Railroad Forums 

  • CMQ for sale?

  • Discussion of present-day CM&Q operations, as well as discussion of predecessors Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) and Bangor & Aroostook Railroad (BAR).
Discussion of present-day CM&Q operations, as well as discussion of predecessors Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) and Bangor & Aroostook Railroad (BAR).

Moderator: MEC407

 #1522825  by mdvle
 
Back in September the Canadian Transport Minister issued a Ministerial Order to CMQ to fix deficiencies found in a Transport Canada inspection back in May, with the deadline to comply being earlier this week, as well as giving other instructions to CMQ.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/s ... 09273.html

Wonder what effects the apparent issues with the track will have on any apparent sale given the amount of money apparently already spent in the years since the derailment apparently not making much of an improvement.
 #1522842  by CN9634
 
Not that I would ever defend the MMA, because I definitely did not agree with their operating practices, but I don't quite understand what about the tragedy at Lac Megantic has to do with the track, when the issues and mistakes were otherwise? In fact, if the track were so bad, the train would have derailed miles outside of the downtown, but instead sustained its 60+MPH doomsday path.

Sorry to cast that shadow on this thread, but I thought it worth mentioning, but again, I don't see exactly the track consider relative to the sale and Megantic disaster in the least.
Last edited by MEC407 on Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:46 am, edited 1 time in total. Reason: unnecessary quoting
 #1523353  by fromway
 
And the winner is? When do we think the announcement will be? CP is doing a lot of expansion on the West Coast and could use the connection to the East Coast both the US and New Brunswick/Nova Scotia
 #1523373  by backroadrails
 
The rumor I have heard is that NBSR gets everything from Jackman east. The interchange with CP will be in Jackman, and CP gets Jackman west. By the sounds there will be several more trains a day since CMQ, NBSR, and CN recently got a contract to either haul Kia's out of or into St. John which that business they gained from CN. We wont really know for sure since the sale hasn't been announced yet.
 #1523412  by pumpers
 
backroadrails wrote: Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:54 pm . By the sounds there will be several more trains a day since CMQ, NBSR, and CN recently got a contract to either haul Kia's out of or into St. John which that business they gained from CN.
Do you mean "CMQ, NBSR, and CP"?
Last edited by pumpers on Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #1523431  by bostontrainguy
 
Why Jackman? Wouldn't Brownville Junction make a lot more sense? And CP would want the longer haul wouldn't it?
 #1523447  by CN9634
 
Next investor called for FTAI is next week. My understanding is there were several interested parties and the sale itself has just being concluded. We may yet need to wait a bit longer, but the plan is to have it wrapped up by latest December with filings and all made to the STB (we'll know well in advance of that).

So in that timeline, we'll know relatively soon.

I've heard many different CP/NBSR split scenarios but it seems to be the most current rumor. In reality, it could happen and there are some interesting things in the pipeline if CP were to take over.

The KIA contract with from the new Glovis business CP won last year. It comes back 2020, but likely not until late Summer from the last CP marketing update on this (although they said some volumes could come sooner). NBSR crews have been made aware of the new traffic as well, I suspect it'll be distributed by Irving right at Dever Road. It should be about 1600 carloads per year, or 30 per week, so pretty decent volume.

More on this: https://www.nbsouthern.com/NBM-railways ... -auto.aspx
 #1523460  by CPF363
 
CN9634 wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2019 4:13 pm I've heard many different CP/NBSR split scenarios but it seems to be the most current rumor. In reality, it could happen and there are some interesting things in the pipeline if CP were to take over.
Where would the split be? If CP is involved, would they acquire the Farnham to Brownville, Jct. line and split off the former BAR portion of the CM&Q to NBSR? Some kind of arrangement would also have to be made for the line to Newport, VT also.
 #1523485  by Zeke
 
As cagy and flush with cash as CP I suspect Farnham to Jackman is about far enough. They are happy to get NBSR to maintain the unproductive Moose head.
 #1523500  by Cowford
 
By the sounds there will be several more trains a day...
I reckon that's a little optimistic. If traffic over the Moosehead is going to grow based on market share shift, the upper limit would be all the traffic moving into/out of Saint John on CN's Sussex Sub... which, last I checked, is one train a day.

I personally remain a CP skeptic, meaning I find it difficult to believe the road would want back in... especially if the Newport Sub is part of the equation.

And regardless of what happens, who gets (stuck with) the Rockland Branch?
 #1523507  by CPF363
 
Zeke wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:28 pm As cagy and flush with cash as CP I suspect Farnham to Jackman is about far enough. They are happy to get NBSR to maintain the unproductive Moose head.
Can't see why they would want to end Jackman however, possibly for an intermodal facility where trucks from central Maine could run up U.S. 201 and drop and pick up? In addition, there is no yard in Jackman so trains would be handed off to one another. Brownville seems more logical, yard there interchange points in all directions etc. Could NBSR own and manage the segment between Jackman and Brownville and CP would have trackage rights to Brownville? How many customers are west of Jackman to Sherbrooke that would drive Jackman to be the eastern most point on the CP Rail System?
 #1523537  by fromway
 
Traffic rights seems like a good plan with the handoff in Brownville. CP will use their crews both ways on a quick turnover without layovers.
 #1523560  by Zeke
 
I am not familiar with the mileage involved but I don't think CP could turn Farnham BJ in 12 hours. Thinking about it I agree with some posters CP getting back into east of Iberville QC ownership a unlikely scenario. But we will see soon enough.
 #1523876  by johnpbarlow
 
Here is a link to a French Canadian news item re: CMQ's pending sale:
https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2019/10/30/ ... t-a-vendre

Chrome browser should offer a translation to English option. Of note is a statement re: CP and Irving's rumored interest in buying the line:
Canadian Pacific and Irving, who have financial interests in a possible resumption of oil transportation, would like to acquire CMQR, according to rumors circulating in the rail industry.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 16