robmausser
Senior Member
^One has to play the ball where it lies. As of today, a great many jobs in Guelph, K-W, Stratford, and Goderich depend on the freight rail service. And CN retains certain contractual rights (which are not discoverable, but I'm told they include rights to through operation) to operate over the territory.
I'm quite certain that the cost of modifying the infrastructure to harmonise freight and more intensive passenger would be less than the cost of buying out the freight operation - that could involve not only compensation to the railways for present and future opportunity, but to municipalities for tax base if the industries involved elect to move, for road work based on added volume, and to workers themselves if shippers close up shop or move out of province.
If we ever get to HSR west of Toronto, then sure, all bets are off.... but finding a new alignment might be desired anyways.
I would see any proposal that deprives Waterloo Region or Perth County of freight service as totally unacceptable.We should b e growing that business, not eliminating it.
- Paul
There also is a "you scratch my back and ill scratch yours" thing going on here too. GO still uses some CN owned tracks at various parts of their service, and so if they operate in bad faith towards CN, you can expect the same in return.