Canadian Railroads > Calgary's response to EHH criticism...

Re the item below posted on March 27th:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-bills-cp-rail-500k-for-alyth-yard-train-derailment-1.2604563

[Phone call to Accounts Payable at CP}

CFD: Yes this is the Calgary Fire Department Accounts Receivable section and I was wondering if you would mind filling out a Credit Application?

CPR: We normally only deal with approved suppliers? Are you an approved supplier?

CFD: No I don't believe we are.

CPR: Well, do you have a Purchase Order number?

CFD: No we do not.

CPR: Well we won't be able to pay you unless you have a system generated PO.

CFD: Well we better get a PO then. Let's get it started?

CPR: That is not my department ... I'll transfer you over to Purchasing; please hold.

CPR (Purchasing): What is your account number?

CFD: We don't have one yet.

CPR: [click - hang up noise]

Editor's notation; this was written by an Accountant with strong ERP experience and a SAP background who has a cynical outlook of other Accounting functions and Supply departments in large Corporations. Everything will get handed over to the two respective Law Departments for an expedition of the whole situation ... yah right!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/14 01:15 by rschonfelder.

rschonfelder Wrote:
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< long story>


In that case, I present a photo from the future of the Calgary Fire Department's response to CP Rail's next fire emergency in the city...

Ray

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No big deal. Heck that amount of money is way less than EHH spends on one horse for his wife's state of the art thoroughbred horse farm. Worst case Mrs. EHH will get one less horse for Christmas!!

Ross Rowland

$500K is a lot of donuts! ;-)

Posted from iPhone

Here in the states, taxes paid by corporations and individuals fund fire departments to provide mutual aid for all without "cost recovery". Saw a similar situation in Flagstaff where the city took Santa Fe to court after a derailment and evacuation in town and the judge threw it out because he said that is why they pay taxes. Will be interesting to see where this goes.

jtwlunch Wrote:
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> Here in the states, taxes paid by corporations and
> individuals fund fire departments to provide
> mutual aid for all without "cost recovery". Saw a
> similar situation in Flagstaff where the city took
> Santa Fe to court after a derailment and
> evacuation in town and the judge threw it out
> because he said that is why they pay taxes. Will
> be interesting to see where this goes.


Definitely will be interesting.

Fire insurance premiums, unlike taxes, are definitely risk adjusted, though. If you run a sloppy shop, fail electrical etc inspections, etc your insurance premiums will be higher than somebody who runs a clean shop. It should be noted that some towns in the US do charge motorists for fire and haz-mat spill responses in auto accident clean ups.

I'm surprised the neighbors etc who were evacuated don't have a legal claim against the railroad for their disruption, etc. It's a common settlement when there's a pipeline fire.

Government agency sending a bill is not unusual here in Canada after an incident such as this one.
I worked for the equivalent of a state DOT and when there was a crash, collision or other incident that damaged our infrastructure, a bill was sent to the insurance company that insured the vehicle involved. Local fire departments also sent bills when they were called out to large incidents that involved considerable overtime for their workers and equipment. In most cases, those bills went to the insurance company as well. Sometimes though, the bill was sent to the owner. I don't know of any cases where they were able to avoid having to pay the bill.

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

Hilarious Ray !!!!!

Bill Miller
Galt, ON

thehighwayman Wrote:
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> Government agency sending a bill is not unusual
> here in Canada after an incident such as this
> one.

I once got a $3000 invoice for damage to a city sidewalk snowplow that hit a bus shelter. We sent back a $3000 invoice for damage to the shelter.