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| 2004 Archives |
December 20, 2004 |
Member News |
| The Government of Canada and Canadian Pacific Railway Make Joint Investment to Increase Security at North America's Busiest Trade Gateway | |
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Rail cargo security at Canada's busiest border crossing will be further increased thanks to investments by the Government of Canada and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The Honourable John Godfrey, Minister of State (Infrastructure and Communities), the Honourable Jean C. Lapierre, Minister of Transport, and Rob Ritchie, President and Chief Executive Officer of CPR, today announced a joint investment of over $8 million to secure a 7.5-km CPR rail corridor from Walker Road in Windsor to the U.S. border. This will be accomplished by protecting that length of track and preparing the site for the installation, by the U.S. government, of a Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS). This is a state-of-the-art security system designed for rail cargo inspection.
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December 17, 2004 |
Operations |
| RAC Medical Advisory Group Releases a November 2004 Revision to the Canadian Railway Medical Rules Handbook | |
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A revised version of this guide is now available. There have been some revisions to existing sections along with first time sections dealing with Substance Use Disorders (4.8) and Severe Sleep Apnea (4.9).
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Document(s): Click here to download the Canadian Railway Medical Rules Handbook in PDF (2.4MB) |
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December 16, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Ron Lawless is Inducted into the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame | |
 Ron Lawless of Montreal, former President of CN and VIA Rail, was inducted into the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame today (Thursday)in front of his peers by Rob Ritchie, President of Canadian Pacific Railway and Chairman of the Board of the Railway Association of Canada. Left to right are Mr. Ritchie; Bruce Burrows, acting president of the RAC, and Mr. Lawless.
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Document(s): Click here to download the photograph in JPEG (389 KB) |
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December 14, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| From Water To Rail | |
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The Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY) has seen more than 500 per cent growth in its newsprints and specialty papers shipping business over the past five years, after fine-tuning the operation of a water-to-rail paper distribution partnership with NorskeCanada. The SRY is a 62-mile short line railway owned by Washington Group, situated in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. It has operations extending from Chilliwack to Annacis Island. SRY started working with NorskeCanada (Fletcher Challenge) in 1997, says SRY’s Director of Business Development, Frank Butzelaar. “We helped them out of a car supply problem at their Seattle warehouse. From there, we were encouraged to put other ideas forward. Given this opportunity we promoted a strategy that would see them consolidate volume at an SRY-served origin distribution center with access to multiple Class One carriers.” |
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December 9, 2004 |
Member News |
| Ontario Northland Appoints New President | |
 The Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Carmichael as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. “The Ontario Northland Transportation Commission set out specific expectations for its new President. Specifically, we were looking for a visionary leader who would provide strategic direction to grow Ontario Northland’s operations and play a key role in developing and maintaining the company’s relationship with its many stakeholders,” said Ted Hargreaves, Chair of the Commission. During the ONTC’s comprehensive national search for a new President “Steve emerged as an outstanding candidate in all areas. He is passionate about Ontario Northland and has a wide breadth of experience on the rail side of operations, as well as in telecommunications, labour relations, administration and finance.” |
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| more (this posting has attachments available) | |
December 7, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Operation Lifesaver Educational Vehicle and the CPR Holiday Train | |
 The Operation Lifesaver Educational Vehicle teamed up with CPR's Holiday Train in Belleville Monday (Dec. 6) to deliver messages of personal safety and community care across Canada. |
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Document(s): Click here to download the photo in JPEG (616 KB) |
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December 3, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Bruce Burrows Addresses the Toronto Railway Club | |
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We really are entering into a new golden age of railroading” said Bruce Burrows, RAC Acting President and CEO, to the hundreds of people attending the annual Toronto Railway Club’s dinner last Friday night. Highlighting recent developments in the industry, Mr. Burrows was very optimistic about the future of our industry. “The public opinion polls reflect that we are beginning, once again, to capture the hearts and minds of Canadians. They tell us that most people believe the railway industry provides significant economic value to the country and their province” he said.
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Document(s): Click here to download the speaking notes in PDF (98 KB) |
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November 30, 2004 |
Member News |
| CN renames Sarnia-Port Huron railway tunnel in honour of Paul M. Tellier | |
 CN announced today it has renamed its underwater railroad tunnel between Canada and the U.S. the Paul M. Tellier Tunnel. Opened in 1995 as the St. Clair Tunnel, it runs under the St. Clair River between Sarnia, Ont., and Port Huron, Mich.Tellier, CN president and chief executive officer from 1992 to 2002, envi-sioned the St. Clair Tunnel as a vital rail link in international commerce be-tween Canada and the U.S., the world’s largest trading partners. |
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| more (this posting has attachments available) | |
November 19, 2004 |
Member News |
| Advance Manifest System Speeds Border Crossing for Short Line | |
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St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway’s staff and customs brokers alike are praising the electronic advance manifest system the railway uses to make cross border shipping quicker and easier. “This enables things to pretty much flow seamlessly through Canada and back into the United States,” says Robert Pratt, Customer Service Manager at St. Lawrence and Atlantic (SL&A). The short line connecting Quebec and New England implemented the automated manifest system from RMI towards the end of 2003. It allows SL&A to work with shippers in the US Midwest who ship to the eastern US and cross those shipments into Canada from Michigan and back into the US through Vermont. This cuts days off the transit time for a similar shipment that would move entirely within the U.S. |
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November 19, 2004 |
RAC News |
| RAC Railway Trends 2004 Available Online | |
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This is the Railway Association of Canada’s 12th edition of Railway Trends, an annual report card on the performance of the Canadian freight and passenger railway industry. The publication is a rolling 10-year overview of financial and statistical results, reflecting all aspects of our industry. Virtually all Canadian railway operators are represented – the Class 1’s, regional freight companies, short lines, intercity passenger, commuter rail and the tourist train services.
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Document(s): Click here to download the Railway Statistics 2004 in MS Excel - XLS (353 KB) Click here to download the Railway Trends 2004 in PDF (1.4MB) |
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November 16, 2004 |
Member News |
| CN and CPR announce new network initiatives to improve customer service, rail asset utilization | |
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CN and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) have reached agreement on three new network initiatives that will improve railway transit times and asset utilization in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. E. Hunter Harrison, president and chief executive officer of CN, said: "With these new arrangements, CN and CPR are unlocking efficient ways of improving service, increasing track capacity and maximizing utilization of railway infrastructure. These agreements are clear wins for our respective customers and shareholders." Robert Ritchie, CPR's president and chief executive officer, said: "These initiatives are the product of an extensive review that showed opportunities in eastern and western Canada for quick improvements in the utilization of railway infrastructure. Along with our Port of Vancouver agreements to make rail operations more efficient for port freight traffic, these new initiatives again demonstrate that the highly competitive railway industry can work in a spirit of co-operation to respond to shipper needs." |
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November 15, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Announce 2004 Railway Hall of Fame Inductees | |
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Former Prime Minister Sir. John A. MacDonald and Ron E. Lawless of Montreal, former President and CEO of Canadian National Railway, have been named to the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame. Other 2004 inductees include Airchime of Langley, B.C. in the technology category. The company has been developing, manufacturing and marketing railway locomotive, industrial and marine sound-signal products for world markets since its’ founding in 1929. |
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November 8, 2004 |
Member News |
| CN, CPR, and Norfolk Southern Announce Agreement to Improve Freight Service Between Eastern Canada and the Eastern U.S. | |
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CN, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NSR) today announced an agreement that will significantly improve freight service between Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States. The three-party arrangement will give CN and NSR a seamless, direct north-south routing over CPR’s lines south of Montreal that will slice as much as two days’ transit time off some 20,000 annual shipments. It will also increase freight traffic density and revenues on CPR’s wholly owned subsidiary, the Delaware and Hudson Railway. Implementation is scheduled to begin Nov. 19, 2004. CN-NSR traffic destined for the Eastern U.S. will move in CPR trains on CPR’s line between Rouses Point, N.Y., and Saratoga Springs, under a freight haulage arrangement between CPR and NSR. This CN-NSR traffic will then move in NSR trains over CPR’s line between Saratoga Springs and the NSR connection near Harrisburg, Pa., under a trackage rights agreement between CPR and NSR. The new agreement will cut 330 miles off the current routing used by CN and NSR, which sees freight traffic handled more circuitously through the Buffalo, N.Y., gateway. |
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November 4, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| Dangerous Goods Training offered by the RAC DG Team | |
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The RAC Dangerous Goods team is offering TDG refresher training for it’s Bureau of Explosives Member Plants. This training is designed to re-certify those employees trained to the 2002 TDG Regulations. Training is set to begin in December 2004. |
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Document(s): Click here to download the training pamphlet in PDF (540 KB) |
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November 4, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| On Track for the Future | |
 Seventy-five representatives of the railway industry met Members of Parliament and Ministers Wednesday and Thursday in Ottawa to press their case for public and fiscal policies that will help move for people and freight by rail in the future. Shown are David Miller, CN; Roger Gallaway, MP for Sarnia-Lambton and Chairman of the Standing Committee on Transport and Liaison, Bruce R. Burrows, Railway Association of Canada; Frank Trotter, Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers, and Alan Tonks, MP for York South-Weston.
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Document(s): Click here to download the photograph in JPEG (766 KB) |
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November 3, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Rail Plays Strong Role In Economy But Can Do More | |
 Approximately 75 railway industry representatives, suppliers, and union officials will meet Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and other government officials today and tomorrow to outline the role that the nation’s freight and passenger railways play in the country’s economy.Bruce R. Burrows, Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Association of Canada, said the effort is unique because it brings together all the parties interested in a viable, efficient rail-based transportation system. The “On Track for the Future” initiative started in 1997. Canada’s railways transport 6.2 million carloads and containers of freight and 56.7 million rail commuters and passengers annually. The industry is seeking public-private partnerships to retain and upgrade short line railway infrastructure, more equitable depreciation and tax rates to encourage re-investment in the industry, and government support for inter-city, commuter and tourist rail services to help reduce road and airport congestion. |
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| more (this posting has attachments available) | |
November 3, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| Rob Ritchie, President and CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway: Day on the Hill Address | |
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Rob Ritchie, President and CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway and Chairman of the Board for the Railway Association of Canada, gave the following speech at the "On Track for the Future" on Parliament Hill this evening.
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November 1, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Day on the Hill 2004 | |
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Once again, the RAC and the Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers are co-sponsoring the industry advocacy day, “On Track for the Future”. This event will take place on Parliament Hill on November 3-4. The purpose of the event is to showcase the scope of the industry, its impact on the economy as well as the role that the rail sector plays in Canada’s environment.
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Document(s): Click here to download the brochure in PDF (1.1MB) Click here to download the intermodal transport pamphlet in PDF (215 KB) Click here to download the safe and getting safer pamphlet in PDF (92 KB) Click here to download the sustainable transportation pamphlet in PDF (279 KB) Click here to download the trade and rail transportation pamphlet in PDF (94 KB) |
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October 27, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| CCPX911 Training for Brantford Fire/Police Service | |
 On October 25 and 26, the Brantford, Ontario Fire Service and Police Service participated in training sessions involving the Canadian Chemical Producers’ training tank car CCPX911.Over the two day period, 16 training sessions were delivered in a combined effort from presenters from the Railway Association of Canada, CN Rail and VFT Canada. Over 80 members of the Brantford emergency services were given “hands on” information on what to expect if they are called to a railway incident involving dangerous goods. This training consisted of how the railways can protect responders entering railway property, railway safety and particulars of dangerous goods carrying tank cars. |
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| more (this posting has attachments available) | |
October 22, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| First railway conductors graduate at BCIT | |
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B.C. Institute of Technology’s first group of railway conductor program students graduate today. BCIT has partnered with the Railway Association of Canada to offer the program in Vancouver at the Great Northern Way Campus. BCIT President Tony Knowles and Railway Association of Canada President Bruce Burrows are attending the graduation ceremony. The railway industry is expecting rates of retirement turnover as high as 70 per cent over the next 10 years, according to the Alberta-based Institute of Railway Technology (IRT), owned by the Railway Association of Canada. Industry demand is growing for graduates. Several of the 14 students to graduate on Friday have already secured employment in the field. |
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October 21, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Rail’s Track Record In Sustainable Transportation | |
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Bruce R. Burrows, Acting President and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada, told a WESTAC conference on the environment today that the country’s railways can carry more freight and people in the future, with supportive public policies that help reduce road congestion and impacts on society. “Canada’s railways are already Walking the Talk – the conference theme. They are an ever-increasing factor in addressing the nation’s concerns and initiatives to maintain Canada’s competitiveness in international trade and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” said Mr. Burrows. “Our freight railways, for example, now move 510 revenue ton-miles of freight for each gallon of fuel they consume. |
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October 19, 2004 |
Member News |
| CPR and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference reach agreement in principle on contract for train crew employees | |
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Canadian Pacific Railway and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference announced today that they have reached agreement in principle to renew collective agreements governing approximately 4,500 employees who operate trains. The four-year agreement provides for wage, pension, benefits, work rule and productivity improvements. |
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October 19, 2004 |
Member News |
| CN and CPR Announce Co-Production Agreements to Improve Service to the Port of Vancouver | |
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CN and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) today announced a series of co-production agreements to make rail operations more efficient for Port of Vancouver freight traffic. The agreements jointly increase capacity on key sections of track in the Vancouver area to improve the fluidity of rail operations over existing infrastructure. They will improve service to shippers using Canada’s largest, busiest and most diversified port. |
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October 15, 2004 |
Member News |
| CN announces the sale of its remote control business | |
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CN announced today the sale of its remote control business, including BELTPACK, to the Cattron Group Inc. of Sharpsville, Pa. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. BELTPACK Locomotive Remote Control is widely employed by major North American railroads in yard switching operations, where the technol-ogy has improved productivity and safety. CN was the first Class 1 railroad to make extensive use of the technology and has a large installed base of BELTPACK units. |
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October 14, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| RAC promotes railway safety | |
 TruRez, an aboriginal rap group from Toronto, is helping produce radio and television public service announcements to save lives along Canada's railways. Shown during today's filming and taping are (from left to right) Everett Jacobs, aka Evolution; Art Martin, aka Krazy Talk; Blair Bradley, aka Rival; Harvey Powless, aka Mojo; Jason Martin, aka J Cruz; and Erick Martin, aka Lunacy.
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Document(s): Click here to download the photo in JPEG (89 KB) |
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October 6, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Congress II | |
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Building on the success of the initial TDG Congress in 2001, TDG Congress II will be held November 8 - 9, 2004, at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel. Congress II will provide a comprehensive look back at TDG Clear Language Regulations implementation - What have we learned? - and future look at all transport of dangerous goods and related legislation affecting a broad sector of industry - Where are we going? The event is being organized by the Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association (CCPA), in cooperation with Transport Canada, Environment Canada, Health Canada, the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the Propane Gas Association of Canada, Crop Life Canada, the Canadian Fertilizer Institute, the Canadian Association of Chemical Distributors, the Railway Association of Canada and the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance. |
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Document(s): Click here to download the event summary pamphlet in PDF (133 KB) Click here to download the registration form in PDF (405 KB) |
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October 6, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Executive of the World Congress on Railway Research | |
 Executive of the World Congress on Railway Research to be held in Montreal in June 2006 reviewed legistics and visited technical tour sites today, including CN's state-of-the-art domestic and international container-handling facility at Taschereau Yard. Shown are congress planners from Japan, Korea, Italy, Germany, France, the U.K., US and Canada. CN"s Bill Blevins and Jean-Daniel Hamelin are involved in the technical paper review and communications sub-committees respectively. Some 600 delegates are expected.
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Document(s): Click here to download the photo in JPEG (712 KB) |
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October 4, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Pricemaster - October 2004 | |
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Now available. See also Mechanical Sevices section.
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Document(s): Click here to download the Document in PDF (1.3MB) |
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October 3, 2004 |
Member News |
| CPR's 2004 Holiday Train to host the return of the Moffatts as it rolls across Canada raising funds and awareness for food banks | |
 International recording artists, the Moffatts, are back together and will be performing their first live shows on Canadian Pacific Railway's Holiday Train, which will again be spreading holiday cheer in support of local food banks, this year.The Canadian brothers, whose hits include "I'll Be There For You" and "Miss You Like Crazy", last performed together as a band in 2001. The group is currently laying down new tracks for a new album in Banff and the West Coast. This is the sixth year that CPR's Holiday Train will be taking to the rails for food banks. This December, two freight trains, each illuminated by thousands of festive lights, will visit more than 50 Canadian communities and over 25 American locations, staging special events to raise money and support for the thousands of Canadians and Americans forced to turn to food banks. In addition to its regular evening events, the Holiday Train also will make a number of daytime stops near local schools. |
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September 30, 2004 |
Regulatory Affairs News |
| Circular No. 13: Recommended Practices for Manual Protection of Highway/Railway Grade Crossings | |
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Effective October 1, 2004
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Document(s): Click here to download the Circular in PDF (376 KB) |
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September 22, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| Red Deer TransCAER workshop a Success! | |
On Saturday September 18, the RAC, Canadian Pacific Railway, CN Rail and Nexen Chemicals along with Red Deer Emergency Services conducted a TransCAER workshop at CP’s Red Deer railyard. This workshop was attended by 122 emergency services personnel who were given presentations from industry emergency responders, contractors, truckers and of the course the railways.One of the displays at the workshop was the Canadian Chemical Producers Association demonstration tank car – CCPX 911. This type of workshop brings the carriers, shippers, regulators and emergency responders together in order work on the common goal of safe, effective emergency response to dangerous goods incidents. For more information contact: Andy Ash, RAC Manager, Dangerous Goods 905-953-8991 or andya@railcan.ca. |
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September 17, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Operation Lifesaver Educational Vehicle: Taking Rail Safety on the Road | |
 OTTAWA - Operation Lifesaver has its wheels in motion, launching a cross-Canada campaign to promote public safety with a new educational vehicle.
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September 17, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Operation Lifesaver rolls out OLEV | |
 Operation Lifesaver rolled out a Manitoba-built mobile classroom to community, industry and government partners meeting in Aylmer, Quebec -- part of a national campaign to save lives along Canada's railways. Shown are volunteer drivers André Verner, Normand Lacharité and Jean-Pierre Brazeau.
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September 10, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| Transport Canada's Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program (NOTE NEW DEADLINE) | |
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Transport Canada's Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program (FSDP) was created to help the freight transportation industries put new and under-utilized technologies, as well as new operational practices, to the test in real-world situations to demonstrate an evaluate their fuel saving potential. Fuel savings translated into fewer emissions and contribute to Canada’s climate change efforts, while improving the bottom line for industry. The deadline for the next round of applications is November 15, 2004. Click here for more information. |
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September 7, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Promoting Railway Safety In the Community | |
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Mackenzie Northern Railway (MKNR) will host a special railway safety awareness seminar with northern Alberta “first responders” and community leaders on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004 at Peace River, Alberta. The Canadian Chemical Producers Association (CCPA) is sponsoring this special event which will include the Peace River Fire Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police participating in a tribute to those who lost their lives responding to the tragic disaster at the World Trade Centre in New York City, U.S.A., on Sept. 11, 2001. The tribute will occur at 7:30 am at the Peace River Fire Hall. |
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September 3, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| 2004 TransCAER Red Deer Workshop | |
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Nexen Chemicals, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), the City of Red Deer Emergency Services and the Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association are conducting a hazardous materials emergency response workshop on September 18, 2004, between 9:00 a.m. and 14:30 p.m. The workshop will be held at CPR’s team track next door to CPR’s Red Deer Station. TransCAER, which stands for Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response, is a national partnership between transportation companies, chemical manufacturers, and community first responders. |
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Document(s): Click here to download the pamphlet in PDF (149 KB) |
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September 3, 2004 |
Member News |
| CN selects Great Canadian Railtour Company to introduce new tourist trains in B.C. and Alberta | |
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CN today announced the selection of Great Canadian Railtour Company (GCRC) as the operator of new, exciting tourist trains in British Columbia and Alberta. CN said Vancouver-based GCRC - operator of Rocky Mountaineer Railtours in Western Canada - best met its criteria for the new tourism service, including product quality, prospects for financial success, economic development benefits for British Columbia, and value to CN. GCRC will introduce the Whistler Mountaineer on BC Rail between North Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. GCRC will also expand its Rocky Mountaineer tourist train service by operating a new route linking Whistler and Jasper, Alta., via Prince George, B.C., which will accommodate many overnight train guests. The expanded Rocky Mountaineer will travel on BC Rail be-tween Whistler and Prince George, and on CN track to Jasper. |
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September 1, 2004 |
RAC News |
| RAC Applauds Exporail | |
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"Bruce Burrows, Acting President & CEO, Railway Association of Canada, delivered these opening remarks at the official inauguration of the Exporail Museum in Saint-Constant, Québec, on August 27 last. The Honourable Jacques Saada, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Québec, as well as other federal, provincial and municipal dignitaries, were also in attendance for the opening. Exporail (The Canadian Railway Museum) offers a unique opportunity to see and experience life in the railway world. The exposition facilities also offer conference space and endeavour to highlight in a vivid, interactive way, both the historical and current roles of the railways in Canada. For more information, please visit: http://www.exporail.org. |
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Document(s): Click here to download the speaking notes in PDF (98 KB) |
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August 31, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Interchange | |
 RAC has launched Interchange magazine to showcase freight and passenger rail’s activities, challenges and achievements. It goes to government, industry and public opinion leaders. The four-colour bilingual magazine contains news, features and context, and is advertiser supported. To visit our inaugural issue, click here.
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Document(s): Click here to download the Interchange publication in PDF (11.9MB) |
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August 30, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Annual Report 2003 | |
 The past year was generally successful for the industry’s 60 freight and passenger railways. Although intermodal traffic continues to grow by leaps and bounds, freight and passenger rail can do more to help meet customer requirements, society’s needs and governments’ objectives. The bilingual report is available by clicking here.
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Document(s): Click here to download the Annual Report in PDF (1.5MB) |
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July 23, 2004 |
Member News |
| Two day Safety Expo begins with Hazardous Material Exercise | |
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Ottawa Central Railway and the City of Ottawa will stage a mock spill of sulfuric acid from a railway tank car requiring a full emergency response on Friday, April 30. The mock spill is intended to test a variety of requirements from response times to operations management and follow-up. Police, emergency vehicles, medical practitioners and emergency response professionals will respond as required. |
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June 16, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Recognizing Excellence In Safety Promotion | |
 One of three winners in the category for safety promotion, “Look, Listen and Learn” was chosen by the National Transportation Safety Week committee in Ontario. The creativity that went into the design made it a winner, and because it is such an effective tool for promoting rail safety, says Steve Anderson, committee chair.“ Everybody that had a look at the CD said it was very well developed, easy to follow, and very informative,” Anderson said. By testing the CD all over the country, “they [D2006 and OL] were really doing a good job at getting the message out. If you look at the material they provide…it obviously is something that people need to be aware of.” The CD is designed to cater to any age group. Designers used age-specified interactive guides, quizzes, graphics and videos to convey the reality of the dangers of highway/railway crossings and the important role education plays in preserving public safety around railways. |
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June 16, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| Casualty Prevention Circular - Bureau of Explosives Inspector Contact Information | |
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Document(s): Click here to download the Circular in PDF (19 KB) |
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June 15, 2004 |
Member News |
| Leader of the packages: VIA Rail Canada teams with top tour operators to provide enthralling Canadian vacations | |
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Excursions Combining VIA's Premium Services with Canada's Most Exciting Cities, Destinations and Natural Beauty Available Spring through Fall The buddy system really does work. VIA Rail Canada, the nation's passenger rail network continues to partner with leading tour operators to create exciting, multi-destination Canadian vacations. A wide variety of tours are available on a year-round basis, some showcasing the history of a particular region, with others providing an appreciation of how immense and spectacular Canada truly is. Daylight touring in Nova Scotia and northern British Columbia, a land cruise across northern Ontario and the prairies through the stunning Canadian Rockies, and in-depth excursions that explore the rich cultures of Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa are all readily available. |
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June 9, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| Estoppel Form | |
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Form to be used when requesting permission from Transport Canada to move a dangerous goods carrying rail car that involved in an incident to another location. If there are any questions call Andy Ash, Manager, Dangerous Goods, 905-953-8991 or email andya@railcan.ca. |
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Document(s): Click here to download the estoppel form in MS Word - DOC (49 KB) |
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June 7, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Rail Day in Camrose | |
Residents of Camrose and the surrounding region are invited to bring the family out to a rail-safety showcase June 12, when the Camrose railway station will host its first community rail safety day. “The main part of this exercise is to promote safety,” says Shawn Smith, organizer and President of the Edmonton-based Lakeland & Waterways Railway. The railway will be opened for touring, and visitors will be presented with locomotive simulator demonstrations, a display of railway equipment, various safety presentations by Operation Lifesaver Canada, industry videos and rail-themed displays. Visitors can also catch an interpretive presentation, “Railways in Alberta – Yesterday and Today.” A chance for the community to familiarize themselves with the local railway, this is all part of an effort to educate the public about the railway. “Railways are a safe industry. People can play a part in ensuring that the entire public remains safe, and that they themselves are safe,” Smith says. |
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| more (this posting has attachments available) | |
May 31, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Railways and Cities Working Together | |
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Canada’s municipal governments and railways launched a joint website Monday afternoon that provides a storehouse of information on freight and passenger railways, the communities they serve, contacts in both, and the efforts underway to prevent, or resolve, proximity issues they face together. The site, www.proximityissues.ca, was launched at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ annual conference as part of a progress report by the project’s co-chairs Cynthia Lulham, Westmount councillor, and John Dalzell, CN’s vice-president of risk management. Mayor John Trasolini of Port Moody, city manager Gaetan Royer, and Canadian Pacific Railway community relations manager Rick Poznikoff traced their efforts at dispute resolution through a case study. It helped them understand each other’s needs and processes, and the steps they took – forward, backward and sideways – in “enlightened self-interest.” |
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May 30, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Rail Safety Poster Contest Winners Announced | |
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The art and design of several students will be used to help save lives along Canada’s railways, one of many initiatives by Direction 2006. The winners of the First Nations’ Direction 2006 railway safety poster contest are: in the grade seven to nine category, Manuwella McKay, in grade seven at Martin McKay Memorial School in Sachigo Lake, ON, and in the grade four to six category, Kellye Hynes, a grade six student at Queen of Peace Middle School in Happy Valley, NL. As first-prize winners each student will be awarded $300. These artists also won a cash prize of $200 for their school, and another $100 for their teachers. Sgt. Bill Law, contest coordinator and director of the CPR Police community services unit says the contest is part of the Direction 2006 strategy to reduce the number of motorists and pedestrians killed and injured along Canada’s railways. |
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May 5, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| The railway research world heads to Montreal for WCRR 2006 – 4 to 8 June 2006 | |
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Paris, May 5, 2004 - The World Congress on Railway Research organizing committee met in London on April 27, 2004 to prepare an agenda for the upcoming summit in Montreal, June 4 to 8, 2006. They also voted to hold the 2008 conference in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The 2006 WCRR in Montreal has an agenda that will have a particular emphasis on North American freight activities and operations. “The conference will bring together labor leaders, key suppliers, government representatives, customers and leading edge researchers in freight and passenger rail transport,” says Mike Lowenger, co-chair of the North American site’s organizing committee, and vice president of Operations and Regulatory Affairs for the Railway Association of Canada. The overall theme for the WCRR in Montreal will be “Progressing Together / Le progrès, ensemble. |
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May 3, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| E&N Railway Company (1998) Ltd. to hold Railway Open House | |
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The E&N Railway Company (1998) Ltd. (“ENR”) will hold a special “E&N Railway Day” Open House on Saturday May 22, 2004 at Nanaimo, British Columbia. From 1030 am to 4 pm on May 22, ENR welcomes the public to join us for interactive displays and railway safety presentations at the E&N railway station located at 321 Selby Street in historic downtown Nanaimo. |
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April 27, 2004 |
Dangerous Goods News |
| Two day Safety Expo begins with Hazardous Material Exercise | |
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Ottawa Central Railway and the City of Ottawa will stage a mock spill of sulfuric acid from a railway tank car requiring a full emergency response on Friday, April 30. The mock spill is intended to test a variety of requirements from response times to operations management and follow-up. Police, emergency vehicles, medical practitioners and emergency response professionals will respond as required. |
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April 26, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Kiosks, Interactive CD Will Help Save Lives | |
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Modern, multimedia kiosks were launched today at Central Station in Montreal and the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa as part of Operation Lifesaver’s Rail Safety Week in Canada. The kiosks, more than eight feet tall, were designed by ExpoZone of Ottawa and are based on an educational, interactive CD-ROM developed by Dimension 4 Multimedia of Chicoutimi, Quebec. More than 50,000 copies of the CD have been produced for distribution to elementary and high school students across Canada. The CDs give people of all ages access to dynamic, feature-rich content that illustrates the risks of being on or near railway property, and the importance, for motorists and pedestrians, of safe behaviour around trains. |
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April 23, 2004 |
Member News |
| World travellers to open Alberta Prairie 2004 season | |
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Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions 2004 summer season will start more than three weeks early this year with a special rail fans charter on April 25. Both steam engines, the venerable old No. 41 and massive Mountain Class No. 6060, will be fired up for this added trip organized by Tim Littler of GW Travel Limited of Great Britain with the assistance of Trains Unlimited from the United States. Close to 130 guests from England, Europe and various states in the U.S.A. will be bussed to Stettler the morning of April 25 for a 10:30 a.m. departure. |
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April 21, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Ottawa Central Hosts 3rd | |
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Ottawa Central Railway presents its 3rd "Safety Expo and Open House" on Saturday, May 1. The popular activity promises a day of learning and fun. "We had over 25 hundred visitors last year," says Ottawa Central General Manager James Allen, "and it's an excellent chance to help our kids learn about railways and rail safety issues first hand." "Everybody's welcome on Saturday, May 1st anytime from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM," says Mr. Allen. Free parking and admission at Ottawa Central Railway, 3141 Albion Road South, just north of Johnston Road. |
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April 19, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| 2004 Operation Lifesaver Safety Week Announced | |
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Public safety campaign Operation Lifesaver and its partners will launch their 2004 national Rail Safety Public Awareness Week on April 26. The aim of the week is to help reduce crossing collisions and trespassing incidents along Canada’s railways in communities across the country. Operation Lifesaver, a national public safety program sponsored by Transport Canada and the Railway Association of Canada, works in partnership with provincial safety councils, police, unions, railways, the trucking industry, and community groups. |
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April 8, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Bill Rowat spoke to participants at the Canada Grains Council’s 35th Annual Meeting | |
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On Wednesday April 7th, 2004, Bill Rowat spoke to participants at the Canada Grains Council’s 35th Annual Meeting in Winnipeg, MB. Mr. Rowat's presentation dealt with the following topic: 'Directions in the North American Rail Industry: Increasing quantities of grain are moving by rail into Mexico. Canadian and United States railways are merging. What does the future hold?' Please click on the link below for the full presentation.
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Document(s): Click here to download the Presentation in PDF (383 KB) |
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April 1, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| Railway Hall of Fame Seeking 2004 Nominees | |
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The Canadian Railway Hall of Fame is seeking public nominees for leaders, heroes, communities and technologies that helped make freight and passenger railways the backbone of the Canadian economy. Deadline for entries is June 4. Those selected will be announced in September. “ The inductions are part of a series of annual events and activities that showcase the role that freight and passenger rail played, and still plays, in Canada’s economy,” said Bill Rowat, President and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada. The Hall of Fame was created with the support of the RAC’s 60-some freight and passenger railways, communities, museums, corporate sponsors and the public at large. |
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March 29, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| Canada awards $1.2M to Canadian Railway Museum | |
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Speaking on behalf of Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development, Liza Frulla, Minister of Social Development, today announced a non-repayable investment of $1.2 million for the completion of Phase II of the Canadian Railway Museum's EXPORAIL project. "Our participation in this important project acknowledges the Museum's uniqueness. Implementation of Phase II of the EXPORAIL project will enable the Canadian Railway Museum, located in Saint-Constant, QC, to join the select ranks of the world's top five railway museums. Last but not least, the Museum's facilities will be world-class and much more likely to attract an international clientele," stressed Robillard. Revitalization of the Museum will bolster the regional economy by enhancing the local tourism offering and generate economic spinoffs of at least $15 million annually. Funding for this initiative was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget. |
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March 23, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| RAC Response to Federal Budget 2004 | |
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Bill Rowat, President and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada, commended the federal government today for delivering a balanced budget, despite its fiscal pressures. But he expressed disappointment that the government was not yet able to address the rail industry’s need for Capital Cost Allowances that are competitive throughout North America, and between modes. “The difference in tax policy approach means that it takes U.S. railroads eight years to depreciate their locomotives and freight cars and 20 years in Canada,” said Mr. Rowat. “That means Canadian assets are obsolete in their market long before they’re physically worn out. Canada’s approach is old-fashioned. It ignores the rapid pace of technological change.” |
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March 3, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Rail Industry Improves Its Environmental Track Record | |
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Canada’s freight railways hauled 28 per cent more freight in 2002 than they did in 1990, but used less fuel to do the job. The improvement in rail’s environmental track record comes from working smarter and using smarter technology, said Bill Rowat, President and Chief Executive Officer of the industry’s 60 freight and passenger railways. The industry’s performance data is contained in the most recent locomotive emissions report just published under a 10-year government-industry voluntary agreement signed in 1995 between the Railway Association of Canada and Environment Canada. |
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March 1, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Canadian Railways are Safe | |
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Canada's railways lead North American railroads in their safety performance. It's a continuing trend that reflects both highway and railway traffic growth, urban development, agressive public information campaigns to save lives along Canada's railways, and new practices, procedures and technology to enhance rail safety. In fact, rail-related fatalities reached a 21-year low of 79 in 2003 -- due mainly to a 41 per cent reduction in highway/railway crossing fatalities year-over-year. Overall, the number of accidents per unit of workload on Canadian railways are down 29 per cent over the past decade.
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Document(s): Click here to download the RAC safety pamphlet in PDF (188 KB) |
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February 23, 2004 |
RAC Press Release |
| Rail Safety Contest Underway | |
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The third annual Direction 2006 railway safety poster contest is underway in Aboriginal/First Nations’ communities across Canada. "We want to continue discussions and build awareness about railway safety in communities made up of both Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people who have a unique interaction with the railways," said contest coordinator Sgt. Bill Law, who also directs the CPR Police community services unit. Last year, there were 72 fatalities, and another 72 seriously injured in highway/railway crossing collisions and from entering onto railway tracks and rights-of-way. “Virtually all were avoidable with due caution,” said Sgt. Law. The contest was initiated two years ago with the assistance of First Nations Police Services. It is open to all young people in Grades 4 to 9 who participate in youth groups and school classes in these communities. |
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February 3, 2004 |
RAC News |
| Pre-Budget Submission to the Ontario Legislative Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs | |
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In a presentation to the Ontario Legislative Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on February 3, 2004 in Ottawa, the Railway Association of Canada outlined how its member railways contributed to Ontario's economy, their solution to Ontario's transportation challenges, the factors inhibiting their growth--particularly in the area of taxation, and the steps needed to implement positive changes.
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Document(s): Click here to download the Pre-Budget Submission in PDF (125 KB) |
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January 21, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| The Northeast – Southeast – Midwest Corridor Marketing Study: Examining the potential to divert highway traffic from Interstate 81 to rail intermodal movement | |
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Two Commonwealth-sponsored studies prior to this report analyzed the relationship between highway freight traffic and rail intermodal service in Virginia, along a northsouth corridor focused particularly on Interstate 81. Rail intermodal is a cooperative service where trucks pick up and deliver their shipments, but the truck trailer (or container) is carried between cities by rail, thus reducing the number of trucks that have to travel by highway. The two studies were motivated by rising projections of highway congestion, by truck traffic growth exceeding what the highways were designed to handle, and by the perceived concern for safety among citizens whose automobiles share the road with commercial vehicles. The collective analysis contained in these studies suggested that the opportunity to divert heavy truck traffic to rail intermodal would provide significant positive benefits to the Commonwealth. However, such a diversion could not be accomplished without substantial corridorwide investments in the parallel rail infrastructure.A closer look was warranted and with federal funds to partially underwrite it, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, commissioned the Northeast – Southeast– Midwest Corridor Marketing Study (the Study). Its purpose was to determine whether the Commonwealth should change the current calculus by injecting public capital into the development of competitive rail intermodal service for the I-81 corridor. Specifically, the Study sought to determine (1) is there a marketplace demand for improved intermodal service in the corridor; (2) what type of service offering will generate the greatest diversion benefit to the corridor; and (3) what level of public investment in rail intermodal will materially impact the level of highway commercial traffic for I-81? |
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January 20, 2004 |
Regulatory Affairs News |
| CROR revisions approved (TC O 0-39.1) effective February 01, 2004. | |
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC), on behalf of its constituent railway companies, had requested the approval of revisions to the Canadian Rail Operating Rules (CROR). On November 27, 2003, the following proposals were approved (TC O 0-39), as submitted:
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Document(s): Click here to download the new CROR in PDF (129 KB) |
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January 12, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| The CTA Releases its new Guide to Railway Charges for Crossing Maintenance and Construction | |
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The CTA has recently released its new Guide to Railway Charges for Crossing Maintenance and Construction |
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Document(s): Click here to download the New Guide in PDF (342 KB) |
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January 9, 2004 |
Miscellaneous |
| "Let truckers pay more on highways" (Printed in The Toronto Star) | |
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Toronto Mayor David Miller recognizes that congestion and gridlock are at the top of the Greater Toronto Area's list of long-term challenges. He has targeted public transit as an integral part of the solution. Canada's rail industry agrees that more should be done to support commuter rail and urban transit. Toronto's congestion and gridlock problems do not just relate to the movement of people though, but also to the movement of goods. The facts are striking. From 1990 to 2001, for-hiring trucking has increased in revenue by 120 per cent, activity is up more than 140 per cent. In Canada, growth rates in trucking are significantly outpacing our neighbour to the south. Other modes (rail and marine) have grown at a rate of one-fifth of trucking.The lion's share of this growth is in cross-border traffic going through Ontario border gateways and along the 401 corridor. Why, after massive spending on highways, do we still have ever-increasing congestion and gridlock? Statistics Canada estimates the capital stock of publicly owned highways and roads to be $82.3 billion. Public investment in highways helps reduce the cost and improves the service of commercial road users. By doing so, it induces traffic to shift from other modes contributing to increases in congestion and gridlock. |
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| Summer 2010 Edition of Interchange | |
| Railway Emergency Response Training Complete | |
| Locomotive Emissions Monitoring Program 2008 | |
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Mr. Paul Goyette Director, Communications and Public Affairs Phone: (613) 564-8097 |
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