The Building Blocks of a Capital

 It may be hard to believe now, but rail tracks once crisscrossed the National Capital Region like lifelines on a palm, foretelling the life of a growing nation. In fact, the birth, expansion and perhaps the key to the Ottawa-Gatineau area clinching the capital title is largely due to the

Making Tracks

 There's a Moose on the Loose and It’s Making Commercial Rail a Reality in the Capital. There’s been quite a buzz around the Prince of Wales Bridge lately. The City of Ottawa bought the bridge that cuts across the Ottawa River in 2005. It has been sitting unused ever since,

A Trainload of Memories

 All photos by David Eisenstadt. Raised in Calgary, I visited Banff year ‘round, travelled by car through the Rogers Pass and saw much of BC’s interior. I never travelled there by train. That changed when my wife Rhoda and I discovered the Rocky Mountaineer and their various routes through the

The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival—Canada’s Sweetest Tradition

 Photo credit: Explore Waterloo Region Traditions come and go, but there are some I can never imagine abandoning. One of these is the incomparable taste of fresh Canadian maple syrup and hot pancakes in the springtime coming from the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival! Maple syrup is an icon for the small

Paul Proudlock on Rail Safety

 Photo by Frederic Dekkal Paul Proudlock has been a railway man for almost 25 years. For the last several years he has also been an outspoken proponent of increasing rail safety, and one of his biggest concerns is fatigue among railway workers. He is presently an engineer for CP Rail

New Spirit of Cooperation in Rail

 Photo by Frederic Dekkal Everything old is new again, and a new spirit of cooperation in negotiations between the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) union and two of Canada’s biggest railways, CN and VIA Rail, has the potential to use old-style sitting down and talking to change a century of

Jean-Michel Hallé

 ABOVE: Teamster Jean-Michel Hallé takes a rest from union matters and recharges on the water. Described as “up and coming” by his colleagues at Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), Jean-Michel Hallé has recently taken over the union position of General Chairman of CN Eastern Lines, which includes negotiations between union

Profiles: Rob Smith

 Rob Smith is a fourth-generation railroader. Hailing from Perth, Ontario, he started as a brakeman (a position now called a trainman) with CP Rail in nearby Smiths Falls, where he spent much of his career. The legislation of safe working conditions for railway workers and the communities through which railways

Rail on the Rise

 GETTING PRODUCTS TO TIDEWATER AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE Energy is a key market for Canadian Pacific (CP) and the increase in traffic has been particularly strong as a result of a targeted growth strategy. Energy-related traffic represented about 45 per cent of this portfolio’s revenue in 2011. With an extensive

Ireland Welcomes You Home

 Your Irish Heritage Is Waiting To Be Discovered. It seemed fitting to take my daughter on a trip to Ireland to explore the land of her paternal ancestors. Thanks to the mild oceanic climate, the south and south west of Ireland are a beautiful lush green carpet peppered with towns,