No pressure eh !

[malleefarmer]

Locally 3 guys bought 80 acres adjacent to rail with idea of bulk storage. 100000 tonne the target.

60000 needed to be viable.

Bunkers and uprights.

Got to first public meeting.

Prospectus 150 farmers needed at $10000 investment.

Drought hit still discussed then 2nd year of drought canned it guys sold the land to a investor.

Who knows might get revisited one day.

[bucket]

You burn 60 litres an hour in your 1/2 ton , Dodge Hemi ??

Its more like 2 hours ...I have to drive back home ...and I don't usually go to Swift Current without a reason...

I can't drive to Swift current and back on 60 litres of gas....And I know I couldn't drive the semi there and back on 60 litres....

[farming101]

3 or 400 foot climb to Swift I bet. Prevailing winds. You'd burn quite a lot of diesel. Course it would be peaceful coasting home empty

[bucket]

3 or 400 foot climb to Swift I bet. Prevailing winds. You'd burn quite a lot of diesel. Course it would be peaceful coasting home empty

Good point ...getting over the Rush Lake hill requires some power....and as stated numerous times I can see the mainline rail all the way to Swift Current...

When an average farm around here has built the equivalent multiples of old wooden elevators you have to wonder what the end game is to force farmers to ruin roads trucking grain...let me rephrase that....what is the difference between three tons at wooden elevators and super Bs at a terminal....other than the fact the cost has been downloaded to farmers....in storage, trucks and fuel...

I don't think the wooden elevator type system will come back but having 6 terminals consolidating within city's limits seems odd ... the labour issue shouldn't be a deal breaker...especially now.

[Old Cowzilla]

Guess I'm spoiled flat land driving 95% only uphill when hauling corn to Husky. Got a older Viterra that has icy ramp most of winter. Lots of guys back up from probe to take a run at it. Thats are big hill !

[Goodtime]

I have to haul an extra 40 miles to my closest G3 but the difference in dockage and higher grain prices more then makes up for my fuel costs.....it is sad when I have to drive by two useless Viterra cement elevators with full staff that you might see a tandem truck or 2 dumping in a day. These locations have had the same staff for 20 years and basically drove customers away because of favoritism and other BS, so glad there are other options.

[Hamloc]

Good point ...getting over the Rush Lake hill requires some power....and as stated numerous times I can see the mainline rail all the way to Swift Current...

When an average farm around here has built the equivalent multiples of old wooden elevators you have to wonder what the end game is to force farmers to ruin roads trucking grain...let me rephrase that....what is the difference between three tons at wooden elevators and super Bs at a terminal....other than the fact the cost has been downloaded to farmers....in storage, trucks and fuel...

I don't think the wooden elevator type system will come back but having 6 terminals consolidating within city's limits seems odd ... the labour issue shouldn't be a deal breaker...especially now.

Bucket I have to agree with Blaithin on this one. My guess is it just wasn’t making money. Locally Richardson just closed a fertilizer outlet. This site has existed for roughly 40 years and has had many owners. I get along well with the manager and he said they sold just over $6 million dollars a year of product but for the site to make money they would have had to sell twice that. I wasn’t that impressed as the nearest Richardson fertilizer dealer is now 30 minutes further away. Undoubtedly lots of dealers to choose from in my area but this one was very convenient for me as it was 15 minutes away.

[farmaholic]

Re: Eyebrow Viterra.

If Viterra won't sell it to any competition..... Then it would appear to be viable.

Unless there is something structurally wrong with this facility it is a shame its only full of air.
I'm sure there are some countries that would give their eye teeth to have a facility like that.
What is it? About 35 years old? Looks like the same type of build that is east of Regina that they upgraded with steel annexes and a loop track, etc.

[bucket]

Re: Eyebrow Viterra.

If Viterra won't sell it to any competition..... Then it would appear to be viable.

Unless there is something structurally wrong with this facility it is a shame its only full of air.
I'm sure there are some countries that would give their eye teeth to have a facility like that.
What is it? About 35 years old? Looks like the same type of build that is east of Regina that they upgraded with steel annexes and a loop track, etc.

Farmaholic ....why clutter the discussion with facts....lol..

One interesting factoid....Viterra ruined highway 42 trucking grain from eyebrow to Raymore....in a week ...this is from people that seen the bill of ladings...

People like Blaithin that defend this as business practice should never bitch about the state of highways or the cost of repairing them...


There are 5 fertilizer plants within a 20 mile radius here....but someone says there isn't a viable business for an elevator?

Food for thought...

Management at elevators definitely plays a roll in its success....there is a video and song about that filmed with the eyebrow elevator in the background

[Blaithin]

Farmaholic ....why clutter the discussion with facts....lol..

One interesting factoid....Viterra ruined highway 42 trucking grain from eyebrow to Raymore....in a week ...this is from people that seen the bill of ladings...

There are 5 fertilizer plants within a 20 mile radius here....but someone says there isn't a viable business for an elevator?

Food for thought...

Management at elevators definitely plays a roll in its success....there is a video and song about that filmed with the eyebrow elevator in the background

Farmaholic also admits he doesn't know all the details about why they may be doing what they're doing. Something you've yet to even allude to, Bucket, in your all knowing state. Perhaps write them a letter?

Dear Mr Jeworski,

It would please me immensely if I could see your profit and loss analysis for your empty elevator at Eyebrow. I'm quite sure that I, myself, could make it a very profitable terminal for you indeed. All we would have to do is simply move the highway! And maybe the main rail line as well. With these easy alterations it's sure to be able to take in and load out grain on par with even a new build. We can even add some steel bins!

The reason I think these are upgrades that need to be done is simple. That elevator is more convenient for me to haul to, which obviously means it is a profitable terminal for you as well. It makes little sense that you would shut it when it's the easiest place for me to access.

Please do not respond with any of the following:
- County restrictions for building expansions. (These don't exist)
- Correspondence with CP about servicing this location. (It's on the mainline so it's serviceable.)
- Issues and/or repair costs to get the current elevator functional again. (I know you just shut it down because you felt like it, not because there's anything wrong with it.)
- Any failed certifications it may have received in audits. (Who cares about ISO standards anyway.)
- How it would cost millions of dollars and isn't a sound financial decision. (I don't care that you're a business, this has nothing to do with a business decision. It's about having an elevator more convenient for me.)

I assure you that with the recent investment in a local irrigation project, this elevator will more than pay for itself in a short period of time. I'm sure you simply haven't heard of said irrigation project to know about it and speculate about how it's production will absolutely, 200%, keep the elevator at Eyebrow as one of your most proficient and profitable locations. It's understandable, it's news that hasn't been widely talked about and 10,000 tonnes is such a large capacity terminal for you to manage that it's easy to overlook the potential for this site when you're busy trying to organize all your other, smaller, terminals. In fact, since I've heard of absolutely no other companies looking to build in this area, you've obviously got a great head start on them for when they all wake up and realize what a fantastic location this is!

Also, please find attached an invoice of the full amount needed to repair the highway. This dates back to when you decided to truck grain out of the elevator instead of use the railway. I know without a shadow of a doubt in my mind that it was a choice you made and not anything that may have resulted from a railway concern. Therefore the bill is all yours.

Thank you for your time and consideration,
Mr. Bucket

People like Blaithin that defend this as business practice should never bitch about the state of highways or the cost of repairing them...

I don't, the highways here are very well maintained. Despite driving past multiple elevators, Viterra's included. The ones here must be run by a different company, they don't "decide" to use trucks instead of rail or "choose" to destroy the road.