RR rail terminal derailed again

Ken Johnston
Editor

Canadian National Railway employees in Rainy River must feel like they are on a long yo-yo string.
Starting this week Rainy River based running trade employees are being told they will have to do only yard duties in Fort Frances. That is a far cry from what many of them expected late last week.
Word was floating around that all small terminals in the west would go back to doing short runs and local railroaders thought that meant all of them would be working out of Rainy River to and from Ranier, MN. and Atikokan.
Rainy River’s terminal reopened about a year ago after six years, and some local guys worked out of RR and some still had to drive to Fort Frances to work. Crews from Winnipeg were also getting off in Rainy River and staying at the Roadrunner Motel, which CN leased about 2/3rds of.
CNR did not return the Record’s call on this matter Monday, but is expected the union will fight this move.
If their efforts are unsuccessful it is expected the last train crew switch off will take place late this week.