MOU Announcement Highlights • RAC Associate Members • Commodities – Ore

Interchange Official Publication of the Railway Association of Canada

Famous Toronto

Summer 2007

Train Shed Roof to Undergo Major Facelift

OUR NAME IS NOW CANADIAN PACIFIC. (OUR TRAINS OF THOUGHT WILL TAKE US WHERE NO TRAIN HAS GONE BEFORE.)

Yes, we run one of North America’s most reliable

and safest railways. However, with 15,000 people

thinking innovatively and holistically about

transportation and ways to diversify to keep

pace with customer needs, we realized

something. We’re going to be defined more by

our trains of thought than by our trains.

engines of change

The Railway Association of Canada www.railcan.ca

Interchange Summer 2007

Chairman: Fred Green Vice-Chairman: Sean Finn President and CEO: Cliff Mackay Vice-President, Operations and Regulatory Affairs: M. Lowenger Vice-President, Public and Corporate Affairs: B.R. Burrows Director, Finance and Administration, and Treasurer: D. Dickson Published for The Railway Association of Canada 99 Bank Street, Suite 1401 Ottawa, ON K1P 6B9 Phone: 613.567.8591 Fax: 613.567.6726 www.railcan.ca Roger Cameron, Director, Public Affairs Alex Binkley, Contributing Writer Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist in the Parliamentary Press Gallery and serves as the Canadian/Ottawa correspondent for domestic and international transportation publications. Interchange is published four times a year by Naylor (Canada), Inc. 100 Sutherland Avenue Winnipeg, MB R2W 3C7 Phone: 204.947.0222 / 800.665.2456 Fax: 204.947.2047 www.naylor.com Publisher: David Ritter Project Manager: Kim Davies Editor: Lilliane Fiola Marketing Associate: Danielle Van Doren Sales Manager: Derek Kuzina Book Leader: Bill Biber Account Executives: Robert Bartmanovich, Angela Campbell, Davin Commandeur, Bert Eastman, Brenda Ezinicki, Gordon Jackson, Jennifer Jandavs-Hedlin, Pat Johnston, Matt Offer, Drew Pétursson, Derek Stone Layout & Design: Catharine Snell Advertising Art: Effie Monson ©2007 Naylor (Canada), Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Naylor (Canada), Inc., Distribution Dept. 100 Sutherland Ave. Winnipeg, MB R2W 3C7 Canadian Publication Agreement #40064978

contents 7 President’s Message/Le message du président 9 A Tale of Two Industries: RAC Conference Highlights Advantages for Rail and Ethanol 13 MOU Announcement Highlights Positive Step for Rail’s Emissions Footprint/Un protocole d’entente marque un pas décisif dans la réduction de la pollution ferroviaire 17 Commodities: Out of Sight but Big Time Just the Same/ Marchandises : Loin des yeux, mais tout aussi importants 21 RAC Welcomes Associate Members/L’ACFC accueille ses premiers membres associés 24 Government Hopper Cars to Undergo Upgrade

Regular Features 29 Advocacy Initiatives 33 Passenger Progress 37 Industry News and Developments 41 Safety/Sécurité 46 On the Move Changing of the Guard 50 Index to Advertisers

PUBLISHED JULY 2007/RAC-Q0307/6321

Interchange

Summer 2007 5

President’s Message

Le message du président

JUST AS MOST PEOPLE don’t realize

UN PEU COMME ON ASSEMBLE un

you start a trainload of freight rolling one

train de marchandises un wagon à la fois, les

car at a time, they tend not to recognize

changements de notre secteur se font un jour à

industry change because most of it occurs a

la fois. C’est ce qui fait que les gens ont du mal à

day at a time. Coupled together, that’s a lot

s’en rendre compte. Pris globalement, pourtant, le changement est énorme ! Spécialement quand

of change! Especially so when many of the changes that affect the railway industry also

Cliff Mackay

involve customers, communities, suppliers and

il implique aussi les clients, la communauté, les fournisseurs et les employés !

employees! That became particularly evident when we were reviewing what has changed for the next edition this fall in the Globe and Mail special supplement on the growing role of the freight and passenger railways in Canada’s economy. There were challenges caused by weather, labour issues, market conditions and more. While coping with those, the railways and their partners are opening a new container port in Prince Rupert that is two days’ sailing time closer to China, are expanding port and rail infrastructure, and have ordered new, more fuel-efficient locomotives for North American service. They have created worldwide logistics services, are adding new intermodal capacity, streamlined other yard facilities, and are investing in their future and that of their customers. The freight and passenger railways have signed new strategic agreements with key partners. For example, Transport Canada and Environment Canada have reached agreements with the RAC to reduce emissions, and to improve rail’s already-present leadership role in the field. The railways and Canada’s communities have agreed to continue working together to prevent proximity problems from occurring, and to solve other issues more expeditiously. The industry is helping attract new skilled workers to a knowledge-based workforce. The RAC has a new category of Associate Member for selected suppliers. Short lines in Quebec are getting an infrastructure investment shot in the arm from the federal and provincial governments. Commuter rail services are all expanding. As I said, progress occurs one day at a time. But the progress is continuous, steady and, coupled together, incredible!

C’est devenu spécialement évident pendant que nous révisions ce qui a changé dans la prochaine édition du supplément d’automne du Globe and Mail sur le rôle croissant des chemins de fer dans l’économie canadienne. Nous avons eu des difficultés causées par la météo, les confl its de travail, le marché et bien d’autres. Malgré cela, les chemins de fer et leurs partenaires ouvrent un nouveau port à Prince Rupert, à deux jours plus près de la Chine. Ils développent leur infrastructure portuaire et ferroviaire, et ils ont commandé de nouvelles locomotives plus efficaces sur le plan énergétique. Ils ont créé des services logistiques mondiaux, ajoutent de la capacité intermodale, rationalisent les gares de triage et investissent dans leur avenir et dans celui de leurs clients. Les chemins de fer ont signé de nouvelles ententes stratégiques avec des partenaires clés. Transport Canada et Environnement Canada, par exemple, ont conclu des ententes avec l’ACFC pour réduire les émissions. Les chemins de fer et les communautés du Canada ont accepté de continuer à travailler ensemble pour prévenir les problèmes de proximité et pour réduire plus rapidement les autres problèmes. Le secteur aide à attirer de nouveaux travailleurs spécialisés. L’ACFC a une nouvelle catégorie de membres associés pour certains fournisseurs. Les chemins de fer locaux du Québec reçoivent une injection d’investissements des gouvernements fédéral et provincial. Les trains de banlieue sont tous en expansion. Le progrès se fait un jour à la fois, mais il est constant et permanent. Petit train va loin !

J.C. (Cliff) Mackay Président-directeur général J.C. (Cliff) Mackay President and CEO

Interchange

Summer 2007 7

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BY KEN LANCASTLE

A Tale of Two Industries: RAC Conference Highlights Advantages for Rail and Ethanol ETHANOL IS THE NEW BUZZWORD sweeping the commodities and renewable fuels market, and it is on track to increase business for Canadian railways. This was the theme presented at the Railway Association of Canada’s conference on ethanol, held at the Novotel Mississauga from April 25 to 26. Partnerships and cooperation were stressed by the 12 speakers at the conference, and attendees were given a glimpse of the burgeoning Canadian ethanol industry and the role that railways can play. “Renewable fuel production is a new market opportunity for farmers, producers, communities, railroaders and their suppliers,” said Cliff Mackay, president and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada. “As the green mode of transport, rail is keen to explore ways to transport a green fuel.” Ethanol has already been touted as a means to help lower greenhouse gas emissions because ethanol-blended gasoline will burn cleaner than traditional gasoline. The message from the conference was that rail can help the ethanol industry thrive, while increasing business opportunities for rail. “We need to transition from this fossil-fuel based economy to a bio-based economy,” Dr. Maurice Bitran of the Ontario Department of Agriculture told the more than 60 representatives of ethanol, railways and municipalities in attendance. “That is our challenge.” It is a challenge that with proper cooperation and partnerships can be met head-on by the Canadian railway industry. Canadian railways already partner with each other, as well as specific industries and

shipping companies to ensure efficient and reliable transportation solutions. Ethanol, which is a fuel-grade alcohol traditionally derived from fermenting corn, wheat or sugar cane, can be blended with gasoline at usually a 10-per-cent mixture, and used in any gasoline engine without modification. Cellulose ethanol can also be made using agricultural residues such as wheat straws and harvested corn stalks. While ethanol has been around since the nineteenth century, the Canadian ethanol industry is only in its infancy – particularly when compared to the United States. Even so, it will be important for both rail and ethanol to embrace each other as the industry grows, said Bruce Burrows, vice-president, Public and Corporate Affairs at the RAC.

“Just a few years ago, many people saw ethanol as another expensive, government support program for farmers,” said Burrows. “Now, growth south of the border and growth in Canada shows that, apart from the booming Asian container trade, ethanol is the most significant development to drive rail traffic in decades.” This was confi rmed by representatives of the ethanol industry as well. Kory Teneycke, executive director of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, highlighted the current state and future outlook of the ethanol industry in Canada. He went on to make suggestions about what role the railways can play with that growth. “You’re looking at an industry that is probably doubling every three to four years in size,” Teneycke told

Interchange

Summer 2007 9

the conference delegates. He said the three factors that are driving the growth are rural revitalization, the environment, and energy security. The environment has become an increasingly important topic to Canadians, he said, adding that “they also understand it is a complex issue.” Rather than ethanol being the only solution to environmental problems, Teneycke explained it will just be one part of the larger solution to prevent rising greenhouse gas

emissions. Because of this, he said increased demand will create other opportunities for railways in the future. One area in particular is cellulose ethanol, and the products required in its production. He also said that with higher agricultural prices creating a desire for increased yields, railways should expect to bring more products to farmers, such as fertilizers. This was reiterated by Dan Sabin, president of Iowa Northern Railway,

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one of North America’s largest transporters of ethanol. He pointed out that the railways can expect to move more agricultural equipment as well. With that, Sabin and other speakers cautioned that capacity issues and the price tag for infrastructure could hinder railways trying to take part in the ethanol boom. “This industry is really running fast,” explained Ken Briggs, vicepresident and Rail Section manager of HDR Engineering. “And to stay up with it, you have to run just as hard.” Briggs explained that it is important for railways and ethanol plants to partner with one another in order to ensure successful operations. He said while the railways have responded well, short line railways, as “terrific partners for ethanol producers,” will need to look at infrastructure and capacity improvement. As an example, Iowa Northern Railway is expected to spend more than $100 million with its partners on logistics capacity for bio-fuels in the next five years. While the costs

and throughout the conference it was consistently reinforced that the rail sector will ultimately ensure that the ethanol industry thrives. Railways

provide opportunities to move ethanol and its by-products longer distances and in greater quantities than the trucking industry.

“Renewable fuel production is a new market opportunity for farmers, producers, communities, railroaders and their suppliers. . . As the green mode of transport, rail is keen to explore ways to transport a green fuel.” – Cliff Mackay, President and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada

Chatham, Ont., can provide tremendous opportunities

of upgrading infrastructure are high, Sabin explained an effective partnership to the conference. Instead of the railway providing all the funding, shippers provide funds to increase capacity. In turn, the railway reimburses the shipper on each car shipped until they are repaid for the costs. This takes away the initial emphasis on the railway to fund infrastructure improvements, and also ensures the shipper that the railway will have sufficient capacity for their needs. More importantly, the railway would have the upgraded infrastructure to grow as the ethanol industry grows. Partnerships such as these were emphasized throughout the conference by consultants and railway representatives alike. Doug MacDonald, assistant vice-president of Marketing at CN, pointed out to attendees that it is becoming increasingly important for the railway industry to engage the ethanol industry. He also suggested that infrastructure work should be discussed with customers ahead of when terminal sites are selected. Effective partnerships between ethanol producers and railways will help both industries to be successful,

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Interchange

5/26/07 12:42:00 Summer 2007 11 PM

“The railway has to be your best friend,” said John Creighton, managing director of Logistics at Canada’s largest ethanol company, Greenfield Ethanol. Creighton explained that cooperation with railways provides access to feedstock as well as good dried distiller grains markets. Attendees were able to see this fi rsthand during a tour of Suncor’s St. Clair ethanol facility on the fi rst day of the conference. While the plant only featured rail access for outbound distiller’s grains, it still showcased the opportunities for rail, as more than five loaded trucks left the plant during the one-hour tour. André Boucher, the plant’s general manager, explained that 60 per cent of their grains are moved by rail. Furthermore, with several new ethanol plants across Ontario and the Midwest United States, he said they have had to fi nd markets further away for their distiller’s grains. Rail has come to play an even more important role as some shipments have gone as far as Europe and China. The important role that rail can play regarding the ethanol industry was apparent, and something addressed the next day by the lunchtime speaker, Kevin Flynn, M.P.P. and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ontario Minister of Energy. Flynn spoke about the importance of renewable energy sources, highlighted the many efforts the Ontario government has undertaken to achieve a culture of conservation, and applauded Ontario’s railways and the railway industry as an essential part of these endeavours – and specifically, the ethanol industry. “Ontario’s rail system will play an important part in building this new industry, providing a reliable, costeffective and environmentally sensible means to provide feedstock to Ontario’s burgeoning ethanol and other bio-fuel plants, and move the product to the eventual consumer,” Flynn told the conference. “The rail industry has an important part to play in facilitating Ontario’s adoption of alternative fuels technology and building our alternative fuels industry.” ●

LEASING

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Summer 2007

5/7/07 3:03:11 PM

BY/PAR KEN LANCASTLE

MOU Announcement Highlights Positive Step for Rail’s Emissions Footprint

Un protocole d’entente marque un pas décisif dans la réduction de la pollution ferroviaire

THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT and Canadian

LE GOUVERNEMENT CANADIEN et les chemins

railways are on track together to cut pollution, greenhouse

de fer sont sur la même voie au chapitre de la réduction

gas emissions, and reduce the overall emissions footprint of

de la pollution, des gaz à effet de serre et de l’empreinte

Canada’s railway industry.

environnementale du secteur ferroviaire.

This was the message – delivered in Ottawa’s VIA Station C’était, du moins, le message véhiculé par l’ACFC, against the backdrop of their most efficient locomotive – as Transports Canada et Environnement Canada, lors de the Railway Association of Canada, Transport Canada la signature d’un protocole d’entente sur les émissions and Environment Canada announced and signed a new ferroviaires, à la gare VIA d’Ottawa, devant la locomotive la Memorandum of Understanding regarding emissions from plus efficace de ce transporteur. the railway sector. Lawrence Cannon, ministre des Transports, de Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, l’Infrastructure et des Collectivités; John Baird, ministre de Infrastructure and Communities; Honourable John Baird, l’Environnement; et Cliff Mackay, PDG de l’ACFC étaient Minister of the Environment; and Cliff Mackay, president présents. and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada, were in attendance for the signing and each was positive the new agreement would have many benefits for the environment. “Today’s announcement is just another part of our comprehensive plan designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Baird. “So much of the goods that travel around this country and to our major marketplace south of the border travel on rail, and that’s good news for the environment, road infrastructure and for our effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” The Memorandum of Understanding will seek to limit nitrogen oxide emissions from L-R: Cliff Mackay, Honourable Lawrence Cannon and Honourable John Baird locomotives, and for the fi rst time, specifically targets greenhouse gas emission reductions. « L’annonce faite aujourd’hui s’inscrit dans notre It also addresses a number of air pollutants, including plan de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, hydrocarbon, sulfur oxide, particulate matter and carbon a déclaré M. Baird. Une part importante des biens qui monoxide, and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, circulent le font par train, ce qui constitue une bonne nitrous oxide and methane. nouvelle pour l’environnement, nos routes et notre effort Baird pointed out that methane is one of the most de réduction. » potent greenhouse gases, and its inclusion into the new Le protocole cherche à limiter les émissions d’oxydes agreement will be good news as the government seeks to d’azote des locomotives et vise spécifi quement, pour la improve the air quality in Canada and reduce greenhouse première fois, une réduction des émissions de gaz à effet gas emissions. de serre. D’autres polluants aériens sont touchés, dont In addition, Cannon said the new agreement is consistent les hydrocarbures, les oxydes de soufre, le monoxyde de with air pollution standards provided by the Environmental carbone et les gaz à effet de serre (dioxyde de carbone, Protection Agency in the United States. Because of this, oxyde nitreux et méthane). M. Baird a rappelé que le Suite à la page 15 Continued on page 14 Interchange

Summer 2007 13

Positive Step for Rail’s Emissions Footprint Continued from page 13 Cannon explained that the rail industry will continue to improve its environmental performance and energy efficiency for a number of years. “The impact is that by 2010, we expect that from the 1990 levels, fuel efficiency will be 44 per cent better under this new MOU,” he said, adding that the new agreement will also result in immediate reductions in air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from railways. “I have great hopes for rail as an important contributor to green transportation.” Under the previous agreement between the Railway Association of Canada and Environment Canada, Canadian railways made significant improvements to their fuel efficiency and reduced their emissions footprint. “The rail industry has outperformed the Canadian economy with regard to greenhouse gases in the last 10 years,” said Mackay, explaining

14332275_Railquip.indd Interchange

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Summer 2007

that greenhouse gas emissions grew for the economy as a whole at about 35 per cent, and only eight per cent for the railway industry. “All of this at a time when we have been facing major increases in our activity.” In fact, Mackay pointed out that rail traffic has increased exponentially in Canada, with freight traffic increasing 25 per cent, passenger traffic increasing 11 per cent, and commuter traffic up “a whopping” 42 per cent since 1990. At the same time, he explained that NOx emissions averaged below the 115 kilotonnes cap set by the previous agreement, and the railway industry also reduced its greenhouse gas emissions intensity rate by 15 per cent in the same period. Now, under the new MOU, it is expected rail’s emissions record will continue to improve. “We are looking at improved operational procedures, at the introduction of new technology, and at expanding and improving our infrastructure,” Mackay said. “This

is all part of a broad plan to meet and beat the new targets that have been set in the MOU.” As part of the agreement, the industry will only purchase new, highpowered locomotives that meet EPA emissions standards, and the industry will also retire old locomotives or upgrade current ones to meet the same standards as well. In addition, the Railway Association of Canada will also encourage its members to reduce their collective emissions from railway operations, and specific greenhouse gas emissions targets were set for major freight railways, short line railways, intercity passenger rail and commuter rail. “I have every confidence that the transportation mode that revolutionized transportation in the nineteenth century will be an important part of turning the corner to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants,” said Cannon. “We are committed to addressing the challenge ahead and we can work together to make rail part of that solution.” ●

6/4/07 9:52:05 AM

Un pas décisif dans la réduction de la pollution ferroviaire Suite de la page 13 méthane est l’un des gaz à effet de serre les plus nocifs. M. Cannon a ajouté que la nouvelle entente suit également les normes de l’EPA des États-Unis en matière de pollution de l’air. Ainsi, selon lui, le secteur ferroviaire continuera d’améliorer sa performance environnementale et son efficacité énergétique pendant encore plusieurs années. « En vertu de cette entente, a-t-il expliqué, d’ici 2010, l’efficacité énergétique grimpera de 44 p. cent, par rapport à 1990. » L’entente précédente entre l’ACFC et Environnement Canada a permis aux sociétés de chemin de fer du pays d’apporter des améliorations significatives à leur efficacité énergétique et à leur empreinte environnementale. « Pour les gaz à effet de serre, a déclaré M. Mackay, le secteur

331769_Quantum.indd 1

ferroviaire surclasse l’économie canadienne depuis 10 ans. » Au cours de cette période, les émissions en général ont augmenté de 35 p. cent, alors que celles du secteur ferroviaire ont grimpé de 8 p. cent seulement, « malgré une hausse majeure des activités. » Le trafic ferroviaire connaît une croissance exponentielle au Canada, avec des hausses de 25 p. cent dans le transport de marchandises, 11 p. cent dans le transport de passagers, et un bond de 42 p. cent dans le transport habitation-travail. Dans la même période, la moyenne des émissions d’oxydes d’azote du secteur ferroviaire s’est tenue sous l’objectif de 115 kilotonnes stipulé dans l’entente précédente, sans oublier que l’intensité de ses émissions de gaz à effet de serre a chuté de 15 p. cent. On s’attend à ce que le secteur continue à améliorer son dossier environnemental en vertu de la nouvelle entente. « Nous étudions des procédures améliorées, l’introduction de

nouvelles technologies, ainsi que des améliorations à notre infrastructure, a affi rmé M. Mackay. Tout cela fait partie d’un vaste plan qui vise à dépasser les cibles de la nouvelle entente. » Le protocole d’entente prévoit que l’industrie achètera uniquement des locomotives neuves à forte puissance qui respectent les normes antipolluantes de l’EPA et qu’elle adaptera ses vieilles locomotives à ces normes ou les retirera. De plus, l’ACFC encouragera ses membres à réduire leurs émissions. On a d’ailleurs fi xé des objectifs spécifiques pour les principaux transporteurs de marchandises, les chemins de fer locaux, les lignes de passagers et les trains de banlieue. « Je suis convaincu, a affi rmé M. Cannon, que le mode de locomotion qui a révolutionné le transport au dix-neuvième siècle tiendra un rôle important dans la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre et de polluants aériens. » ●

Interchange

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Commodities

Marchandises

Out of Sight but Big Time Just the Same

Loin des yeux, mais tout aussi importants

MOST CANADIANS WOULD THINK of CN, Canadian

DEMANDEZ À UN CANADIEN de vous nommer un

Pacific, VIA Rail or GO Transit if asked to name a railway.

chemin de fer, il vous répondra probablement CN, Canadien

Certainly the long freights and speedy passenger trains of

Pacifique, VIA Rail ou GO Transit. C’est que les longs trains

these companies are common sights.

de marchandises et les rapides trains de passagers de ces

Few would likely pick one of the three railways that haul iron ore concentrate from mines in northern Quebec and Labrador to ports along the St. Lawrence River for loading in large ships that deliver the material to steel mills in North America and overseas. They may operate in remote areas but there is nothing backwards about these railways – Quebec Cartier, Quebec North Shore and Labrador, and the Arnaud Rail Co. and Wabush Lake Railway. They are heavy haul operations that utilize modern, high-horsepower locomotives and high-capacity freight cars. “This is big-time railroading,” says Serge Michaud, the general manager of Quebec Cartier. The main difference between these carriers and the CN’s and CP’s are that almost all the traffi c is southbound ore and a bit of other freight, mostly company supplies for the mines. “We run long unit trains 365 days a year,” Michaud adds. Because the lines go though very remote country, the railways pay close attention to the condition of their locomotives and cars because breakdowns and derailments are very diffi cult to clean up because of accessibility problems. “Reliability is very important to us because we don’t want derailments,” he adds. “As a result, we evaluate all the new technologies and jump on any one that would be good for us.” The railways use a variety of trackside detection equipment to watch for overheated, uneven or poorly rolling wheels that could damage the rail, he said. Quebec Cartier Continued on page 18

sociétés font partie du paysage. Peu de gens risquent de mentionner l’un des trois chemins de fer qui transportent du concentré de minerai de fer, du nord du Québec et du Labrador jusqu’aux ports le long du Saint-Laurent. Soit, ces chemins de fer (le Québec Cartier, le Québec North Shore and Labarador et l’Arnaud et Wabush Lake Railway) roulent dans l’arrière-pays, mais ils n’ont rien d’arriéré! Ce sont des entreprises de cargo lourd utilisant des locomotives modernes et très puissantes, ainsi que des wagons ultrarobustes. « C’est du gros ferroviaire », explique Serge Michaud, directeur général de Québec Cartier. La différence principale entre ces transporteurs et le CN ou le CFCP ? L’essentiel du chargement consiste en du minerai à destination du sud, avec un peu de matériel pour les mines. « Nos longs trains roulent 365 jours par année », ajoute M. Michaud. En région éloignée, les chemins de fer portent une attention particulière à l’état des locomotives et des wagons; bris et déraillements sont complexes à gérer, en raison des problèmes d’accessibilité. « Nous ne voulons aucun déraillement; la fiabilité est donc essentielle, renchérit-il. C’est pourquoi nous sommes à l’affût des nouvelles technologies susceptibles de nous être utiles. » Les chemins de fer utilisent divers dispositifs de détection en voie, pour repérer la présence de roues surchauffées, inégales ou en mauvais état, explique-t-il. Suite à la page 19 Interchange

Summer 2007 17

Out of Sight but Big Time Just the Same Continued from page 17 has experimented since the 1980s with new maintenance practices and technologies with the aim of making its operation derailment free. One of the latest pieces of equipment on the Quebec Cartier is a friction modifi er made by Kelsan Technologies of North Vancouver. It spreads a graphite-like substance on the top of the rail to help ease the

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Summer 2007

wheels through curves. “This reduces wheel wear and helps our trains run smoothly so they use less fuel and emit less greenhouse gases.” The graphite is sprayed from a unit on a freight car located right behind the locomotives so the lubricant doesn’t reduce their traction. It helps prevent freight cars from pushing outwards on the rail going through a curve, Michaud notes. The Quebec Cartier, owned and operated by Quebec Cartier Mining,

4/26/07 3:21:32 PM

“This is big-time railroading,” says Serge Michaud, the general manager of Quebec Cartier. operates over 260 kilometres of track from the Wright Mine near the Labrador border to Port Cartier. It has many steep grades and curves and moves more than 14 million tonnes of ore annually as well as some wood for the pulp and saw mill in Port Cartier. It operates 17 locomotives and 1,200 cars. The QNS&L, owned by Iron Ore Company of Canada, runs extraheavy trains over some of the most rugged terrain in Canada. Its 356mile-long line runs from Sept-Isles on the St. Lawrence River north to Schefferville, which it serves with mixed freight and passenger trains. It has 247 miles of track in Labrador. It utilizes 41 locomotives and 2,176 100-ton capacity cars to haul ore from IOC’s mines at Carol Lake, near Labrador City, and from Wabush Mines’ Scully Lake property. The Wabush Lake Railway has 12 employees, six locomotives and originates more than 55,600 carloads of freight annually. It has a running rights agreement over the line of Northern Land Company between Ross Bay Junction and Wabush Lake Junction, and operates its own railway in Newfoundland and Labrador. Along with its sister line the Arnaud Railway, WLR hauls iron ore for its parent company, Wabush Mines, an unincorporated joint venture of Stelco Inc., Dofasco Inc. and Cliffs Mining Company. Together, WLR and Arnaud haul more than six million tons of iron ore concentrates a year for pelletization and transshipment by water at Pointe Noire. Arnaud operates over a 22.7-mile link between the QNS&L and the port of Pointe Noire, near Sept-Isles. Wabush Lake Railway operates on 38 miles of track in Labrador. ●

Loin des yeux, mais tout aussi importants Suite de la page 17 Parmi les tout derniers dispositifs dont le Québec Cartier a fait l’acquisition, on compte un modifi cateur de friction fabriqué par Kelsan Technologies de North Vancouver. Celui-ci étend une substance de type graphite sur le dessus du rail, pour que les roues suivent mieux les courbes. Le graphite est pulvérisé par un appareil fi xé au wagon qui se trouve juste derrière les locomotives, pour que le lubrifi ant ne réduise pas la traction de celles-ci. Le Québec Cartier, détenu et exploité par la Compagnie minière Québec Cartier, exploite plus de 260 km de voie ferrée, entre la mine Wright, près de la frontière du Labrador, et Port-Cartier. Sur cette ligne, qui comporte plusieurs courbes et dénivellations importantes, transitent annuellement plus de 14 millions de tonnes de minerai, ainsi que du bois et de la pulpe pour la scierie de Port-Cartier. Le chemin de fer utilise 17 locomotives et 1 200 wagons. Propriété de la Compagnie minière IOC, le QNS&L fait rouler des trains ultralourds à travers les régions les plus accidentées du Canada. Sa ligne de 570 km se rend de Sept-Îles à Schefferville. Elle compte aussi 395 km de voie au Labrador. Ce chemin de fer utilise 41 locomotives et 2 176 wagons d’une capacité de 100 tonnes chacun, pour transporter le minerai des mines d’IOC à Carol Lake, près de Labrador City, et de la propriété des Mines Wabush à Scully Lake. Le Wabush Lake Railway compte 12 employés et six locomotives, pour 55 600 wagons de marchandises par année. Cette société a signé une entente avec la Northern Land Company pour circuler sur la voie de cette dernière entre Ross Bay Junction et Wabush Lake Junction. Elle exploite aussi son propre chemin de fer à Terre-Neuve et au Labrador. Tout comme sa société sœur, la Compagnie de chemin de fer Arnaud,

Members of the mobile stretcher project at Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway recently accepted the RAC Safety Award. Pictured from left to right are: Serge Maltais, co-initiator of the project at the railway; Jean-Pierre Boucher, superintendent, Transport and Maintenance of Way for the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway; Gérald Gauthier, director, Industry Liaison at the RAC; Carol Derosby, co-initiator of the project at the railway; and Pierre Blackburn, superintendent, Safety for Quebec North Shore and Labrador.

« C’est du gros ferroviaire », explique Serge Michaud, directeur général de Québec Cartier. le WLR transporte le minerai de fer de sa société mère, les Mines Wabush. Ensemble, les deux chemins de fer transportent chaque année plus de six millions de tonnes de concentré de minerai de fer.

Arnaud exploite un lien ferroviaire de 36 km entre le QNS&L et le port de Pointe-Noire, près de Sept-Îles. Le WLR, quant à lui, exploite 61 km de voie ferrée au Labrador. ●

The QNS&L Railway is:

• 418 km of railway crossing Quebec and Newfoundland & Labrador; • Over one billion tonnes of pellets and concentrate hauled since 1954; • The first railway to use One Person Crew Operation in North America; • An unforgettable history for the communities of Sept-Iles (Quebec)

and of Labrador City (Newfoundland & Labrador).

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Summer 2007 19

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3/15/07 11:07:45 PM

RAC Welcomes Associate Members

L’ACFC accueille ses premiers membres associés

WHILE THE RAILWAY INDUSTRY and railways can

LES CHEMINS DE FER TIENNENT un rôle important

play an important role for a number of different businesses,

auprès de nombreuses entreprises, mais il peut sembler

it may seem unusual that those businesses would want to join

inhabituel que ces entreprises veuillent adhérer à un

an organization that represents the interests of the railway

organisme qui représente les intérêts du secteur ferroviaire.

industry. But that is just what is happening, as the Railway Association of Canada, for the fi rst time, has introduced a new Associate Membership. The RAC, which focuses on managing rail-related issues with the federal government and takes a lead role in educating the public about railway safety, is now inviting railway suppliers and industrial railway operators to join. Bruce Burrows, RAC’s vice-president of Public and Corporate Affairs, says there are a lot of reasons why companies that do business with railways would fi nd RAC associate membership an advantage. “Belonging to RAC gives them access to senior railway decision makers and enables them to keep up to date on the key issues,” Burrows adds. They can also participate in the RAC’s technical committees, conferences and other events that are key to keeping up with the increasingly complex world of railways and transportation.

Among the services the RAC is planning to offer its members is instruction for employees in railway operations and safety through the Canadian Heartland Training Railway. Some courses will be at CHTR in Alberta, some elsewhere on site with members. Burrows notes that suppliers have a good reason to be involved in technical committees because their decisions could affect the demands for the kinds of products the various companies offer the railways. The RAC has created two categories of associate members – railway supplier and industrial railway operator – and Burrows notes that several fi rms have already signed on for the supplier category. They include Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang LLP, a Vancouver-based law fi rm; Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd., an engineering fi rm based in Thornhill, Ont.; HDR, Continued on page 22

C’est pourtant ce qui se produit à l’Association des chemins de fer du Canada, qui vient de créer une nouvelle catégorie de membres associés. L’ACFC se concentre sur la gestion des dossiers ferroviaires avec le gouvernement fédéral et joue un rôle de leader pour éduquer le public sur la sécurité ferroviaire. Elle invite maintenant les fournisseurs et les exploitants de chemins de fer industriels à joindre ses rangs. Bruce Burrows, vice-président aux affaires publiques, affi rme que les entreprises qui font affaire avec les chemins de fer ont plusieurs L’ACFC compte offrir à ses bonnes raisons de devenir membre membres divers services, associé de l’ACFC. « En faisant partie dont la formation de leur de l’ACFC, ajoutepersonnel en exploitation t-il, ces entreprises ont accès aux et sécurité ferroviaire, principaux décideurs ferroviaires. » avec l’aide du Canadian Elles peuvent aussi Heartland Training participer aux comités techniques, Railway. Certains cours colloques et autres événements de se donneront au CHTR en l’association. M. Alberta, alors que d’autres Burrows souligne que les fournisseurs se tiendront chez les ont intérêt à s’impliquer dans les membres. comités techniques, puisque les décisions qui y sont prises risquent d’influencer la demande pour tel ou tel type de produits. L’ACFC s’est dotée de deux catégories de membres associés : les fournisseurs de chemins de fer et les exploitants de chemins de fer industriels. M. Burrows souligne que de nombreuses fi rmes se sont déjà inscrites dans la catégorie fournisseurs. Parmi ceux-ci, on compte Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang LLP, un cabinet d’avocats de Vancouver; Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd., un cabinet d’ingénieurs de Thornhill (Ontario); HDR, une société nord-américaine Suite à la page 23 Interchange

Summer 2007 21

RAC Welcomes Associate Members Continued from page 21

a North American consulting engineering company; Giffles Associates, a Toronto consulting and design fi rm; and Quantum Environmental Group, a consulting fi rm based in Burnaby, B.C. All have considerable railway involvement. RAC is expecting to attract even more associate members in the coming months, Burrows says. “We have more in the pipeline. We began in

March and we have a lot of expressions of interest that we are following up on.” Among the services the RAC is planning to offer its members is instruction for employees in railway operations and safety through the Canadian Heartland Training Railway. Some courses will be at CHTR in Alberta,

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22 Interchange

Summer 2007

Children, families and railway enthusiasts line up for a chance to view the inside of a locomotive at the Ottawa Central Railway’s open house at its Walkley Yard. Ottawa City Councilor Diane Deans helped to kick off the day, which featured model train exhibits, an appearance by OLEV (Operation Lifesaver Educational Vehicle), and historic railcars at the yard.

some elsewhere on site with members. “We want to make it a centre of excellence for rail transportation training.” As well, the RAC now houses the Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers (CARS) in its headquarters office in downtown Ottawa, Burrows notes. This co-location allows members to take advantage of the natural supplier-customer relationship on mutual issues dealing with government. The upturn in the rail freight traffic in North America and overseas in recent years has meant a lot of business for the companies that supply locomotives and cars, equipment for maintaining track in good condition and signals and communications technology. Other potential member companies offer technical expertise in engineering, construction or database management and safety and security techniques. Like the carriers, the suppliers depend on a healthy rail sector. Industrial railways usually serve one industrial site by picking up and delivering freight cars from the customer to a mainline railway. They play an important role in many industrial and mining operations. But they have to ensure the cars they hand over to the mainline railway are in safe operating condition and properly loaded. To help this sector, RAC which already provides hazardous goods training, is expanding its instructional offerings to include technical support in damage prevention and safe, secure car loading. ●

L’ACFC accueille ses premiers membres associés Suite de la page 21 d’ingénieurs-conseils; Giffels Associates, une société-conseil et de conception de Toronto; et Quantum Environmental Group, une sociétéconseil de Burnaby (C.-B.). L’ACFC espère attirer d’autres membres associés au cours des prochains mois, explique M. Burrows. L’association compte offrir à ses membres divers services, dont la formation de leur personnel en exploitation et sécurité ferroviaire, avec l’aide du Canadian Heartland Training Railway. Certains cours se donneront au CHTR en Alberta, alors que d’autres se tiendront chez les membres.

De plus, le quartier général de l’ACFC, au centre-ville d’Ottawa, abrite maintenant l’Association canadienne des fournisseurs de chemins de fer. Avec cette colocation, les membres profitent de la synergie naturelle fournisseur-client dans les dossiers communs avec le gouvernement. La croissance du transport ferroviaire de marchandises des dernières années a amené beaucoup d’eau au moulin des fournisseurs de locomotives, de wagons, d’équipement d’entretien pour les voies, de signalisation et de télécommunications. Les cabinets d’experts en ingénierie, construction, gestion de données et sécurité sont également courtisés. Les chemins de fer industriels desservent habituellement un

seul site industriel, où ils font la navette entre le client et une ligne ferroviaire principale. Ils sont essentiels à bien des contextes industriels et miniers, mais ils doivent s’assurer de l’état sécuritaire des wagons qu’ils transfèrent sur les lignes principales. Pour venir en aide à ce secteur, l’ACFC, qui donne déjà une formation en matières dangereuses, étend son offre éducative au soutien technique à la prévention des dommages, ainsi qu’au chargement sécuritaire des wagons. Peu de chemins de fer industriels ont la taille de celui de l’Autorité portuaire de Montréal. Il assure à la fois le transport intermodal et en vrac pour les transporteurs, qui peuvent ensuite livrer leur cargaison partout en Amérique du Nord. ●

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6/8/07 10:40:39 Summer 2007 23 AM

Hopper Cars to Undergo Upgrade THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOPPER cars operated by Canadian Pacific will undergo a careful examination and upgrade where needed under a new operating agreement the railway has negotiated with Transport Canada. “While many sections of the previous agreement required modernization, reaching agreement with Transport Canada on an overall car quality improvement program was a top priority,” explains Jim Buggs, general manager of Car Management at CP. While the operating agreement primarily covers a wide variety of areas pertaining to the use of these cars, improved car condition was a prime objective.

will apply light-sensitive reflector tape to make the cars much more visible at level crossings at night. Of the 6,300 federal cars operated by CP, the gate design on about 3,600 of them can withstand repeated opening and closing with high-powered pneumatic devices, Buggs said. The remaining gates, manufactured up to 35 years ago, were designed to be opened manually and are damageprone by the high-powered systems used at grain terminals. These ones will be replaced during the next five years with gear of the latest and best design. The work will be done as part of a hopper preventative maintenance program. The gates on hopper cars have attracted complaints from some environmental groups that say they are prone to leak grain while the cars are in transit to the West

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While the top hatches and bottom unloading gates on the cars will receive special attention to make sure they close properly, CP mechanical personnel will inspect, and repair as required, all parts of the hopper when it is in the shop, he explained. As a safety measure, they

24 Interchange

Summer 2007

Coast. The program is intended to stop the spillage so wildlife will not be attracted to the tracks. CPR President and CEO Fred Green said in a statement that the railway was pleased to have negotiated a new operating agreement for the hoppers

The gates on hopper “as it will ensure a secure hopper car cars have attracted supply for farmers and enhance operational complaints from some fluidity. This initiative environmental groups will also strongly support our wildlife that say they are prone protection efforts by reducing grain to leak grain while the and other wildlife cars are in transit to attractants along our tracks.” the West Coast. The Buggs said CP will change the reporting program is intended marks on the cars from to stop the spillage CPWX to CP but will only repaint cars that so wildlife will not be require the work. “Of course, we hope we attracted to the tracks. don’t have to repaint any of them.” Mark Hallman, CN’s director of Communications, says his company is still discussing a new operating agreement for its cars with Transport Canada. “CN remains optimistic it can reach an agreement on the hopper cars in the near future.” Traditionally CP and CN have undertaken to keep the cars in safe operating condition. But that didn’t include looking after the gates or the lids of the cars. Damage to them would occur during loading on the Prairies and unloading at port terminals, which isn’t done by railway employees. Some Prairie grain hoppers are getting a new look. The Saskatchewan Grain Car Corporation (SGCC) has announced plans to refurbish about 100 of its hopper cars this year including painting them in an eye-catching green scheme, to ensure they remain operational well into the future. In September 2004, the SGCC commissioned AllTranstek L.L.C (AllTranstek), the largest railroad management and consulting fi rm in North America, to do an inspection of the mechanical condition of the 1,000 cars in its fleet. AllTranstek recommended repainting the hoppers during the next five years to prevent corrosion. “The government hopper cars are now 26 years old and the recent mechanical assessment of their condition has concluded that repainting the cars is needed to ensure that the cars are preserved to the end of their 50year life span,” the SGCC said. It will be the fi rst paint job on the cars since they were built in 1981. The work was done at the GE Railcar Repair Service Company of Regina and the decals on the cars were developed by Arco Graphics Inc. of Saskatoon. They include a golden yellow stripe representing the wheat and canola fields of Saskatchewan, and the province’s floral emblem, the prairie lily. The Saskatchewan wordmark runs across the length of the car. ●

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Summer 2007 25

Safety. Together, it’s the most important thing we deliver. Congratulations to the winners of the 2006 CN Safe Handling Awards, our partners in the safe delivery of dangerous goods. The awards, which are part of the chemical industry’s Responsible Care® safety initiative, are our way of thanking you for all your hard work in making our business so much safer.

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Railway Operations Training for your employees: Qualification and re-qualification New hire or promotion If it has to do with train operations, track, freight cars, or locomotives the CHTR can help.

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28 Interchange

Summer 2007

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Advocacy Initiatives

Gateways a Going Concern in Eastern Canada, Too INSPIRED BY THE PROGRESS of the Asia-Pacific Gateway Initiative in British Columbia, transportation and shipper groups in eastern Canada are working together to attract more foreign trade. A key component in three proposals being developed is ensuring their rail, road, air and marine connections are working as efficiently and effectively as possible to attract overseas business, mainly shipped in containers to customers throughout North America. None of these ventures has advanced to the point where they can tap into the

nearly $2 billion in federal funding for gateways and trade corridors that was allocated in the March budget. The three projects currently on the drawing boards are Atlantica, based in Halifax; the St. Lawrence RiverGreat Lakes Gateway, being driven by a variety of Montreal-based organizations under the leadership of Madeleine Paquin, president and CEO of Logistec Corp.; and the Southern Ontario Gateway Council, based in Hamilton, that draws together ports, carriers and shipper groups from Oshawa through to St. Catharines. All three entities are in the formative stage and know there is a lot of study and consensus building required to advance

to the position the Pacific Gateway has achieved. It started as an initiative of the Vancouver Gateway Council in the late 1990s. In May, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Ottawa was bringing the federal contribution to infrastructure improvements connected to the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative up to $1 billion. “It’s hard to overstate the importance of Asia-Pacific trade to Canada’s economic future. The Gateway Initiative is obviously critical to realizing our potential as a country,” he said. The importance of gateways was a key topic at the Rail-Government Interface held in Ottawa in May by the Railway

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Summer 2007 29

are concerned with – Windsor-Sarnia, John Best, executive director of the Association of Canada and the Canadian Niagara, and the 401 from Montreal. Southern Ontario Gateway Council, Association of Railway Suppliers. At this point, most of the freight moves says his group has representatives Gordon Houston, CEO of the by rail and road but the marine sector from CN and Canadian Pacific, the Vancouver Port Authority and a is trying to encourage more use of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Ontario backer of the Pacific Gateway from its Seaway and Great Lakes.” Trucking Association, the Toronto and infancy, says a trade corridor combines Within the region, transportation Hamilton port authorities and various a complex set of transportation accounts for 156,000 direct jobs and business organizations. connections geared to serve domestic handles 68 per cent of the and international provincial economy and customers. “You have to . . . one of the great strengths of this Gateway 28 per cent of the national work with all the partners economy, Best noted. to obtain the full potential Council is the way in which it is led by Improving transportation of a gateway. Shippers want in the Golden Horseshoe is end-to-end solutions, not industry. And we are very pleased that so important because almost a lot of excuses. You have many of the key players in the transportation half of Ontario’s exports to have all the modes on to the United States move board.” sector of this region have come together to through it. “We are facing a What a gateway must massive increase in trucking do is closely examine all put a gateway strategy in place.” while we have little room the participants to see if – Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon for highway expansion and they are performing as a population that is rapidly efficiently as they can, he growing.” recommended. “Everyone When the council was formally It is trying to make business and has to be involved in monitoring created last fall, Transport Minister federal, provincial and municipal the process.” As well, the corridor Lawrence Cannon told the organizers governments aware of the region’s has to be designed so it will be both at a ceremony in Hamilton, “You can challenges and potential. “We have environmentally and economically count on us as strong champions of three points of entry for trade that we sustainable.

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this venture. We are here to pledge our support. But we also want to emphasize that one of the great strengths of this Gateway Council is the way in which it is led by industry. And we are very pleased that so many of the key players in the transportation sector of this region have come together to put a gateway strategy in place.” Ottawa will support the Council in its efforts to identify “the transportation challenges and opportunities facing this region,” he said. “A potential application of the gateway and corridor approach needs to be fully explored for the Southern

Ontario region to better understand how to capitalize on its position as the biggest trade route between Canada and the United States. “The logistics of moving people and goods quickly, reliably and safely has led to a concentration of talent, skills and physical capital,” Cannon added. “Efficient transportation gateways and corridors are essential to Canada’s international commerce and our long-term prosperity.” The minister also said that the federal government is “developing a national policy framework for strategic gateways and trade corridors that will guide future actions.” Marc Gagnon, executive director of the Quebec City-based St. Lawrence Economic Development Association, says the proposals for the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Gateway began with port and shipping representatives headed by Paquin. Logistec is a major stevedoring and terminal operator. “But now we have all modes of transport on board,” he said. “Both

CN and CP have seats on our council.” CN is represented by François Hebert, vice president of network strategies, and CP by Jane O’Hagan, vice president of strategy and external affairs. “They bring the perspective of the rail industry and enable us to understand the operations of the U.S. carriers they connect with,” Gagnon says. “They know what their counterparts are doing.” Thus far, the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Gateway involves Canadian companies that are trying to create a common vision of what’s required to get the St. Lawrence River, the Seaway and Great Lakes a greater role in trade moving into eastern Canada and the United States, Gagnon states. “At some point we will have to get American participation as well. But, for now, our Council members represent the sector, not their company. “We get a lot of frank discussion among the participants,” he continues. “We have to get all the sectors involved and ensure we are working in complete transparency,” Gagnon explains. “We

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see ourselves as a leadership council beginning the project.” The Atlantica proposal takes in the four Atlantic provinces and the New England States, explains Charles Cirtwill, acting president of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies. It and the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC) are playing lead roles promoting the regional gateway and trade corridor proposal and have strong supporters in the United States. The Atlantica Council was set up by APEC and has the backing of the four provincial governments but it has been mainly driven by the private sector, Cirtwell says. “There has been little government influence although

we have political support here and in the U.S.” The State of Vermont is trying to portray itself as natural bridge in a north-south traffic flow between the Canadian ports and U.S. customers. Among the players are the ports in Halifax and Saint John and a proposed container terminal in the Canso Strait area, plus CN, the New Brunswick Southern and Cape Breton & Central Nova regional railways and most of the Atlantic trucking firms. “The New Brunswick Southern is particularly eager because it sees the opportunity to move traffic from Halifax and the new terminal into the U.S. East Coast,” he says.

One difference Cirtwill sees between Atlantica and the other proposed gateways is “we have our infrastructure pretty well in place. There are some areas that need upgrading such as bridges. But for now we don’t need a lot of taxpayer involvement.” The Port of Halifax offers one of the few sites on the eastern seaboard that can handle the largest container ships afloat. Atlantica’s task is to convince more shippers and shipping lines to use it and ensure the transportation links are in place to move the containers into central Canada or the northeastern United States. ●

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Passenger Progress

Famous Toronto Train Shed Roof to Undergo Major Facelift OVER THE YEARS, millions of travelers have walked the platforms of Toronto’s Union Station without realizing that overhead was a broad swath of architectural history. If they did notice the roof above them, they probably thought it was designed to keep the rain and snow away as they got on or off, at fi rst the passenger trains of CN and Canadian Pacific Railway, and in modern times GO Transit and VIA Rail. Actually, the shed’s main function was to keep the steam engines’ smoke

from settling on the passengers, explains David Hopper, deputy program manager with the Union Station Rail Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Program. “What the design of the shed did was cause the smoke to rise up and then it would be carried away by the wind. Without the shed, the smoke – being heavier than the air – would settle all over everything.” Thirty years later, steam engines were history but the shed lived on and has become one of the few of its kind of structure left in North America. “There were two to three dozen of this

style of train shed in North America – Toronto is one of the last,” Hopper points out. “The other one in Canada is Winnipeg Union Station but it is substantially smaller.” As part of a $1-billion overhaul of the Union Station buildings and rail infrastructure, the train shed will get a massive facelift of its own, he adds. The structure is protected under federal heritage railway laws, even though the Union Station complex has been sold to the City of Toronto and GO Transit. The result is that Parks Canada has to approve any alterations to the structure, Hopper notes.

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“It is a survival of the cutest. The shed is not very attractive and many passengers don’t appreciate its heritage.” – David Hopper, Deputy Program Manager with the Union Station Rail Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Program While the ticket areas, main hall and the other public areas of Union Station were built with lots of splendour because that is where people waited for their train, Hopper notes, “The track level area

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The longevity of many older buildings is related to how they appear today, Hopper notes. “It is a survival of the cutest. The shed is not very attractive and many passengers don’t appreciate its heritage.” The challenge in the refurbishment “is balancing the expectations of today’s customers with preserving a 1920s train station that has a heritage designation,” Hopper relates. One unique feature of the structure that covers 350,000 square feet is that it has no skylights as the shed at Windsor Station in Montreal did. “There was a great fascination with electric lighting when the Toronto shed was built and it had 720 100-watt bulbs for the entire structure. Now, we have more lighting than that for each platform.” To introduce natural lighting to the shed, GO plans to add an atrium during the rebuilding process, Hopper notes. “We want to replace about 150 feet at the centre with a glass box that will be about 180 feet wide and 10 feet deep. It will cover about 150,000 square feet and will be translucent to allow diffused light onto the platform by day. At night, we will have light coming from it.” The train shed was built in 1928-1929 as the fi nal stage of the construction of the Union Station building in the city’s downtown. At the time, that part of Toronto consisted mostly of industries that were served by the tracks between the station and the waterfront. “Few people could see the shed roof in those days. But now that we have tall buildings all over downtown, lots of people can see and we want to make it more visually attractive,” Hopper explains. The shed was based on a design patented by American architect Abraham Lincoln Bush. As imposing as the structure looks, it is actually a lightweight design that rests on pillars that rise up from the series of bridges that carry the tracks in front of Union Station. The bridges rest on the huge columns one sees in the waiting rooms that lead from the ticket concourse to the trains at the station.

“It was built in the early days of reinforced concrete construction,” Hopper noted. It is composed of modules that were repeated over and over again and tied off at the ends. “It is part of our industrial history. It was built with the materials and technology of the day – steel pillars, a wooden deck and asphalt roof. The deck is made of 2 x 3s nailed together with the edge sticking up. The asphalt was applied on top of that.” The shed was erected over two years. During the fi rst year, tracks 1 to 7 were covered while tracks 8 to 11 were done the following year. Tracks 12 and 13 were left uncovered until the late 1970s as GO expanded its operations from the station. The location of the station near Toronto’s waterfront meant the shed has been exposed to a harsh climate, Hopper explains. “It had high humidity in the summer and freeze and

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thaw cycles during the winter.” At the same time, it had a complicated system for draining away the rainwater from the roof. “Over the years, there has

been a lot of damage to the drainage system on the roof and some of the support pillars have deteriorated as well because of improper drainage.

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“It is remarkable that the structure has lasted in such good condition for as long as it has,” Hopper remarks. “Back then, they didn’t know that reinforced concrete would be affected by the increased carbon in the atmosphere. As well, it is a big structure and it moves around a lot in the wind. Being up there on a windy day is quite disconcerting.” The plan for refurbishing the shed is about 30 per cent complete and Hopper hopes it will be done and approved in time for construction to start during the summer of 2008. “It will be a tricky process getting it ready in time.”

When the planning is fi nished, GO plans to build a roof over tracks 13 and 14 that should be done by next May. They will be put into regular service when the shed refurbishment begins to make up for tracks that are closed while work goes on over them. The most southerly tracks at the station – 15 and 16 – will remain open for freight operations. Once the work on the shed begins, two tracks will be removed so work equipment can move back and forth. When the rebuilding of that area is done, the track will be reinstalled and the work will shift to the next two tracks.

Any badly deteriorated sections of the shed will be replaced along with the old timber in the roof, Hopper says. At the same time, the interior of the structure will get a thorough cleaning and all the steel will be repainted. The eaves troughs and drainage system will all be replaced. The work will likely take four and a half years and the fi nal price tag will depend on how much of the shed has to be replaced rather than refurbished. In some cases, that won’t be known until the work begins. When the work is complete, the shed should remain a vital part of downtown Toronto for many years to come. ●

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Industry News and Developments

CN Announces Safety Award Winners KEEPING SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT of the Canadian railway industry, CN recently announced the winners of its 2006 Safe Handling Awards and the 2007 Safe Community Fund winners. “The Safe Handling Awards reward customers of handling dangerous good carefully and judiciously, and for respecting high standards,” said Jerry Boland, vicepresident, Sales, Industrial Products. “Safety is of utmost importance for us, our customers, and the communities we live and work in.” In total, 93 companies received these awards, which, launched in 1992, have been some of the most coveted and respected awards in the industry. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the awards, and they are part of a series of initiatives undertaken by CN to maintain a positive safety track record. CN also announced 10 communities as recipients of the Safe Community Fund. Ten communities across Canada – all designated safe communities by Safe Communities Canada – have each received $2,500 to implement rail safety initiatives. This year’s winners are: Greater Belleville Safe Community Committee, Brampton Safe City Organization, Safe Community Coalition of Brockville and LeedsGrenville, Safe Communities on The Grand (Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo), ChathamKent Safe Communities Coalition, Hamilton Safe Communities Council, Kingston Partners for a Safe Community, and Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition in Ontario; Humboldt and Area

Safe Community Coalition in Saskatchewan; and Kamloops Injury Prevention Network in British Columbia. Each community submitted a plan to create at least three programs to improve safety near railway tracks and property. The railway established the CN Safe Community Fund in 2001 to encourage communities across Canada to incorporate rail safety initiatives in their community action plans.

Toyota Awards CP Canadian Pacific Railway has been awarded the 2006 Presidents’ Award for Rail Carriers and an Excellence Award for Customer Service by Toyota Logistics Services. “Canadian Pacific is very proud to be selected by TLS to receive these distinguished performance awards,” said Marcella Szel, CP’s senior vice president of Marketing and Sales. “This is a testament to the collaborative focus and ingenuity that the entire Canadian Pacific team provides to Toyota’s service delivery.” Toyota, which is celebrating it 50th year of operations in North America, reviews their logistics’ partners performance in a number of categories, and excellence awards are awarded for each transportation mode. Toyota also selects the best carrier in each mode for their President’s Award. Canadian Pacific, which has provided transportation of finished cars for Toyota, has been working with the company for more than 40 years. Last year, Toyota and CP also announced a long-term agreement for the railway to provide rail service to the new Toyota plant in Woodstock, Ontario.

All Aboard with Thomas the Tank Engine

Thomas the Tank Engine is on tour across Canada and will finish the “Day Out With Thomas” tour in Ottawa, where children and adults alike will have the opportunity to jump aboard with the classic children’s character. Thomas has already visited Calgary, Alberta and Squamish, British Columbia, and will be visiting St. Thomas, Ontario in July. He will finish his tour at the Ottawa Central Railway yard on Albion Road at the end of August. The tour features a 25-minute train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as Thomas and Friends related entertainment such as storytelling and video viewing, and an imagination station with arts and crafts and more. Sir Topham Hatt, the chairman of the Railway on the Island of Sodor, will also be on hand to meet guests. Thomas the Tank will be at the Ottawa Central Railway August 17, 18, 19, and 24, 25 and 26 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Partnership Keeps Port of Prince Rupert on Track CN recently announced a new partnership with COSCO Container Lines America that will see COSCO become the first steamship company to route Asian freight to the Port of Prince Rupert and connect to CN’s North American network. Interchange

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“CN is delighted to have COSCO as its first customer to call on the Prince Rupert container terminal, a new North American gateway for Asian trade,” said James M. Foote, CN’s executive vice-president, Sales and Marketing. COSCO will begin its service to the port starting in the fourth quarter of 2007. CN also has a partnership with Maher Terminals, based in New Jersey and one of the world’s largest independent multiuser container terminal operators.

The CN-COSCO-Maher partnership, “will offer shippers the fastest, most efficient and most costeffective routing for Asian traffic destined to and from the interior of North America,” Foote added. Phase 1 of the Prince Rupert terminal project will have initial throughput capacity of 500,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent containers) annually and is part of a broader plan to build a facility capable of handling two million TEUs per year.

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New Amtrak Deal to Increase Pacific Passenger Traffic

The British Columbia government has announced the last block of funding to build a new rail siding that will allow a second daily Amtrak passenger train between Seattle and Vancouver. The new siding will be built on the BSNF Railway and work is expected to be complete by the summer of 2008. The British Columbia government will provide up to a maximum of $4.5 million, with the remainder of the project being funded by BSNF and Amtrak. “Government is partnering with private industry and Washington State on a project that ultimately will benefit all British Columbians,” said B.C. Transportation Minister, Kevin Falcon. “This project will boost tourism dollars, reduce traffic congestion, and ease vehicle emissions on our major transportation corridors and at our 12:05:17 PM border crossings.” In its first full year of operation, the second Amtrak passenger train from Seattle to Vancouver is expected to bring approximately 50,000 travellers to Vancouver, and inject an estimated $13.9 million into the British Columbia economy.

GO Transit Celebrates Another Milestone Last year, GO Transit carried its one billionth passenger. This year, North America’s fifth busiest urban rail system is celebrating its 40th anniversary as Toronto’s interregional public transit system. On May 23, 1967, the first GO Train departed Oakville station for Toronto’s Union Station, which to 38 Interchange

Summer 2007

this day still remains the central hub of GO Transit service. More than 150,000 commuters pass through the GO concourse every weekday. To celebrate the anniversary, GO Transit held a special ceremony at Union Station, with Donna Cansfield, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation on hand. The ceremony commenced with archival video footage of GO Transit, and a gallery of historical photographs was also put on display. There have been a number of accomplishments in the history of GO Transit, including the launch of GO Bus service in 1970 and the introduction of bi-level railcars. What started out as a three-year, single rail line experiment, has grown into a network that carries over 195,000 passengers on an average weekday. The system has 56 train stations, 14 bus terminals, and an annual ridership of 48.5 million.

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CN Doubles Order to 130 Locomotives New Locomotives Will Increase Fleet Efficiency, Reduce Fuel Consumption and Emissions CN HAS DOUBLED THE NUMBER of fuel-efficient, high-horsepower locomotives it has on order in 2007-2008 – increasing its order of GE and EMD units from 65 to 130. The railway’s latest orders are for 40 ES44DC locomotives from GE Transportation Rail, a unit of General Electric Company based in Erie, Penn., and for 25 SD70M-2 locomotives from London, Ont.-based ElectroMotive Diesel Inc. The GE units will be delivered between December 2007 and February 2008, with the EMDs arriving in August 2008. CN previously ordered 50 SD70M2s for delivery between August and October 2007, and 15 ES44DC units to come in November this year. The EMDs produce 4,300 horsepower each and the GE units 4,400 horsepower each. The latest locomotive orders will permit CN to retire 145 older locomotives, according to railway president and CEO Hunter Harrison. The new units are about 15 per cent more fuel efficient than the locomotives they will replace, and will comply fully with the latest regulatory requirements for reduced locomotive emissions. “The new locomotives will help CN to improve the efficiency and reliability of its fleet, reduce fuel consumption significantly and lower exhaust emissions,” said Harrison. The new locomotives are part of a major fuel conservation program by CN, which spent almost C$900 million on fuel in 2006. The 65 locomotives CN previously ordered for this year will be largely used to accommodate traffic growth from the new Prince Rupert container terminal, scheduled to start operations in October. 40 Interchange

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All of the 130 new locomotives CN has ordered will be equipped with distributed power capability, which allows them to be placed in the middle of a freight train and be remotely controlled from the lead locomotive. Distributed power technology improves fuel efficiency and train handling, and permits CN to maximize the productivity gains associated with its extended siding program. The CN announcement came in the wake of the new government-industry Memorandum of Understanding to continue to reduce industry emissions announced in May. Cliff Mackay, president and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada, said: “We are proud of our past record in delivering environmental results. For example: • Our NOx emissions averaged below the 115 kilotonnes cap set by the former 10-year, voluntary Memorandum of Understanding; • Rail freight’s fuel consumption per 1,000 revenue tonne kilometres declined 20 per cent under the MOU; • Freight GHG emissions intensity declined by 15 per cent; • It means we moved a tonne of freight between Montreal and Ottawa on a litre of fuel.” The railway industry, in fact, outperformed Canada as a whole. Total GHG emissions in Canada rose 35 per cent since 1990 while GHG emissions from total railway operations only rose eight per cent during the same period. “We intend to improve our performance over the next five years. Basically, we are looking for an additional 8 to 10 per cent improvement in our GHG intensity and about a 30 per cent improvement in NOx emissions (taking into account traffic growth),” said Mackay. That translates into an absolute reduction in NOx emissions of

15 per cent by 2010. The key will be to continue working smarter, doing more with less, building teamwork and sharing knowledge and best practices across the industry and beyond. A detailed Action Plan will be fi nalized within the next six months, but the industry is already looking at a number of innovative processes in areas such as: a) operations (train rebuilding, scheduling, reduced handling and others); b) technology (anti-idling devices, steering trucks and others); c) replacing infrastructure – move to heavier weight standards on short lines; and, d) full use of new government programs such as the recently announced Eco-Freight and EcoMobility programs, and possible emissions trading initiatives. “Rail is entering a new golden era of opportunity and accomplishment. Productivity has increased. Operating ratios are down to levels that would have been thought impossible just a decade ago,” said Mackay. “Rail freight traffic has increased 25 per cent. Intercity passenger traffic is up by 11 per cent. Rail commuters increased 42 per cent during the same period. The short line industry – which was basically non-existent until the midnineties – originates about a quarter of the rail freight traffic in Canada today.” Canada’s railways achieved those improvements with exactly the same number of locomotives as a decade ago, he said. “This is one of the key reasons why rail represents such a small footprint of greenhouse gas emissions compared to other modes. Even though we move over 65 per cent of the surface freight in Canada, we only account for about 3 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.” ●

Safety

Sécurité

Learning From Experience to Prevent a Recurrence

Tirer des leçons pour éviter la répétition

TRANSPORT MINISTER LAWRENCE CANNON

LE MINISTRE DES TRANSPORTS, LAWRENCE

says the government will take advantage of the

CANNON, affirme que le gouvernement profitera des

information and insights being gathered this year by

renseignements et des avis recueillis cette année par le comité

the House of Commons’ transport committee and the

des transports de la Chambre des Communes et dans le cadre

Railway Safety Act Review process to enhance railway

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renforcer la sécurité ferroviaire au pays.

The RSA review panel, headed by former Conservative transport minister Doug Lewis, held hearings across the country in late spring and early summer gathering the views of the railways, workers, shippers and other interested parties on rail safety issues. It is to make its final report by October and that likely means any amendments to the Act would be introduced in 2008. The Transportation Safety Board has reported that the number of rail accidents in 2006 dropped by nine per cent to 1,141 from the 2005 total of 1,247 but remained five per cent higher than the 20012005 average of 1,091. The TSB statistics do not reflect CN’s acquisition of BC Rail in July 2004. The amount of rail traffic in 2006 was four per cent above the five-year average, which meant the accident rate decreased to 11.9 per million train-miles in 2006. That was compared to 13.0 in 2005 and to the five-year rate of 11.9. In 2006, rail incidents, such as leaking tank cars, reported to the TSB reached a 24-year low of 225, down from 243 in 2005 and from the five-year average of 283. Keith Creel, CN’s executive vice president of Operations, told the Commons’ Standing Committee that Continued on page 42

Dirigé par Doug Lewis, ancien ministre conservateur des Transports, le comité de révision de la LSF a tenu des audiences à travers le pays. Il devrait déposer son rapport final d’ici octobre, ce qui voudrait dire des amendements à la Loi en 2008. Le Bureau de la sécurité des transports (BST) a signalé une diminution de 9 p. cent du nombre d’accidents ferroviaires en 2006 (1 141 accidents, contre 1 247 en 2005), tout en soulignant qu’il s’agit d’un total encore supérieur de 5 p. cent à la moyenne de 1 091 accidents par année entre 2001 et 2005. Les statistiques du BST ne tiennent pas compte de l’acquisition de BC Rail par le CN en juillet 2004 (avant cette date, les accidents du BC Rail n’étaient pas compilés par le BST, puisque ce chemin de fer relevait du provincial). En 2006, le trafic ferroviaire a été de 4 p. cent supérieur à la moyenne quinquennale, ce qui signifie que le taux d’accidents est retombé à 11,9 par million de trainsmilles, comme la moyenne quinquennale. Il était de 13,0 en 2005. Toujours en 2006, le BST a enregistré le plus bas nombre d’incidents ferroviaires (ex. : fuites de wagonsciternes) des 24 dernières années : 225, contre 243 en 2005 et une moyenne quinquennale de 283. Keith Creel, VP exécutif Exploitation au CN, a expliqué au comité permanent des Communes que la fiche du chemin Suite à la page 44 Interchange

Summer 2007 41

Learning From Experience to Prevent a Recurrence

performance scorecard and regular checks on whether employees were working by the rules. It has also invested Continued from page 41 in many new technologies to improve the safety of its operation. As well, half of its $1.6 billion capital spending budget this year will go to renewing track the railway’s record improved in 2006 compared to 2005 infrastructure. and the situation “was headed in the right direction in Brock Winter, senior vice-president of Operations at 2007.” CN also announced in April the appointment of Canadian Pacific Railway, says his company is a North Paul Miller as chief safety officer. American leader in rail safety. Safety “is one of the five principles that guide CN’s “Since the end of 1995, we have seen a 76 per cent business, together with service, cost control, asset decrease in personal injuries and a 73 per cent decrease utilization and people,” Creel pointed out. “They are in train accidents,” he said in a presentation prepared the constants in our planning and operating decisions. for the transport committee. They are both the business “Our train accident record. and the cultural context of In 2006, rail incidents, such as leaking tank . . was 60 per cent better this company. We’re never than the U.S. rail industry satisfied with our safety cars, reported to the TSB reached a performance in 2006. In record.” Railways want to avoid 24-year low of 225, down from 243 in 2005 fact, CPR now leads all North American Class 1 derailments because they are railroads in train operations expensive to clear up, he said. and from the five-year average of 283. safety.” “In 2006, our derailmentHe attributed CP’s success related costs plummeted from to establishing a safety culture. “Our commitment to $91 million to $48 million, compared to the previous safety never waivers as we continue to focus our efforts year. In addition, and most importantly, employee on becoming the safest railway in North America. The injuries in 2006 were down by 25 per cent, which also safety and health of Canadian Pacific employees and the represents a very significant improvement.” safety of our operations is of paramount importance to He said CN was trying to instill a safety culture in everyone who works for this company. its workers and had introduced an annual employee

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is fundamentally sound. What is required is to put into “CP’s safety success is a testament to union/management effect what we have learned since the implementation of the commitment and involvement in hundreds of safety, health, RSA.” training and business process activities,” he explained. “We One concern of the Board is getting Transport Canada have been building a safety-conscious culture where safety to follow through on Board reports, she said. “For each of is built in to our business processes. It is not a bolt-on the Board’s recommendations, there has been a thorough activity or afterthought – it is how we do business. investigation – sometimes “Our employees recognize more than one – in which the these efforts,” he continued. “While some legislative tinkering may TSB has clearly demonstrated An independent survey of workers found that “70 per be in order, massive amendments to the a serious systemic safety deficiency. We have then cent of our employees either RSA are not required. The legislation is looked for means to address agree or strongly agree with the statement that, at CP, fundamentally sound. What is required is these problems in the system. We back up our arguments workplace safety is a key for what needs to be done priority. There has also been a to put into effect what we have learned to go forward with a significant improvement in this since the implementation of the RSA.” recommendation.” metric over the last few years. Too often nothing happens “We want to continue to – Wendy Tadros, chair of the Transportation Safety Board and the TSB ends up prefacing improve those results. One future recommendations with thing we have learned at CP is the observation that it has said this before, she explained. that safety vigilance can never take a holiday – it’s a 365In its presentation to the panel, the Railway Association day-a-year job.” of Canada also called attention to safety management To keep safety in everyone’s mind, CP has more than systems. It said the system approach was envisaged “as “100 workplace committees, four functional policy a means of advancing a performance-based regulatory committees and one Senior Policy committee,” he outlined. regime. . . that could ultimately replace prescriptive rules “This structure and the processes we have built into safety and regulations for companies that have good safety management oversight, ensures a consistent approach with performances with a safety framework that requires a constant focus on improving all aspects of safety. railways to have various safety-related processes and “These activities continue to form the fundamental base procedures in place and perform risk assessments to review of our proactive prevention processes,” he pointed out. proposed changes. “They include things like track inspection, maintenance “However, lately, this has not been the case,” RAC and renewal, equipment inspection and repair, train brake said. “SMS has been implemented as an additional level of testing, and operating rules and practices. Beginning in regulation above and beyond the set of existing rules and the late 1970s, however, technology started to play an regulations. It has also been administered in a manner that ever increasingly important role and will become even greatly increases bureaucracy with, in some cases, limited more important as new technologies are developed for safety benefit.” The review panel should recommend getting monitoring the conditions of track and the locomotives the SMS issue back on its intended track, RAC stated. running on them,” said Mr. Winter. The Railway Safety Act allows the companies Wendy Tadros, chair of the Transportation Safety to develop modern rules that suit their workplace Board, told the Railway Safety Act Review Panel that and replace outdated prescriptive regulations after “While some legislative tinkering may be in order, massive consultations with employees and the department. ● amendments to the RSA are not required. The legislation

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dépense en immobilisations de 1,6 G$ au renouvellement de ses infrastructures ferroviaires. Suite de la 41 « Ces investissements sont évidemment souhaités pour la protection de notre personnel et du grand de fer s’était améliorée en 2005 et 2006, et que « les choses public, affirme M. Creel, mais, au bout du compte, ils s’annonçaient bien pour 2007. » Le CN a également annoncé constituent aussi de bonnes décisions d’affaires. Toute la nomination de Paul Miller au poste de chef de la sécurité. l’entreprise est dévouée à la sécurité. » La sécurité « constitue l’un des cinq principes directeurs Brock Winter, vice-président principal à l’exploitation du CN, a souligné M. Creel, avec le service, le contrôle du CFCP, affirme que sa compagnie est en tête de la des coûts, l’utilisation des actifs et les gens. Notre fiche de sécurité ferroviaire sur le continent. sécurité n’est jamais assez bonne. » « Depuis la fin de Il affi rme aussi que les 1995, a-t-il déclaré dans chemins de fer souhaitent Toujours en 2006, le BST a enregistré le plus sa présentation devant éviter les déraillements, le comité des transports, parce que leur nettoyage est bas nombre d’incidents ferroviaires (ex. : fuites nous affichons une baisse coûteux. « En 2006, nos coûts liés aux déraillements de wagons-citernes) des 24 dernières années : de 76 p. cent des blessures et une baisse de 73 p. cent sont passés de 91 à 48 M$. 225, contre 243 en 2005 et une moyenne des accidents de train. Plus important encore, le Notre fiche d’accidents de nombre de blessures chez quinquennale de 283. train […] est meilleure que le personnel a chuté de celle du secteur ferroviaire 25 p. cent. » américain, dans une proportion de 60 p. cent. D’ailleurs, Selon lui, le CN s’efforçait d’instaurer la sécurité au chapitre de la sécurité, le CFCP est maintenant en tête dans la culture de son personnel, introduisant même des chemins de fer nord-américains de Classe 1. » une carte de rendement annuel avec contrôles réguliers Il attribue ce succès à l’instauration d’une culture de la pour vérifier si les employés travaillent bien selon les sécurité : « notre engagement en ce sens n’a jamais fléchi règles. L’entreprise a également amélioré la sécurité de ses et nous poursuivons nos efforts pour devenir le chemin activités au coût de plusieurs nouvelles technologies, sans de fer le plus sécuritaire en Amérique du Nord. » compter qu’elle a consacré la moitié de son budget de

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Trop souvent, explique-t-elle, aucune suite n’est donnée « Notre personnel reconnaît ces efforts, continue-t-il. Une et le Bureau se retrouve à préfacer ses recommandations enquête indépendante parmi nos travailleurs a révélé que suivantes de la mention « comme nous l’avons dit 70 p. cent de ceux-ci sont en accord ou fortement en accord précédemment. » avec l’affi rmation que, au CFCP, la sécurité au travail est Dans sa présentation devant le comité, l’Association des une priorité. Ce chiffre représente aussi une amélioration chemins de fer du Canada a elle aussi parlé des systèmes de importante par rapport aux dernières années. gestion de la sécurité (SGS). Elle « Je tiens à améliorer encore ces voit dans l’approche systémique résultats. Nous avons appris, entre « La Loi n’a pas besoin « une manière de promouvoir une autres choses, qu’en sécurité, la réglementation fondée sur l’atteinte vigilance n’a pas de vacances. C’est d’amendements massifs, bien d’objectifs […] et qui pourrait un boulot toute l’année. » éventuellement remplacer, chez les Pour que tous pensent sécurité, que certains ajustements compagnies qui ont une bonne fiche le CFCP a créé plus de juridiques puissent être de mise. de sécurité, les règles normatives « 100 comités en milieu de travail, par un cadre de sécurité plus souple. quatre comités de politiques et un Fondamentalement, c’est une Celui-ci exigerait des chemins de comité principal de politiques, » bonne loi. Il s’agit maintenant fer qu’ils mettent en place divers explique-t-il. procédés et procédures de sécurité « On dit des trains que c’est un d’appliquer ce que nous avons et évaluent les risques liés aux sport de plein air, souligne-t-il; modifications qu’ils proposent. » notre approche de la sécurité est appris depuis son adoption. » Néanmoins, « ce n’est pas ainsi différente parce que nous faisons – Wendy Tadros, membre du Bureau que les choses se font dernièrement, face à toutes sortes de terrains et de la sécurité des transports affi rme l’ACFC. Le SGS actuel de conditions climatiques. Il y a constitue un autre niveau de longtemps, disons 30 ou 40 ans, réglementation qui s’ajoute aux la prévention était entièrement règles déjà en vigueur. De plus, son administration génère manuelle, une question d’inspections et d’entretien. Et beaucoup plus de bureaucratie pour, dans certains cas, peu cela forme encore la base de nos méthodes de prévention d’amélioration à la sécurité. » proactive. Cependant, depuis la fi n des années 70, la Elle a aussi souligné que cette révision est l’occasion technologie joue un rôle croissant. » de se pencher sur les préoccupations du secteur face à la Devant le comité de révision de la Loi sur la sécurité manière dont Transports Canada s’occupe de la sécurité ferroviaire, Wendy Tadros, membre du Bureau de la ferroviaire. sécurité des transports, a déclaré que « la Loi n’a pas besoin La Loi sur la sécurité ferroviaire permet aux compagnies d’amendements importants, bien que certains ajustements d’élaborer des règles modernes convenant à leur milieu de juridiques puissent être de mise. Fondamentalement, c’est travail et qui remplaceront les prescriptions surannées, une bonne loi. Il s’agit maintenant d’appliquer ce que nous après consultation avec leurs employés et le ministère. avons appris depuis son adoption. » « Pourtant, souligne l’ACFC, au cours des dernières Par contre, dit-elle, le Bureau s’inquiète de ce que années, l’administration du processus législatif a donné lieu fait Transports Canada de ses rapports : « Chaque à plusieurs problèmes. Le secteur ferroviaire ayant demandé recommandation du Bureau s’appuie sur une, voire plusieurs une révision complète de ce processus il y a maintenant trois enquêtes approfondies démontrant une déficience systémique ans, sans que le ministère n’agisse, l’ACFC a demandé au en matière de sécurité, après quoi nous étudions les moyens comité de recommander des amendements. » ● pour régler ces problèmes. »

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Canadian Pacific announced the appointment of Kathryn McQuade to the position of executive vice-president and chief operating offi cer. McQuade joined CP after working with Norfolk Southern Corporation, where she was executive vice president, Planning, and chief information officer. At CP, McQuade is responsible for providing strategic leadership and integration between CP’s railway operations, information technology and strategic sourcing groups. Brock Winter has also been promoted from senior vice-president of operations and has taken over the duties of executive, Operations, with added responsibilities for intermodal.

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Railpower Technologies has announced the appointment of John T. Norris as vice president of marketing and sales. Previously, Norris was vice president, marketing and sales of Rail Development Group.

John Scott has been appointed to the Canadian Transportation Agency for a period of five years. Scott is currently vice president and general counsel of FleishmanHillard Canada.

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CN has promoted Keith Creel to executive vice president, Operations, from senior vice president, Eastern Region. Creel will now be responsible for rail operations in Canada and the United States. CN also promoted Jim Vena to senior vice president, Western Region. Vena will oversee all operations activities in the region. In addition, CN also announced the appointment of its fi rst ever chief safety offi cer. Paul Miller was promoted from his position as vice president of transportation to vice president and chief safety officer. Miller will be responsible for overseeing all safety functions, including operating practices, regulatory affairs, risk management, environment and hazardous materials. Paul Miller

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The board of directors of VIA Rail has a new member, as Jeffrey R. Clarke has been appointed to the board. Clarke has been appointed as a member of the board for a period of four years. He is currently president and chief executive officer of Ottawa’s Inflector Environmental Services.

Changing of the Guard

Two Retiring Leaders Represented Decades of Experience; Worthy Successors Step Up to the Plate implement process engineering and his fresh approach to some of our CANADIAN railroading have recent cooperative co-production retired after years of striving to make agreements with other railways has been groundbreaking. I would like rail transportation safer and more to thank Neal for his dedication and effective. contributions to CP.” RAC President and CEO Cliff Ed Harris recently stepped down Mackay says the dedication of Harris as CN’s executive vice president of and Foote to the industry “is more Operations while Neal Foote retired as than a little inspiring. They brought executive vice president of Operations leadership to the whole industry. They at Canadian Pacific Railway. worked together on our Safety and Foote worked at CPR for more Operations Management Committee to than 35 years in a broad range of try and make the industry better. And, operating and executive positions. as top operating officers, they were He was involved in many industry important players in the development organizations and was most recently of the co-production deals chairman of the Safety and that CN and CP have reached Operations Management “They were very much into correcting with each other.” Committee of the American The quality of leadership Association of Railroads, mistakes. They were ready to work they brought to everything vice-chairman of the Safety overtime to convince the regulators and the they did, day in, day out and Operations Management Committee (SOMC) of the public that the railways were working to be “is hard to find,” Mackay continued. “They will really Railway Association of be missed.” Canada and a member of as safe as possible.” Mike Lowenger, the the Board of Directors of the – Mike Lowenger, Vice President of Operations and RAC’s vice president of Transportation Technology Regulatory Affairs, RAC Operations and Regulatory Center in Pueblo, Colo. Affairs, worked closely with Harris was appointed both men over the years on safety years in the industry, in both Canada executive vice president of CN in 2005 and operational issues. “They’re both and the United States.” following his promotion to senior vice gentlemen and hard-nosed railroaders. Hunter Harrison, CN president and president, Operations, in 2003. He They knew what it took to operate a CEO, said: “Ed has played a key role was CN’s chief transportation officer safe railway.” in executing CN’s precision railroading between 2001 and 2003. Prior to At the same time, he adds, they practices and making the company that, he was vice president, Midwest were quick to admit when their the most efficient carrier in the rail Division, following CN’s acquisition of company had made a mistake so the industry. On behalf of all employees, the Illinois Central Railroad in 1999. problem could get dealt with. “They we wish him all the best in his wellHe was vice president of Operations were very much into correcting deserved retirement.” for IC, a position he assumed in mistakes. They were ready to work Fred Green, CPR president 1998 after a year’s service as general overtime to convince the regulators and CEO, said, “Neal has made manager, IC Northern Region. From and the public that the railways were outstanding contributions to Canadian 1994 to 1997, Harris had the same working to be as safe as possible.” Pacific throughout his career. His position on IC’s Southern Region. Harris and Foote took turns as leadership has influenced the way we He joined IC in 1968 and held chair and vice-chair of the RAC’s operate our railway. Neal’s drive to positions of increasing responsibility TWO LEADING FIGURES IN

in communications, materials control, and transportation, and also served as acting executive director, labour relations, in 1992. Harris says, “My decision to retire wasn’t easy. Railroading has been good to me – starting in railroading as a yard clerk, and capping my career as head of operations for the best railway in the world has been a dream come true. The 24/7 world of railroading is very demanding, and very fulfi lling. I’ll miss daily rail operations. I know that I’ll never forget the relationships I’ve developed with friends, fellow employees, peers, vendors, regulators, labour leaders and customers over 38

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Summer 2007 47

Safety and Operations Management Committee, Lowenger points out. “They had the respect of the other railway companies. They made a lot of decisions that will benefit the entire industry.” Lowenger recalls that 2005 was a tough year for Harris as CN was hit with a string of headline-catching derailments and accidents. “It bothered him a lot; he was really frustrated by it all.” While what they were doing was serious business, Harris and Foote weren’t above ribbing each other about their railways, Lowenger says. “They would pull each other’s leg a bit but it was done with the greatest respect.” The departures of Harris and Foote resulted in senior changes at both companies. Brock Winter, senior vice president of Operations, took over Foote’s duties at CPR, with added responsibilities for Intermodal. The railway also brought in Kathryn McQuade, a top executive from the Norfolk Southern Railroad in the United States, to become its new

chief operating officer. Meanwhile, CN promoted Keith Creel to the position of executive vice president of Operations. Creel had been Brock Winter CN’s senior vice president, Eastern Region, since 2004. He is based in Edmonton and responsible for the company’s rail operations in Canada and the United States. McQuade had been Norfolk Southern’s executive vice president of Planning and CIO. She had spent 27 years at NS and a predecessor, starting as an accountant. She had attained the highest rank ever held by a woman at NS. While she loved her time at NS, McQuade said she couldn’t pass up such a new challenge at another great company. McQuade described her new position in newspaper interviews as

“a wonderful opportunity. To be the COO of a railroad is very exciting for me, and to dig more into the operations and integrate, as Fred wants, the Keith Creel strategic vision of the rail operations and the information technology and the purchasing, I just think is an amazing challenge. It’s devastating to leave Norfolk Southern, but yet it’s exhilarating to think of something new and different.” Green said, “The insight she has gained from exposure to best practices at NS will add momentum to CP’s vision to becoming the safest and most fluid railway in North America.” Harrison said Creel’s appointment “reflects the quality of the senior operations leadership team. The operations function will be led by a bright, experienced leader who brings Continued on page 50

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CONTRACTING SERVICES The Toronto Terminals Railway Co., Ltd. ......... 39 DEMOLITION, REMEDIATION & ABATEMENT Quantum Murray LP ............................................. 15 DESIGN SERVICES Taylor Raynauld Amar & Associates, Inc........ 39

BATTERIES Surrette Battery Co., Ltd. ................................... 12

DOOR SYSTEMS/EQUIPMENT Prime Railway Services ...................................... 49

BATTERY CHARGERS Kim Hotstart Manufacturing ................................ 6

EQUIPMENT/SYSTEMS CAD Railway Services, Inc................................. 18

BOGIES, AXLES, WHEELSETS & SUSPENSION COMPONENTS Amsted Canada, Inc. ............................................ 20

GRADE CROSSING MATERIALS Polycorp Ltd. .......................................................... 49

BRAKE BEAMS Red River Air Brake, Inc. ..................................... 30 CONSULTING SERVICES HDR/HLB Decision Economics, Inc. ................. 35 Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd. ..................... 49 Railroad Industries, Inc. ...................................... 32 Taylor Raynauld Amar & Associates, Inc........ 39

Changing of the Guard Continued from page 48 passion and dedication to the job day in and day out. He has played a significant role in leading CN’s scheduled/precision railroading model to the forefront of the rail industry. “Keith has outstanding leadership skills and is taking on one of the key roles in the company,” Harrison continued. “This announcement further strengthens the team overseeing the most fundamental part of our business – our operations.” Creel began his railroad career at Burlington Northern Railroad in 1992, before joining the Illinois Central Railroad in 1996. He went to CN as part of its Jim Vena merger with IC in 1999. He has since held a series of increasing responsibilities including general manager – Michigan Zone, Midwest Division, in June 2000 and vice president of the Prairie Division in 2002, before leading the Western Region as senior vice president. Jim Vena has since been promoted to vice president of Operations in CN’s Western Region, based in Vancouver. ● 50 Interchange

Summer 2007

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RAILWAY CAR PARTS/USED Gerdau Ameristeel - Mandak Railway Supply ................................................. 25 RAILWAY COMPANIES Canadian Pacific Railway ........inside front cover CN-Canadian National ................................ 26 & 27 VIA Rail Canada....................... outside back cover RAILWAY OPERATORS Cando Contracting................................................ 22 RAILWAY PARTS Davanac, Inc. ......................................................... 42 Progress Rail Services .............inside back cover Ronsco, Inc............................................................. 46 Services Techniques DHG .................................. 44 REPAIR FACILITIES Caltrax, Inc. ............................................................ 28

INDUSTRIAL FASTENERS Industrial Screws & Forge.................................. 44

ROLLING STOCK SERVICE & REPAIRS Rescar, Inc.............................................................. 48

JACKING EQUIPMENT Whiting Equipment Canada, Inc. ....................... 35

SECURITY EQUIPMENT/SERVICES Abloy Canada ......................................................... 31

LOCOMOTIVE & RAILCAR LEASING Helm Financial Corp. ............................................ 20

SHOP MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT Whiting Equipment Canada, Inc. ....................... 35

LOCOMOTIVE & RAILCAR PAINTING Northern Plains Railroad .................................... 36 LOCOMOTIVE & RAILCAR REPAIRS Northern Plains Railroad .................................... 36 LOCOMOTIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS ZTR Control Systems ........................................... 10 LOCOMOTIVE IDLE REDUCTION SYSTEMS Kim Hotstart Manufacturing ................................ 6 LOCOMOTIVES H. Broer Equipment Sales & Service, Inc. ...... 49 Trackmobile, Inc.................................................... 43 MAINTENANCE OF WAY EQUIPMENT Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. ...................... 45 MAINTENANCE, JANITORIAL, SAFETY EQUIPMENT & SERVICES AmeriSource Industrial Supply Co. .................. 49

SHORT LINE/REGIONAL RAILWAYS Arnaud Railway Co. .............................................. 22 Ontario Northland Transportation Commission ....................................................... 23 Ottawa Valley Railway ........................................ 45 Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway Co., Inc. .............................................. 19 Trillium Railway Co., Ltd. ..................................... 39 SIGNALLING & TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS Railroad Signal International ............................. 42 SIGNALLING/NEW & MAINTENANCE Rebel Railway Supply, LLC ................................. 46 SLACK ADJUSTERS Red River Air Brake, Inc. ..................................... 30 SNOW REMOVAL R.P.M. Tech, Inc. ..................................................... 8

MOBILE RAILCAR MOVERS H. Broer Equipment Sales & Service, Inc. ...... 49 Trackmobile, Inc.................................................... 43

SWITCHGEAR EQUIPMENT Railpower Technologies Corp. ............................. 4

NOISE & VIBRATION CONTROL Howe Gastmeier Chapnik Ltd. ........................... 38

TRACK MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT Willamette Valley Co. .......................................... 34

POWER CONVERTERS/INVERTERS Transtronic, Inc. .................................................... 25 PROJECT MANAGEMENT Taylor Raynauld Amar & Associates, Inc........ 39

TRACK MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT/SERVICES PNR Railworks, Inc............................................... 23 Railwel Industries, Inc......................................... 46

PUBLIC EDUCATION Railway Association of Canada ........................... 3

TRAINING & EDUCATION Canadian Heartland Training Railway.............. 28

RAIL PRODUCTS Portec Rail Products Ltd. .................................... 34 Sumitomo Canada Ltd.......................................... 38

TRANSPORTATION MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT Rail Barge Trucks .................................................. 11 Railquip, Inc. .......................................................... 14

RAILCAR CLEANING Scotts Pressure Wash Services ....................... 20 RAILCARS Infinity Rail, LLC .................................................... 20 RAILROAD TIE RESTORATION Gross & Janes Co. .......................................... 32, 36

TRUCK & TRUCK EQUIPMENT V & H, Inc. Trucks .................................................. 28 VIDEO PRODUCTIONS Brent Harlton ......................................................... 42

RAILS M.F. Wirth Rail Corp. ............................................ 46

WELDING PRODUCTS/SERVICES Railwel Industries, Inc......................................... 46

RAILWAY BRIDGE REPAIRS Groupe SEMA ........................................................ 31

WOOD RAILROAD TIES Gross & Janes Co. .......................................... 32, 36

Trackwork Maintenance of Way Equipment

Rail and OTM

Signals

Track Dismantlement

Engineering & Track Services

Mobile Rail Welding

Fixed Plant Rail Welding

Our integrated products and services set us apart in the industry. Call us today and put the power of Progress to work for you. 800-332-2457 www.progressrail.com 478 McPhillips St., Unit 300 Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 2G8

Looking for that special vacation? A special moment in time that makes for great memories? How about a relaxing travel experience that combines the thrill of discovery with comfort and hospitality? Ride VIA Rail’s OceanTM train in EasterlyTM class, and travel through Canada’s Atlantic region. Sit back and live the Maritime Learning Experience. Enjoy hosted cultural events, the elegant observation lounge, locally inspired cuisine, cosy sleepers, and the world-class service VIA Rail is known for. So, for your next vacation, choose the superior service and cosy comfort of transcontinental train travel, and discover the Maritimes’ magnificent landscapes and wonderful culture.

For information on Easterly class on board the Ocean, VIA’s Eastern transcontinental train between Montréal and Halifax, contact VIA Rail Canada at 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) TTY 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired) or visit viarail.ca. TM

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