Will The Empire Builder Stop Too?

Canadian Pacific is halting all trains system wide for 2 minutes silence at 11am on November 11th.

Will the e/b Empire Builder be required to stop? It will be near La Crosse WI. Also, #333 will be on CP between Glenview IL and Sturtevent and #334 will just be leaving Milwaukee.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/arch ... c6049.html

Canadian Pacific has been honoring veterans in that way for many years, going back to the end of the First World War. It's a wonderful idea, and it's unfortunate that Veteran's Day is now just another work day for many Americans who don't work in the public sector, academia, or for one of the few commercial companies that still observe it as a holiday.

Don't know for sure if the pause applies on the Soo/MILW and D&H lines as well, but I bet it does.

I'm trying to remember from last year. I think the way the track bulletin read, only CP trains had to stop. I don't think Amtrak did.

well 2 minutes wouldnt hurt on a 36 hour schedule . and there would be people on the train to whom it would mean something .

Remember that November 11th was originally called Armistice Day in both the US and Canada, and began as a celebration of the agreement signed at 11:00 am on 11/11/18 bringing WWI to an end.
In Canada, it became known as Remembrance Day in 1931, while in the US, it became known as Veterans Day in 1954. Both countries use the day now to commemorate veterans of all wars, not just WWI.
Does anyone know if Canadian National will be stopping their trains, or just CP?

TomNelligan wrote:.......it's unfortunate that Veteran's Day is now just another work day for many Americans who don't work in the public sector, academia, or for one of the few commercial companies that still observe it as a holiday.

Statutory holiday in my province. Everything is closed, you won’t even find a Mall store open tomorrow. A lot of people will join Legion members at the local War Memorials in most towns for a service at 11am.

Reading the story in the link provided, besides the loss of 1,774 employees, CP lost 27 ships from their fleet and Canadian Pacific Airlines pioneered the transatlantic delivery of bombers (the famous Ferry Command)

And another fine example of the Moderating over at the Amtrak Forum!!

The post was asking if Amtrak’s Empire Builder would be required to stop as the host railroad (CPR) has decreed that all trains on it’s lines will stop for two minutes at 11am tomorrow.

Now we find the topic moved to “Canadian Railfan” Don’t know how many Canadian railfans will be in LaCrosse, Wisconsin tomorrow to see if the Empire Builder does stop!

If the Moderator had taken the time to read the news link provided he would have found that the CPR was also honouring US Veterans by this gesture.

Some notes:

• I'm not sure but I think this practice is only observed by CPR employees and would not apply to Amtrak. I also don't know if other trains operating on CPR lines such as commuter (Metra, AMT, etc.) would also observe this.
• As mentioned, Canadian Pacific has been honouring veterans and those who heroically lost their lives in war in this manner for several years. This is done on all lines including Soo, D&H, and now, I presume, on the DM&E.
• CN does not follow a similar practice.
• November 11 is not a national holiday in Canada, however, it is a statutory holiday in all provinces except Ontario and Quebec. It is also a federal holiday which means that federally regulated businesses such as banks and Canada Post have the day off.
• Finally, this topic has been bounced once more. Now over to the Canadian Pacific Railway forum.

It appears that Canada makes the necessary effort to honor its fallen heroes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#27651384

By contrast, regarding Iraqi Freedom casualties, the US Defense Department, i.e. the Bush administration, seems to wish to hide the fact that even if the casualty rate in this war has been quite low, it is simply an "inconvenient truth" that people do die in wars.

GBN
Sgt, United States Air Force 1965-69
Viet-Nam; 7th AF 1967-68

That bulletin only applies to Canadian Pacific Trains. Amtrak trains are exempt as are Metra Trains.