The QNS&L is also practically a private carrier - even the passenger service over the line is now run by the First Nation (Indian) tribe that owns and operates the former northern segment to Schefferville.* Aside from the odd car of mining supplies, local groceries and construction materials, etc., QNS&L's traffic is all iron ore, although it does carry the cars from a couple of satellite operations of independent companies**, so I suppose it is technically a "common carrier" for others as well in that sense.
*Tshiuetin Rail Transportation - see:
** Wabush Lake Railway (1960), Arnaud Railway (1965), and Bloom Lake Railway (2010) - see:
Aside from the 'stunts' - I believe the Australian roads have run up to 500 cars and 50,000 ton trains once or twice - it would be interesting to know the sizes - lengths and weights - and frequencies of the more typical "garden variety" of trains are on each line, in a "statistical distribution" kind of presentation. I suspect they're not hugely different - within 10% or so of each other.
- Paul North.
"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
