Signatures is at 22,853.

Last year I was finally able to catch a local serving the grain elevator at Sarnia's waterfront. I had been trying for years with little success. The main reason is that I wanted to film both railroad crossings along Front St, both of which have 1950s-era Griswold/GRS signals that still have their original 1950s Griswold mechanical bells and cantilevers, and most of their original 8-inch incandescent lights. 8-inch incandescents are extremely rare in Canada nowadays thanks to Transport Canada regulations demanding 12-inch LED lights. Thankfully, the Point Edward Spur is infrequently used, so the signals have been left alone.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/11129744

Freight Rail Highlights:

• Canadian Freight Rail volumes YTD are down 1% compared to the same period in 2022.
• Two of ten key financial and operating metrics improved compared to the same period last year, two remained unchanged, and six worsened.
• Train weight and length were reduced to accommodate softer traffic volumes while maintaining scheduled train operations and service levels.
• The B.C. port strikes disrupted supply chains and likely contributed to the observed 6% increase in average rail terminal dwell.
• 5% reduction in freight revenue per RTM and a 9% increase in the average operating ratio.
• Class 1 employment was up 4% and they invested nearly $1.7 billion into their assets – a $500 million (43%) increase compared to Q3-2022

Passenger Rail Highlights:

• Q2-23 (latest available data), tourism expenditures on passenger rail, which are a function of both ridership and pricing, were up 14%