Railways was Re: [AT] Gasoline $

[Ralph Goff]

Charlie
Maybe I should clarify. Most of our grain does eventually get to port by 
rail. What I am complaining about is the closure of the "short lines " or 
branch lines that used to serve every small town here. At most our grain 
would be trucked ten to fifteen miles to the elevator and from there it was 
rail lines all the way to the final destination, be it Vancouver or the East 
coast.
Now, with the closure of most of these short lines, our grain is trucked at 
least double, triple or more miles to reach the terminals on the main lines 
before it gets into rail transportation. This means no more small 300 bushel 
trucks (or tractors and wagons) hauling grain, it does't pay with today's 
fuel cost. Now we pay the custom truckers with the big semis, super b trains 
to haul our grain to terminal. More big trucks on the road than ever before. 
Some of our fuel tax goes to repairing those roads damaged by heavy truck 
traffic.
Most of the small towns out here originated with and as a result of the 
coming of the rail lines. Its not that many years ago that all the farm 
equipment dealers had their machinery delivered on rail cars. I can remember 
seeing new equipment sitting on the rail cars waiting to be unloaded. I 
guess now some of us wonder just how long the towns will last once the 
railway is gone.

Ralph in Sask.
http://lgoff.sasktelwebsite.net/

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "charlie hill" <chill8 at cox.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 10:27 AM
Subject: Re: Alt fuels was Re: [AT] Gasoline $


> The problem with the railroads is that manufactured products, parts and 
> produce are all delivered "just in time" these days.  That cuts down on 
> inventory costs and allows the market to react to demand changes must 
> faster that was ever possible before.   Trains can't do just in time 
> delivery.  It takes trucks.  Stuff that can effectively move on the 
> rails, raw materials, etc. still do.
>
> Charlie