Fast rail service could pay dividends
The type of rail service that was provided by Genesee & Wyoming Inc. to and from Cape Breton was in no way the kind of service necessary to attract investment or encourage the development of our excellent industrial park sites that we have in Cape Breton.
Good, fast rail service is not only a necessity for a container port but also for the development of the area. The rail service provided by the past operators from Sydney to Port Hawkesbury was slow orders all along the line and at times took seven to eight hours to run from Sydney to Port Hawkesbury. With that kind of service there was no incentive for business operators to turn to rail service. When CN was responsible for rail service from Sydney to Port Hawkesbury the trip was mostly three hours or less.
We need a fast freight service similar to what was provided by CN and in my opinion the rail service should be taken over by CN for the following reasons:
1. We need a fast freight service to provide for the excellent industrial parks in our area and our future container port.
2. With the increase in cruise ships in our area, rail service from the cruise ships to Iona or Orangedale would be a viable option for travelling along the Bras d’Or Lake.
As well as being an incentive for more cruise ships faster rail service could produce substantial revenues. The reinstatement of the railway could also be the key to bring in higher paying jobs in the area.
This project is environmentally friendly and once established would not disappear like steel and coal. We have a challenge and a vision to work with the natural resource we have been given by providing the necessary infrastructure that will bring the project to a successful conclusion.
This is our opportunity by working with our natural resource to provide good paying jobs for the people of Cape Breton. Further, I feel we should give our full support the mayor and council to make this viable project happen.
P.S.: The world is running out of clean, fresh water and that could also be a desirable commodity because we do have an ample supply of fresh water. The container port could provide such a service by supplying water to parts of the world that require fresh water to survive. Charlie Palmer Sydney