I thought some one else would catch this, but in our local newspaper on the weekend there was an article concerning CP possibly acquiring BC Rail. From a business point of view it might make sense, from an emotional point of view, I will miss BC Rail if that is to happen. Our provincial government owns the BC Rail and have pledged not to sell it, but their promise is as reliable as a weather forecast here in Vancouver.
I don't know, I was thinking and with everything else going on the province right now (I listen to JRFM, as I am in Bellingham WA) With the doctors and other isuses that are occupying the plate right now I think that BCR might be safe for the time being..Have a good day Ya'll off to School (Why me)
Don't count on it. Our new government is trying to divist itself of every business it has. Many of us are waiting and watching BC Ferries wondering what will happen to it. BC Rail has been stripped of its different companies, and is now a pure rail road. After they did that, they discountinued intermodal. If you go to their yard in North Van, you will see over 100 trailer cars from OverWaitte (Food chain servicing the interior) sitting doing nothing because of the cut back service. BC Rail did a lot of piggy back service. It appears it is being set up to sell. Basically all passenger service has been or will be discontinued. The chap in charge of all passenger service has been given notice that he will be let go as of October. I know him fairly well.
BC Rail boss says no sale is in the works to CPR or anyone else BC Rail says it has no indications that the provincial government has any intention of selling the railway, its president and chief operating officer wrote in a memo to employees this week. The memo from BC Rail President Mark Mudie was sent in response to a story in the Vancouver Sun, which said that Canadian Pacific told provincial officials that it was interested in buying the railway if it should be put on the block. No process is in place to conduct a sale even if the provincial government wanted to sell the railway, Mudie wrote. “Expressions of interest can and do come up in business on a regular basis. We cannot prevent someone from expressing an interest in purchasing all or a part of BC Rail Ltd. and when they do come up, we are under no obligation to respond to them,” Mudie wrote. But BC Rail did meet with CPR officials last month regarding the spinoff of its Fort Nelson Subdivision, Mudie said. “There have however been informal discussions with CPR, as well as with several other railways, regarding the short lining of the Fort Nelson Subdivision,” he wrote
Conductor Rick, They also said a year ago they wouldn't cut passenger service, particularly with the 2010 bid for Whistler in the works..... bye bye passenger service. By the way, the BC Rail boss is former CP.
Just sending out an article that might be of interest to the discussion... I'll crawl back into my hole now... Rick
What get my blood up is that all these "Crown Corporations" such as BC Rail, BC Hydro and the BC Ferry Corporation, among others, are, In fact paid for and in most cases, funded by the B.C. Taxpayers and are the property of this province and, by extension, the property of the people (Taxpayers). And yet, this government feels that it has the right to sell off to private interests, that which does not belong to them, without a say from the people, whom it does belong to. Wondering where it will all end . Terry
With a new coo coo political party that we will all vote for because we won't vote NDP and we won't vote Liberal....lol!
Hows it going Eh! All I know is, when the top Brass say No, Never, Ever will we sell out! That is the time it will happen! I worked for Chrysler, and it was the same scenereo. Chrysler not will merge or be sold to any foriegn or domestic manufacturer! Low and behold what happened? They were bought out by Daimler, and I lost my job! If anyone from BC rail is reading, you can bet you will be sold, if not CP then CN or BNSF or someone else. This is a fact of life!! Big guy takes over the little guy!
Total BS. CPR is only interested in the Ft. Nelson Sub. For what reason I don't have the foggiest. But what Pat Hind was telling me last night was that CPR wants to use the Ft. Nelson Sub as part of the Russia and Alaska connector, CPR probably will team up with UP or BNSF and run from the USA through BC, via CPR and BCR, and up to Alaska or even Russia.
CPR is only intersted in the Port Sub so they dont have to pay the Provincial Govt to get to DeltaPort. They could also give them selves preferencial running over CN.
