Canadian Railroads > Interchange on more than one level...

I've wondered this for quite some time, since it has to do with something I'm working on...

As you Canadians know, you guys use the metric system... That's all fine and dandy, but what about the rail equipment?

From what I see, Canadian use similar equipment to the railroads south of the Border... That's measured in the imperial system...

So, how does one deal with the Imperial-Metric interchange and equipment? Or do Canadian railroads still use certain imperial measurements for ease of interchange?

Parker Boots
Metairie, LA

Railways in Canada, at least the ones that interchange equipment, still use imperial measurements...including miles, gallons (imperial) etc.

As far as things like equipment dimensions, everything is in US Avoirdupois. All Canadian equipment subject to interchange is registered in UMLER/EMIS and uses the US measurements. The Canadian systems show things like train length and tonnage in US.

Exceptions would be on some things like bill of lading weights. While every example I've seen shows pounds and gallons, it is possible for a bill of lading/waybill to use kilos/liters. For that matter, it could use those in a purely US move as long as the shipper tendered it that way and the railroad(s) offered a rate that way. Interline rates that are international are in US Dollars, but the freight billing carrier may issue it in CAD. The railroads keep a table of exchange rates for such purposes.

Ask a Canadian how tall he is. The answer will almost surely be in imperial units.
Ask a Canadian co-worker what size paper the printer uses. The answer will be 8-1/2 x 11 or 11 x 17"
Ask a Canadian rail worker the gauge of the track. the answer will be 4'8-1/2 inches.
The list goes on...
Yes they have drunk the Kool Aid for vehicle speeds and travel distances. But my point is that the metric system there has been forced upon the populace for no real good reason with inconsistent results.
I'm glad the same attempt in the USA has largely failed. There is really no good reason to switch despite what your gradeschool math books say.

One thing I've never understood is why the Canadian measure for fuel consumption is litres per 100km instead of the more intuitive km/l.

RRTom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ask a Canadian how tall he is. The answer will
> almost surely be in imperial units.
> Ask a Canadian co-worker what size paper the
> printer uses. The answer will be 8-1/2 x 11 or 11
> x 17"
> Ask a Canadian rail worker the gauge of the track.
> the answer will be 4'8-1/2 inches.
> The list goes on...
> Yes they have drunk the Kool Aid for vehicle
> speeds and travel distances. But my point is that
> the metric system there has been forced upon the
> populace for no real good reason with inconsistent
> results.
> I'm glad the same attempt in the USA has largely
> failed. There is really no good reason to switch
> despite what your gradeschool math books say.


No, the Canadians did not drink the Kool Aid, we Americans drank the Kool Aid.

RRTom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is really no good reason to switch
> despite what your gradeschool math books say.

IMO - Right.

PHall Wrote:
>
> No, the Canadians did not drink the Kool Aid, we
> Americans drank the Kool Aid.

IMO - Wrong.

LarryDoyle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> >
> > No, the Canadians did not drink the Kool Aid,
> we
> > Americans drank the Kool Aid.
>
> IMO - Wrong.

The US is the only "developed" country in the world that does not use the metric system.
Either we're the only one who is right or everybody else is right...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/14 17:23 by PHall.

Do the Employee Timetables (or the equivalent) for Canadian Railroads in Canada list distances in miles and speed limits in miles per hour? Also, what about listed train lengths and siding lengths. Thanks for an answer.

Everything is miles, and miles per hour. Train lengths are listed in feet, as are siding lengths!

Darren Boes
Lethbridge, AB
Southern Alberta Railfan

RRTom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes they have drunk the Kool Aid for vehicle
> speeds and travel distances. But my point is that
> the metric system there has been forced upon the
> populace for no real good reason with inconsistent
> results.
> I'm glad the same attempt in the USA has largely
> failed. There is really no good reason to switch
> despite what your gradeschool math books say.

Yes, railways in Canada are still in imperial units……a milepost out along the ROW is still a Milepost.

The changeover to metric in Canada happened in the late ‘70s…..well over a generation ago. Those that are 30 years old now know what feet & inches are but are more familiar with meters etc. Those old dinosaurs that were reluctant to change are slowly dying off.

I’m a civil tech and graduated in imperial but almost immediately had to switch to the metric system. Would I go back……no way! Metric is just so much easier in my design and calculations.

But In the building trades and especially wood frame construction. A lot of materials are still in imperial. Go into Home Depot in Canada and a 4x8 sheet of plywood is a 4x8 sheet just like Home Depot in the US but this probably has a lot to do with the amount of building materials (wood, sheetrock etc) that are produced here for the US market. Just wouldn't make sense to maintain two lines for a population 1/10 that of the US.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/14 09:15 by ghCBNS.