Ground

Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas via Wikimedia Commons

Taxi By-law Brouhaha

March 8, 2023 at 12:51 pm

I watched the (rather heated) debate that took place on February 28 during a Public Hearing on the municipality’s proposed new Passenger Vehicle for Hire By-law, intended to replace the existing Taxi By-law. I want to do three things this week: consider the issue that has some taxi owners allRead More

Photo by Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Taxi By-law Timeline

March 8, 2023 at 12:49 pm

I am well aware that only the wonkiest of wonks (a category in which I place myself) will be interested in this detailed time-line of the CBRM Taxi By-law or as we are now calling it, the Passenger Vehicle for Hire By-law, but I find making a timeline helpful inRead More

Made-in-Moncton Railcars?

Made-in-Moncton Railcars?

March 1, 2023 at 1:47 pm

Editor’s Note: This is Part III in a series of articles on rail safety even if it doesn’t seem like it. Here are Part I and Part II.   On 1 May 2015, Canada and the United States announced “a harmonized set of tank-car regulations” that aimed, as the FinancialRead More

Anatomy of a Tank Car

Anatomy of a Tank Car

February 22, 2023 at 11:51 am

Editor’s Note: I have discovered a Spotify playlist called “Songs About Trains” which I recommend you listen to while reading this article. Also, Part I of this series is here.   In the second part of this brief series on rail safety, we’re going to talk about rail tank cars,Read More

Train Safety, Then and Now

Train Safety, Then and Now

February 15, 2023 at 2:35 pm

The train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio had me pulling on so many different threads this week, there’s no way I can weave them all back into a coherent whole, so I’m going to divide the resulting article into two parts to give me more time to track down someRead More

Holding the Line?

Holding the Line?

November 16, 2022 at 12:34 pm

Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) Canada Inc, owner of the Cape Breton & Central Nova Railway (CBNS), is restructuring its Nova Scotia holdings. In September, G&W Canada established a wholly-owned subsidiary called the Nova Scotia & Eastern Railway (NSERL). On October 17, G&W Canada President Rick McLellan—who also serves as presidentRead...

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

June 11, 2021 at 12:32 pm

Where fishermen shop A spectator reminded me that while I devoted a lot of ink to port matters in this week’s edition, I didn’t discuss plans to expand the retail space around the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion — a plan first mentioned during the Port’s February AGM. “Fisherman’s Cove” isRead More

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

April 10, 2021 at 9:00 am

Editor’s Note: I had to make a trip to the Annapolis Valley on short notice yesterday and thought I’d simply be able to post Fast & Curious — which I’d written on Thursday — from the road. But time and circumstance worked against me, which is why you are seeingRead More

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

February 11, 2021 at 3:54 pm

Nothing ventured… This week, I have a question for you: Women in this province have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. You want to help them. Do you: A) invest $5 million in an early-stage venture capital fund focused on women-led startups; B) tear $5 million into tiny shreds andRead More

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

Fast & Curious: Short Takes on Random Things

January 29, 2021 at 10:25 am

Trainspotter Looking for illustrations for my rail-related articles this week, I ran across something great: a trove of train photos by a photographer named Roger Puta. I didn’t have time to learn anything more about him on Wednesday, I just snaffled up those lovely photos of a CN engine inRead More