Transportation Pollution Canada, Rail Roads

Burlington Northern; Intermodal Containers

Over the last two decades, Burlington Northern focused on its intermodal business, in which it ships goods in containers or trailers using a combination of rail, ship or truck. Growing an average of 7 percent annually, that business will comprise about a third of the company's revenue this year.

Shipping goods through a transload facility is more complicated than using an intermodal facility. With intermodal shipments, containers or trailers of goods are moved from one mode to another. At a transload facility, goods are unloaded off a rail car and reloaded into another container or onto a truck.

The problem with smaller facilities is that they're not as efficient. Train cargo must be sorted and then carried to individual destinations by other trains or reloaded onto a truck. The larger facilities would create something like a hub-and-spoke system, Mr. Hatch said. “By reducing handling and expenses for shippers, railroads can do what they do best, long-haul, and leave the local delivery to trucks,” Mr. Hatch said. “Railroads are just beginning to get a taste for what the system can do.”

"We do not believe that it is possible to road build the nation’s way out of roads which are currently congested and unsafe as a result.

The oil map is shrinking world-wide. A serious shift to rail beginning now would help Canada to prepare for the post petroleum era. It would also do much to help Canada in meeting the Kyoto protocol.

I have recently heard it estimated that 85% of Canadian voters believe the environment to be an important part of their election decision making.

1V) Support for Rail Renewal

There is growing evidence of public recognition of the unsustainability of attempting to accommodate ever more trucks and cars.

We recognize that there are new federal rail initiatives related to VIA and to urban transit which if dependent on provincial financial participation, would present a problem here in Ontario. But much more needs to be done. Here is our list for your consideration.

1. Recommendations for Rail Renewal

Infrastructure funding (federal/provincial/municipal/ public/private) to support Environmentally Sustainable Transport:

• multiple track projects (e.g. double single track, double track to three tracks – we can

make a few specific recommendations)

• intermodal freight terminals (many smaller facilities to make truck access to the

railhead easier and lengthen the rail portion of the haul).

• intermodal vehicle and systems improvements
• improved railway signalling.
• high speed railway cross-overs
• road/rail grade separation
• acquisition of strategic abandoned rail lines (see RWTF Route Banking Proposal included in the package)
• replace tracks and bridges etc. as necessary in co-operation with short line and regional rail freight operators and transit authorities (urban, regional, intercity)
• grants for freight rail sidings
• examine collaboration between VIA and commuter systems, e.g. GO Transit. We have a proposal for this not included in your package, but we will be pleased to present this later.
• aggressive expansion of rail passenger and parcel services – New and renewed routes
• financial assistance to short line and regional railways (see many U.S. examples. Quebec and Saskatchewan also)
• development of diesel and electric multiple unit rail passenger cars (light rail in urban settings and diesel rail cars for e.g. service to rural destinations – not unlike the former interurban or radial lines)
• develop cottage country, tourist and skiing weekend passenger services
• put rail capital cost allowances on par with other modes and our NAFTA partners
• begin rail electrification with high traffic routes
• actively discourage private warehousing on public roads. See Sweden re commerce competing by demonstrating environmentally friendly processes, including how they transport.
• link transport improvements to efficient and environmentally friendly land use planning to avoid rubber tired inspired industrial and residential greenfields sprawl
• full cost accounting by mode including all externalities
• controlled track sharing involving arbitrated cost recovery. Passenger services must have full rail system access as a matter of principle
• encourage rail freight. See letter to three Ontario cabinet ministers dated September 24, 2000 re assisting truckers in dealing with increasing fuel costs.
• consider serious improvements in long distance rail passenger services as a solution to the serious multiplier effect of greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft flying at ten thousand metres

According to John Rossiker who heads the newly created Rail Division in the Kansas State Department of Transportation. “It is time to face facts. Railroad maintenance is a better buy than highway maintenance. It’s cheaper and lasts longer.” Mr Rossiker points out that it costs about $4,000 a year to keep a mile of railroad in good condition." According to asphalt road maintenance practices in Ontario, we estimate that road maintenance per mile for a year is higher than rail by a factor of five."