Scotia Rail Development Society Poster Contest Information

Elva Zhou Follow Me

Posted this 2016-02-05 7:29 PM AST (updated 2016-02-06 6:17 PM AST)

Our island’s history is rich in stories and song about hard work, survival and of course the call to our own ancestors to settle here. Once a thriving industrial community, we need not look too far to see the impact of the steel industry or the mining of coal on even our present day culture. Sydney exported the best rails in the world and the tons of coal transported on these rails reached to the far ends of the global world. Our society is trying to create awareness among our youth of the importance of the rail and the possibilities for its future. Even though most of our youth have probably not even experienced being on a train, you need not look too far to see a rail bed or a rail crossing. You will be the ones to oversee future economic development in our communities and hopefully once again see the trains carrying goods to the rest of the world, and who knows……maybe even get to ride the train once again. We can only dream of the possibilities.

The Scotia Rail Development Society is sponsoring a poster contest for students at the grades three, four and five levels in the CBVRSB. The students are asked to create a standard letter-sized poster and the winning design will be used as the Society’s future poster art. A prize will be awarded.

Rules for Poster Design:

· Students may create a poster based on their idea of the importance of train travel or transport by train in their community. Any train related idea will be accepted.

· Posters must be created only by an individual student.

· Posters may be 8 ½” x 11” or 11” x 17”.

· Students may use pencil, crayon or paint in their poster design.

· Students must complete name, address and telephone number on the back of their poster.

· Entries must be submitted to participating schools no later than Friday, February 19th, 2016.

· Prize winner will be announced on Wednesday, February 24th, 2016.

· Grand prize is a $100 gift certificate for Best Buy, Mayflower Mall.

Questions? Email [email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/scotiaraildevelopmentsociety/?fref=nf

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Michael MacNeil Follow Me 2016-02-06 7:34 AM AST Reply 1 0 Why is the idea of a rail to trail idea completing the Trans Canada Trail not valid in your contest? I would think that if you were going to lobby our youth to help your cause, that you would include the idea of a trail promoting health, exercise and a tourism draw for Cape Breton. This reminds me of a recent similar contest to get our youth to help promote opening a coal mine in cape Breton during a Global warming summit that concluded that we have no choice but to start reducing Global emissions. I can see now why our youth want more input into decisions effecting their future, when they are used in this manner Jason Morrison Follow Me 2016-02-07 9:30 PM AST Reply 0 0 The Scotia Rail group is trying to promote the importance of retaining the rail line for future and current needs. Converting the rail line to a trail is not part of that mission. Once the rails are removed they will never be relaid as it would be cost prohibitive. Although a completed Trans Canada Trail would be nice, it shouldn't come at the price of loosing the rail line. The Windsor and Hantsport Railway in Nova Scotia which is currently shut down do to the loss of its largest customer is taking a different approach. They are working with the counties for a Rails with Trails system (as opposed to rails to trails), it allows for the railway to stay intact for future use and allows for construction of a trail along side the railway right of way. This is the best of both worlds and would be the model I would push for. Michael MacNeil Follow Me 2016-02-08 8:25 AM AST Reply 0 0 Yes Jason your correct in that a rails and trails system would work Although I see no future for rail service in Cape Breton, it is very important to get the right of way back just in case it is needed some day.The history that decided the current route of the railway is interesting in that before the railway was built, there were three routes considered. 1) southern Cape Breton through Saint Peters 2) northern Cape Breton where the Trans Canada highway is now and 3) Central Cape Breton. Central Cape Breton was chosen because of politics and an influential MP who owned a Hotel in Grand Narrows. The Grand Narrows bridge was one of the biggest engineering projects of the day.If a business case ever developed in Cape Breton that needed the railway, it would probably be cheaper to reroute the railway through Southern Cape Breton where it should have been built than to replace the Grand Narrows bridge.This new route should also have a new double lane highway avoiding where ever possible the brasdor lakes and private crossings.All other roads in Cape Breton including the old link between Louisbourg and Gabarus should be developed Tourism friendly including bicycle lanes. Hey if your going to dream, may as well dream big.
Jason Morrison Follow Me 2016-02-08 10:12 AM AST Reply 0 0 Well we can agree to disagree about the need for Rail Service in Cape Breton. The way I see it there are several local companies that for some reason became successful in Cape Breton (Copal, East Coast Ropes, Atlantic Preforms) to name a few, these companies made it because they have access to cheap rail transport, loosing the rail line will directly effect there business making it harder for them to compete. If those companies fold other companies will be affected locally, take for instance Atlantic Preforms, they supply Cape Breton Beverages with the bottles for all the locally made Pepsi products, if Atlantic Preforms fails because of the loss of the rail line, then Pepsi could fail as well. It is spiral effect which most people don't consider. The railway should be treated as infrastructure like our highway network, it plays a supporting roll in our economy, much like the Yarmouth Ferry plays a supporting roll in their economy. The Grand narrows bridge was built sturdy and strong it was designed for heavy steam locomotives verses today's light diesel locomotives, and although physically it looks bad, the bridge only requires minor repairs, but lets pretend that it would need to be replaced, the price would probably range in the 100 to 200 million dollars range but even that is nothing to the staggering cost of building a new Right of Way with new bridges and trestles. There are ways to improve the current rail line removing many private grade crossing and shortening the route. If a 3 mile new route was laid between Georges River and Keltic Drive it would allow the rail line to remove the track from Georges River to North Sydney. This new route removes a dozen protected crossing and many more private crossings. It also shortens the main line by 13 miles. This will reduce transit times and reduce maintenance for the rail line, therefor reducing the amount of carloads it need to break even from 10000 to 8700. Michael MacNeil Follow Me 2016-02-08 10:44 AM AST Reply 0 0 If they ever get a Container Terminal, they would need double stacked trains and they will not fit through the current bridge at grand narrows. However your idea of shortening the route is a good idea. Why not go further and run the route from Sydport through rear boisdale connecting to the bridge in Grand Narrows. The new route would be essentially going through mainly crown land eliminating all the private crossings and opening up the whole section of old railway line for a trail along the brasdor lakes. How did you figure the estimate on the amount of carloads needed to break even?If you are correct, then maybe shortening the line is the answer to save the railway. Jason Morrison Follow Me 2016-02-08 1:42 PM AST Reply 0 0 Hi Michael, actually Rail America has in a report which I have that states Grand Narrows bridge will support double stacked container trains. There is also the possibility of using lower composite rail ties on bridges now that can lower the rail head by up to 4 inches as opposed to the much higher wood bridge ties currently used on the bridge. Furthering a new right of way through the crown land is a good idea, but the cost of creating a new ROW is very prohibitive although I wouldn't rule it out. The carload estimate is a North American rail standard based on 100 cars per main line mile of track. The part of the Sydney Subdivision that G&W wants to remove is just short of 100 mainline miles, 100 miles X 100 cars per mile = 10,000 carloads that Rail America and G&W state they need. I feel even without a container terminal there are solutions to having a healthy rail line to play a supporting roll in Cape Breton's economy which is why Scotia Rail is exploring all options to retain the rail line.

Depth

Michael MacNeil Follow Me 2016-02-06 7:34 AM AST

Reply 1 0

Why is the idea of a rail to trail idea completing the Trans Canada Trail not valid in your contest? I would think that if you were going to lobby our youth to help your cause, that you would include the idea of a trail promoting health, exercise and a tourism draw for Cape Breton. This reminds me of a recent similar contest to get our youth to help promote opening a coal mine in cape Breton during a Global warming summit that concluded that we have no choice but to start reducing Global emissions. I can see now why our youth want more input into decisions effecting their future, when they are used in this manner

Jason Morrison Follow Me 2016-02-07 9:30 PM AST

Reply 0 0

The Scotia Rail group is trying to promote the importance of retaining the rail line for future and current needs. Converting the rail line to a trail is not part of that mission. Once the rails are removed they will never be relaid as it would be cost prohibitive. Although a completed Trans Canada Trail would be nice, it shouldn't come at the price of loosing the rail line. The Windsor and Hantsport Railway in Nova Scotia which is currently shut down do to the loss of its largest customer is taking a different approach. They are working with the counties for a Rails with Trails system (as opposed to rails to trails), it allows for the railway to stay intact for future use and allows for construction of a trail along side the railway right of way. This is the best of both worlds and would be the model I would push for.

Michael MacNeil Follow Me 2016-02-08 8:25 AM AST

Reply 0 0

Yes Jason your correct in that a rails and trails system would work Although I see no future for rail service in Cape Breton, it is very important to get the right of way back just in case it is needed some day.The history that decided the current route of the railway is interesting in that before the railway was built, there were three routes considered. 1) southern Cape Breton through Saint Peters 2) northern Cape Breton where the Trans Canada highway is now and 3) Central Cape Breton. Central Cape Breton was chosen because of politics and an influential MP who owned a Hotel in Grand Narrows. The Grand Narrows bridge was one of the biggest engineering projects of the day.If a business case ever developed in Cape Breton that needed the railway, it would probably be cheaper to reroute the railway through Southern Cape Breton where it should have been built than to replace the Grand Narrows bridge.This new route should also have a new double lane highway avoiding where ever possible the brasdor lakes and private crossings.All other roads in Cape Breton including the old link between Louisbourg and Gabarus should be developed Tourism friendly including bicycle lanes. Hey if your going to dream, may as well dream big.

Jason Morrison Follow Me 2016-02-08 10:12 AM AST

Reply 0 0

Well we can agree to disagree about the need for Rail Service in Cape Breton. The way I see it there are several local companies that for some reason became successful in Cape Breton (Copal, East Coast Ropes, Atlantic Preforms) to name a few, these companies made it because they have access to cheap rail transport, loosing the rail line will directly effect there business making it harder for them to compete. If those companies fold other companies will be affected locally, take for instance Atlantic Preforms, they supply Cape Breton Beverages with the bottles for all the locally made Pepsi products, if Atlantic Preforms fails because of the loss of the rail line, then Pepsi could fail as well. It is spiral effect which most people don't consider. The railway should be treated as infrastructure like our highway network, it plays a supporting roll in our economy, much like the Yarmouth Ferry plays a supporting roll in their economy. The Grand narrows bridge was built sturdy and strong it was designed for heavy steam locomotives verses today's light diesel locomotives, and although physically it looks bad, the bridge only requires minor repairs, but lets pretend that it would need to be replaced, the price would probably range in the 100 to 200 million dollars range but even that is nothing to the staggering cost of building a new Right of Way with new bridges and trestles. There are ways to improve the current rail line removing many private grade crossing and shortening the route. If a 3 mile new route was laid between Georges River and Keltic Drive it would allow the rail line to remove the track from Georges River to North Sydney. This new route removes a dozen protected crossing and many more private crossings. It also shortens the main line by 13 miles. This will reduce transit times and reduce maintenance for the rail line, therefor reducing the amount of carloads it need to break even from 10000 to 8700.

Michael MacNeil Follow Me 2016-02-08 10:44 AM AST

Reply 0 0

If they ever get a Container Terminal, they would need double stacked trains and they will not fit through the current bridge at grand narrows. However your idea of shortening the route is a good idea. Why not go further and run the route from Sydport through rear boisdale connecting to the bridge in Grand Narrows. The new route would be essentially going through mainly crown land eliminating all the private crossings and opening up the whole section of old railway line for a trail along the brasdor lakes. How did you figure the estimate on the amount of carloads needed to break even?If you are correct, then maybe shortening the line is the answer to save the railway.

Jason Morrison Follow Me 2016-02-08 1:42 PM AST

Reply 0 0

Hi Michael, actually Rail America has in a report which I have that states Grand Narrows bridge will support double stacked container trains. There is also the possibility of using lower composite rail ties on bridges now that can lower the rail head by up to 4 inches as opposed to the much higher wood bridge ties currently used on the bridge. Furthering a new right of way through the crown land is a good idea, but the cost of creating a new ROW is very prohibitive although I wouldn't rule it out. The carload estimate is a North American rail standard based on 100 cars per main line mile of track. The part of the Sydney Subdivision that G&W wants to remove is just short of 100 mainline miles, 100 miles X 100 cars per mile = 10,000 carloads that Rail America and G&W state they need. I feel even without a container terminal there are solutions to having a healthy rail line to play a supporting roll in Cape Breton's economy which is why Scotia Rail is exploring all options to retain the rail line.

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