Elevator closure

[bucket]

Mallee

Bingo.....

[Rareearth]

Looking at this from a different angle.

If there were open running rights on rail lines ....

What would the country grain delivery system look like?

Would there be more or fewer grain delivery points?

Would there be more or fewer grain companies?

Would there be a more diverse cropping mix? Or livestock or manufacturing or mining ?

The railways have striped out most of the inefficiencies and easy profit with technology. Apperantly there are excess cars and locomotives sitting in the USA, all over the place. To continue they won’t pay for extra revenue back to grains research they will focus on high value consumer goods, oil, etc

What if the rail companies maintain all main lines as they do now but all other lines are deregulated, or open rights?

Can Grain move in hyper loops? They are going to start building these but will focus on high value consumer goods and people movement first. Maybe investment in these areas is best vs outdated rail? I don’t think the problem is just rail, but the consolidation of western Canadian agriculture in general.

Will block chain change this, yes if we can ship direct! Fast, easy, win - win (farmer - manufacturer- consumer) we are still Commodity though 9000 bu of barley will make 2 million bottles of beer. So back to how do we compete with Russia, China, and Argentina? Technology isn’t our competitive advantage it’s leveling the commodity field faster and faster, ie John Deere big data.

My thoughts are all over the place, can’t worry about what or how others countries are out competing us. We must control what we can control here at home, do what’s in the best interest of the country, province, agriculture... big problems, .... bigger money... big opportunity.

One more, if a company has a billion dollars to spend or invest and they are involved in agricul5ure logistics were would it get invested? If it was spent here in Canada, with our extreme (cost to build infrastructure) what would it reduce our cost to move a bushel to port, probably a few cents per bushel. It it was invested in Brazil, Argentina, it might return a dollar per bushel in reduced cost. That’s part of the problem, return on investment. Every major is trying to help build railways in Brazil.

[farmaholic]

This is the way I see it: I think the consolidation pendulum is "being allowed" to swing too far.

There is no doubt that a bit of old light rail or "old" wooden elevator abandonment probably wasn't the end of the world. But when half decent facilities on serviced, or serviceABLE, rail lines get mothballed or demolished.... is where the line is being crossed. And as I've said, if the present owning company doesn't want to operate them, then they should have to be sold to another company that is willing to operate them.
I remember some of the facilities being operated in the northern tier States, geezus... about the same as some of the facilities that are being closed in Canada, so why can't we keep using ours?

Things are still changing, one of our local terminals in slated for expansion with plans of a loop track system replacing their 3 track(or what ever it is) siding. So instead of shuttling strings of cars on and off the loading track the train stays connected as a unit and I think the pulling power even stays there and terminal staff learn how to move the train as it's being filled. There was also a push to expand terminal storage capacity after the CWB was dismantled, two terminals in our area already added extra storage capacity.

I also think the "24 hour" loading time needs to change, or maybe incentivized for facilities that are capable of doing it but definitely not penalizing facilities that don't have the ability. By that I mean keeping it the way it is for those who can do it and not penalizing those who can't but are still required to load the train within a reasonable amount of time based on what the facility is capable of. It must be frustrating for a Inland Terminal to be given a deadline to load within 24 hours and see the cars sit on their sidings for afew days after they finished.

How much "grain trailer chute to grain car lid" loading should the industry rely on? aka...not having all the product in store and rely on farmer deliveries to load a train? As a Producer, what's my "incentive"?

[bucket]

The weird thing about Eyebrow is 112 cars have to go by it regularly to service Gardiner Dam Terminal which is at the end of the branch line.


If viterra or a short line operated the branch line rail to moose jaw ....CP could have their trains made coming into moose jaw....

Sadly viterra owns a share in GDT... and thinks it makes sense to drive north 40 miles beside the rail line to be loaded on a car and come back right past a point closer from many producers farms

And the highway and rail line are only 100 feet away. ...

There is a lake in the way around here.


I think rail logistics need an updating and with technology there is no reason not to have open running rights....

Otherwise Trudeau should set in motion an infrastructure plan to build a modern railway...


Youngest nation on this planet and have torn out more infrastructure than centuries old nations could only hope for....

And the worst part is it is the most efficient infrastructure we are destroying...

A 10000 tonne elevator was a giant in the 90s now it's treated worse than a wooden....all it needs is an upgrade that the owners knew about 20 years ago...

Cans and a rail spot are part of new builds .....

[Tandem007]

Farmaholic - where’s that expansion happening? Seems like a major undertaking...All I’m saying is SURPRISING!

[farmaholic]

Farmaholic - where’s that expansion happening? Seems like a major undertaking...All I’m saying is SURPRISING!

One of the facilities east of Regina on the CP mainline. That is what the plant manager told me was planned. Loop track and storage expansion.

[bucket]

Saskatoon to Macklin had two new builds going on....there might have been a third but wasn't paying attention...

[Tandem007]

One of the facilities east of Regina on the CP mainline. That is what the plant manager told me was planned. Loop track and storage expansion.

Buffalo Plains or Grenfell I assume?

[farmaholic]

Buffalo Plains or Grenfell I assume?

Yup, you got the company right, its the Buffalo Plains facility. I hope it happens. With the overpass at the #46 & #1 & the Range Road(#----?) we would be hauling on, crossing there will be a breeze compared to the past.

[fjlip]

Not sure of size but Viterra 8 months away from opening a monster at Wadena. Loop track I hear.

[farming101]

Not sure of size but Viterra 8 months away from opening a monster at Wadena. Loop track I hear.

Goodbye Kelvington and some more 286,000 lb steel

[FarmerSmuck]

I wonder how many 50 car loafers are going to close in the near future? I can’t see the railways wanting to spot them. I know producers that haul to the Biggar facility. Talking with them it sounds like some of these smaller elevators buy more then some of the concretes. I think the Biggar area could use another concrete facility.

[ajl]

Cargill took down a fair size concrete elevator in Vegreville AB right on a CN main. Today Viterra is building 6 miles west and Grains Connect is building 1 mile east of town on the same rail line. Apparently there is enough grain to support an elevator or so it would seem. You would have to think that a facility that is paid for would be very competitive with a bit of upgrading than a brand new build but what do I know. Sometimes big companies are worse than the government. I realize that town taxes as the new ones are in the county is a factor and the monopoly railways may not do 50 car spots any more were likely factors.

[bucket]

OK I get the 50 car spot thing but if it could be expanded why not?


Plus as far as efficiency goes how does an elevator load in 24 hours and then have the train sit for 8 days....seems the gain in efficiency is lost if the train isn't hooked up the minute the last car is released. ...

On branch lines why not accumulate a 112 and put the train together. ..

[Rareearth]

Yes bucket good point.

Grower groups should measure that statistic. It is a meaning ful one, as rail and exporters use for there own benefit to consolidate and monopolize