CN seeks to distance itself from the damaging blockades
A tribal blockade of rail lines in eastern Canada to protest the proposed Coastal GasLink pipeline wreaked havoc for CN in February. The Class I shut down its eastern network for more than a week and temporarily laid off 450 workers.
The protests were conducted as a show of solidarity for the Wet'suwet'en Nation, whose hereditary chiefs oppose the construction of a natural gas pipeline through northern British Columbia. More than 1,400 trains — including passenger trains — were delayed or canceled because the blockades impacted major portions of CN's lines. Although the blockades stopped by March's first week, enabling CN to reopen lines and recall employees, a complete network recovery was expected to last well into the month. The railroad needed time to rebalance assets to serve customer loading sites. How much of a setback were the blockades to CN's financial and operational goals for 2020? What did the Class I learn from the unexpected experience? What did it take to make a full and lasting recovery? Managing Editor Jeff Stagl poses those questions and others to senior CN executives.
Passenger Rail Focus:
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Less than a year ago, Bob Powers took over leadership of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), the San Francisco Bay Area's rail system. Powers has been riding the trains to talk to riders to find what they like and don't like about the 45-year-old system, which is in the process of rebuilding stations and replacing old trains. What is he learning? How will the feedback shape his plans for moving BART forward? In this month's issue, Senior Associate Editor Julie Sneider finds out.
MOW Product Update:
Special Trackwork
We check in with suppliers of special trackwork components. They share information on their latest (or tried and true) offerings, ranging from rail braces to lift switches and lift frogs to bonded insulated rail joints to guard rail assemblies to switch points and crossing diamonds.
C&S:
Communication & Signaling 2020 Spending Snapshot
A number of freight and passenger railroads have boosted their maintenance-of-way budgets this year, as illustrated in the 2020 MOW Spending Report in our April issue. Many also have ratcheted up their communications and signaling (C&S) expenditures. In a C&S Spending Snapshot, we'll report on the dollars that a number of freight and passenger roads are allocating for that sector in 2020 — with comparison 2019 figures — and chronicle some of the major C&S projects on their agendas.
Bonus Distribution: Railway Systems Suppliers Inc. (RSSI) 60th Annual C&S Exhibition (June 1-3, 2020, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee)
Mike Singler
Regional Sales Manager
815-302-7055
mike.singler@tradepress.com