The decision to close the logging railroad on the north end of Vancouver Island comes six months after three Englewood employees were killed when a runaway log train crashed into a maintenance-of-way crew. The railroad was immediately shut down following the incident and had yet to resume operations while Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigated the crash.
In a statement to Trains News Wire, Western Forest Products officials cited economic conditions as the primary reason for shutting down the railroad for good. Logs will now be transported by truck.
“To improve the flexibility of our operations and create efficiencies in the processing and transport of logs on the North Island, we have made the decision to permanently discontinue operating our Englewood train,” says spokesperson Amy Spencer. “This change is consistent with ongoing efforts to reduce costs and strengthen the company’s competitiveness.”
Thirty-four jobs will be cut with the railroad’s closure, although Spencer says some people will be moved to new jobs within the company.
It’s unclear what will happen to the railroad now that WFP has decided to permanently close it, but officials say they recognize its importance as the last logging railroad on the continent.
“In recognition of the historical importance of the Englewood train, we will work with North Island communities and governments to determine how best to honour its long history,” Spencer says.
I guess all the displaced railroaders will become truck drivers.
They are already hauling by truck since the RR shut down in April.
The difference is around 84 miles!
So, how are they going to move the logs? By truck? With the driver shortage throughout North America which is growing, I am puzzled by their decision.
Re the idea of a heritage operation, Woss is a long way from any population centre.
Here’s an idea:
Convert all of the flats into passenger cars, and run a heritage operation. The steam locomotive on static display at the shops could be put back into service to really provide an incentive to ride.
There is a story in the International Railway Journal, written by Richard Worrell, about a rail project in New Zealand. They are building a new railroad, 10kM (6.2 miles) long that will carry logs. New Zealand has a developed economy like we do. If it is economical to have trains carrying logs there, why doesn’t it work here?
The story is dated Oct 27 2017.Here’s a link. Hope it works;
http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/australia-nz/new-zealand-commits-dolnz-800m-to-two-rail-projects.html?utm_source=Email_marketing&utm_campaign=IRJ_Rail_Brief_Nov_2_2017&cmp=1&utm_medium=HTMLEmail
34 employees seems like rather a lot, although I’m too far away to understand the operation to truly know. Perhaps that’s the answer why it is economical in New Zealand and not here?
If it’s more expensive to upgrade the rail, it make sense to expand trucks. They are a way more flexable means of transport. Still a shame to lose any rail operation.
Sad!
This all happened because a cable broke that was moving cars to load and then the run-away cars jumped over a rail lapping derail that should have been a switch point derail. Rail lapping should be outlawed as they often do not work if hit with speed. Open switch point will not fail to get the cars off the rail but then there must be more to stop them.
For a company which touts the environment going to trucks is hypocritical.