1. They’re lighter
The new generation of grain train is not your daddy’s grain train. There are many differences, but two of the biggest changes are: Railways are running longer trains. New hopper cars can carry more grain. Eventually Canada’s government owned fleet of grain hopper cars will be replaced, and when they are, crop movement will become […] Read moreTag Archives transportation — page 2
Feds unveil new grain transportation strategy
OTTAWA — Transport minister Marc Garneau will introduce legislation next spring that he says will create a more transparent rail system. It will include reciprocal penalties between shippers and the railways in service level agreements and address concerns raised during consultations about the maximum revenue entitlement for grain (revenue cap) and extended interswitching. The minister […] Read more
CP starts keeping score on grain supply chain
A top executive with Canadian Pacific Railway says his company’s decision to publish a weekly report card on grain supply chain performance is not about finger pointing. Instead, it is aimed at providing a greater level of transparency to the grain handling and transportation system. “I think it’s important that we all collaborate and co-ordinate […] Read more
Slow harvest hampers shippers
Grain shipments by rail are off to a slow start so far in the 2016-17 crop year, hampered by poor harvest across much of western Canada. But the pace of shipments is likely to pick up soon and the grain handling and transportation system will probably be running at full capacity by mid-September, according to […] Read more
Federal ministers talk grain transportation
REGINA — Grain transportation was the talk of the town when two federal cabinet ministers met with 19 agricultural stakeholders in Regina. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who is from Regina, and Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay were in the city last week to discuss agricultural issues, and transportation was at the top of the list. […] Read more
Ministers talk transportation in Regina
REGINA — Transportation issues, above all avoiding the fiasco of 2013 and 2014, are at the centre of discussions when Federal ministers Ralph Goodale and Lawrence MacAuley meet with farmers in Western Canada, the pair said Thursday. MacAulay, the agriculture minister, said farmers have been heard “loud and clear” about the grain transportation issue and […] Read more
Railways on side with new locomotive emission standards
Canada’s two largest railway companies appear to be on board with Ottawa’s plan to limit polluting emissions for railway locomotives. Last month, the federal government announced its intention to place limits on Canadian locomotive emissions, bringing them in line with U.S. standards. The limits are aimed at protecting the environment and limiting the impact on […] Read more
Fragile contents: handle with care
Livestock injuries during transport can be avoided with safe handling techniques, understanding of animal behaviour
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Bruising among cattle is often connected to incidents during transportation. A large share of the blame can be attributed to human error in the way cattle are handled from the time they are staged until they are moved onto a trailer, said Ron Gill, an extension livestock specialist at Texas A & […] Read more
Less Canadian grain trucked south
A lot less western Canadian grain is being trucked over the U.S. border this year. But the U.S. market still plays an important role in offering farmers better prices, says a southern Manitoba marketer and adviser. “Elevators here don’t want to lose that handle,” said Brian Voth of Ste. Agathe, Man. “They know if they […] Read more
Railways ordered to pay $7.2M
Canada’s two biggest railway companies have been ordered to surrender nearly $9 million in excess revenue and another $450,000 in fines because they exceeded their maximum revenue entitlements for moving western Canadian grain the 2014-15 crop year. In a Dec. 29 ruling, the Canada Transportation Agency ordered Canadian National Railway to pay more than $7.2 […] Read more
