Location: Wondering when # became hashtag and not a number sign.
Exp:
Bill Gates now biggest shareholder in Canadian National Railway
Interesting stuff.
Quote:
A company proxy circular says he holds the 46.07 million shares through Cascade Investment and as co-trustee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.
“The only person who beneficially owns, or exercises control or direction over, directly or indirectly, shares carrying 10 per cent or more of the voting rights attached to any class of shares of the company is Mr. William H. Gates III,” the circular said.
Without looking it up, I believe Warren Buffet also has massive railway holdings. (And pipeline holdings)
This kind of reminds me when they were both buying massive reserves of silver during the dot.com boom, when it was worth a fraction of its real worth - not to mention its now speculative worth. When the richest people on earth are betting on railways it should tell people a few things about how they and their very well connected advisers see the future world....
Not entirely sure of the motivation he has in doing this, but in tune with the discussion about a rail line connecting Calgary and Edmonton, I just don't see rail as a viable alternative to air travel in Canada's near future at all.
Canada just has too few people spread out over too much land. In Europe it is a no brainer because they pack 60 million people in an area the size of Alberta.
The only places in Canada where it is worth bringing up is the Calgary Edmonton corridor and southern Ontario. Connecting Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Or maybe a rail version of the 401 highway. Even in those places it is only a pipe dream.
On the flip side, because of the vastness of this country the CPR will always be essential for cargo transport and such.
I don't think the purchase was with the intent on having it be a commuter service. CNR has huge developments in northern Alberta for industry transport. Rail is a huge service for transportation of goods.
reminds of that episode of the simpson's when homer is mulling over the purchase of a luxury auto and he asks the salesman what the car could do for him that a train could not......
maybe this investment will make up for his last investment in the transportation realm - the segway (sp) - who'd have ever thunk that bad boy would not take off......
Not entirely sure of the motivation he has in doing this, but in tune with the discussion about a rail line connecting Calgary and Edmonton, I just don't see rail as a viable alternative to air travel in Canada's near future at all.
Canada just has too few people spread out over too much land. In Europe it is a no brainer because they pack 60 million people in an area the size of Alberta.
The only places in Canada where it is worth bringing up is the Calgary Edmonton corridor and southern Ontario. Connecting Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Or maybe a rail version of the 401 highway. Even in those places it is only a pipe dream.
On the flip side, because of the vastness of this country the CPR will always be essential for cargo transport and such.
Think industry, not public transit.
Nothing will ever replace rail's ability to haul that many tonnes of goods...until I invent teleportation of course.
Without looking it up, I believe Warren Buffet also has massive railway holdings. (And pipeline holdings)...
Correct. In late 2009, Berkshire bought up the remaining ~77.4% of BNSF that it didn't already own. So he owns all of the second largest railroad in the United States.
^^ indeed. They're not even called dirigibles anymore.
On the subject of CN, my kid (2.5 years) gets a real kick out of watching the trains at the CN yard on 50 Ave. That and the CP intermodal yard north of 106th. What am I going to do to entertain him when they shut down the 52 St crossing there?!? Is there anywhere else that has lots of train activity like there? We used to hit Edworthy but it's so unpredictable there.
Last edited by billybob123; 04-25-2011 at 03:41 PM.
Bill Gates now biggest shareholder in Canadian National Railway
