turn to Gerry Ritz.
A hatchet man for Harper was pretty well all he was good for...I doubt he ever had an original thought all the time he served as Ag minister.
Selling what was left of the old CWB to the Arabians and their pals for ZERO dollars really capped his career.
Who ever thought THAT up was a real genius.
====

[FarmRanger]

Oh give it up Wilagro.
The only value the _ _ _ had was its ability to extract value out of farmers with its monopsony powers as the only buyer of their wheat. They owned very few actual assets.

[hsiemens1]

My, my.. How the intelligent people come out of the woodworks. We need Warren Buffet to show us how to run a railroad.. Congrats to Brad Wall for winning big.. And.. who knows, maybe Brian Pallister does, too. While Sunny boy wracks up the debt, and Alberta kills the oil industry.