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Post by Dane on Sept 3, 2012 9:33:10 GMT -8
There is a new fiftieth anniversary logo for Alaska's Marine Highway. Apologies I cannot post it, I am mobile.
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Post by Dane on Sept 1, 2012 16:05:28 GMT -8
Just under a month ago I read The Uchuck Years, a great book by author and more importantly former employee/part owner David Young. It was such a fantastic read that I completed it easily in two days. The book brings you through the author's entire life, more-or-less, as he grew up with the company through its technical and geographical evolutions. It brings to life a time I wish I had experienced, and shares the type of story I hope continues to be well documented. For the marine transportation fan there is considerable detail on the vessels, route choice, staffing, and various other technical aspects of the operation. For myself West Coast marine transport was something I was (and continue to be) fairly ignorant of. Robert Turner's Princesses was the only reading I had done on it, and that was brief, and of course the forums. This added to the 'excitement' of the book, as I can say I learned a lot and it really created that desire to see and experience new things. Such a great feeling to take away from a book. Riding the Uchuck III has surely be added to the agenda of my next trip home. www.harbourpublishing.com/title/TheUchuckYears
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Post by Dane on Aug 31, 2012 21:50:37 GMT -8
My child's name will certainly be Walla Walla.
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Post by Dane on Aug 31, 2012 21:45:15 GMT -8
If there is a 2016 start, the design phase would have to start next year, and by 2014, bids from shipyards would have to be processed and completed. BCF has already missed the ferry (so to speak) on the original time line. I agree with that timeline, which means BC Ferries would need to business plan the capital by the end of this fiscal year or the Government would need to be forecasting for it in the next budget. Admittedly I have not read BC's budget but I certainly have not seen any indicator that they are ready to support a build project. My opinion is also strengthened by the report on BC Ferries establishment from earlier this year which still lacks a substantive response. On the "private" side of the house nothing indicates there is a real plan to move forward. In contrast four years prior to the FSG four there was considerable public information and a posted funding plan. So, this is why I think the timeline is already unlikely. Earlier in this thread there is a drawing from BCFC that shows the same forward looking public information that turned out to have no connection to reality. No doubt this is what BC Ferries would like to see. Also, the Queen of NW will be frighteningly old when retired with this plan.
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Post by Dane on Aug 31, 2012 19:49:31 GMT -8
This plan isn't worth the bandwidth it is printed on, but nonetheless interesting. BC Ferries has no money to get anything rolling right now, and to do replacements in 2016 would require action now-ish, particularly if they're going to be built in BC.
The next election will be, in my opinion, critical to the fleet's renewal strategy among several other important issues.
Why did WSF have this? Are the dreams of potential commonality still afloat? Would be a great idea, but would require flexibility from both sides even if only modular sections were shared rather than total vessel design.
Where is the Wack? I love the question marks. Seems BCF knows as much as we do haha
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Post by Dane on Aug 28, 2012 20:36:41 GMT -8
Thanks for your report - I assume you bought the SailPass before they got rid of them? I guess they're good until the end of the year??
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Post by Dane on Aug 26, 2012 21:49:58 GMT -8
I am pretty much certain the guy in the Fast Cat Knowledge Network documentary and the NDP video are the same. Less sure about the Coastals as I do not have a copy to compare against.
This is what I do on my busy Sundays.
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Post by Dane on Aug 21, 2012 21:30:32 GMT -8
Not. On my part. The video itself very much is.
I am going to be honest I didn't even watch the whole thing - I felt an immediate need to put on a life saving jacket and properly follow instructions. Good!
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Post by Dane on Aug 21, 2012 21:23:50 GMT -8
The voice of the Coastal Class (and the voice of the Fast Cats, Fast Cat documentaries on Knowledge, and a lot more) is not the voice of the BC NDP! www.youtube.com/user/BCNewDemocratsPaul Disclaimer Clause: this is not a political commentary. Just an observation.
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Post by Dane on Aug 21, 2012 9:20:04 GMT -8
I e-mailed BC Ferries Investor Relations:
Good Morning Mr. Nicholson,
Here are the details of our Annual General Meeting:
The Annual General Meeting of B.C. Ferry Authority and the Annual Public Meeting of British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. will be held at 10 a.m. on August 24, 2012 at the Fletcher Challenge Canada Theatre, Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C.
The public is invited to attend and an opportunity will be provided to ask questions and express views.
If you have any further questions or require more information, please email.
Thank you.
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Post by Dane on Aug 19, 2012 16:56:33 GMT -8
Down to a one sail wait at Duke Point as a sailing just left. Regardless at about five pm both routes were selling for the last trip of the day.
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Post by Dane on Aug 19, 2012 16:52:25 GMT -8
Three sailing wait from DB to HSB. Two sail wait from DP to Tsa. Been a while since crazy waits like that if I am not mistaken?
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Post by Dane on Aug 10, 2012 9:59:35 GMT -8
I have a feeling the Queen of Oak Bay did a drill. When we passed her she was at an almost dead stand still, and had been for a few minutes I think?
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Post by Dane on Aug 9, 2012 14:42:45 GMT -8
That's where I saw it from, was on the 1005. Have bad a bad pic I will post on Saturday.
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Post by Dane on Aug 9, 2012 9:05:34 GMT -8
Im almost certain the Queen of Surrey is on the rare alternate route three on the east side of Bowen. Right now.
Or the Oak Bay doing drills? Some second generation C was headed due South by Bowen at service speed.
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Post by Dane on Aug 8, 2012 17:57:55 GMT -8
I, personally, am a fan.
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Post by Dane on Aug 8, 2012 12:58:43 GMT -8
I do not like the categories for BC Ferries' in service vessels. This dislike is because:
1. "Spaulding" as a group is fairly arbitrary other than designer, and splits the major vessels up with some intermediates thrown in;
2. It is not new-user friendly; and
3. It is out of line with BC Ferries categorization of vessels. I appreciate that we do not need to follow this, but I still feel it is a valid point for discussion.
This isn't something I feel that strongly about, but in the presumed aim to have accessible information for people I think we have come up short here. Perhaps a partial solution would be listing the vessels of even classes which at least some people other than the hardcore have a clue about.
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Post by Dane on Aug 8, 2012 12:51:12 GMT -8
So I just got off that repainted SeaBus. This is one of those looks good from afar paint jobs where the lines run into one another, the lines aren't straight and the curves anything but smooth. Certainly not the most serious of problems, but nonetheless it comes off as sloppy.
Any word on the construction, or any lack there of, on the new SeaBus?
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Post by Dane on Aug 4, 2012 21:00:52 GMT -8
Is there ever foot passenger waits on route one anymore, or is this gone with the awesome only better fares?
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Post by Dane on Aug 2, 2012 13:18:20 GMT -8
I have a new condition Bannerman " Ships of British Columbia" purchased today in Vernon for twenty dollars tax included.
Really just grabbed it to pass on so if you want it for twenty PM me. I can ship or will also be around Vancouver and Victoria for the next eleven days.
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Post by Dane on Jul 22, 2012 20:54:13 GMT -8
CP 5500 - Builder GMD Model SD60F HP 3800 Built August 1985 That's the info for CN's 5500 (which, as an unnecessary note of interest entered service as a SD50AF numbered 9900). CP's ex-5500 is an SD40, 3000 hp, built in '66. It was donated to the museum in 2007.
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Post by Dane on Jul 19, 2012 19:53:50 GMT -8
Thanks for sharing those great photos. It increasingly appears a BC Ferry cannot go anywhere with out a member of WCFF close behind. If the QoV makes it to Manitoba I will be sure to provide photos I would also love to get a hold of the owner to get that Provincial Coat of Arms off her.
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Post by Dane on Jul 15, 2012 20:44:03 GMT -8
I wish! And I have been in for seven years. My welcome seems very late!
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Post by Dane on Jul 15, 2012 20:31:29 GMT -8
This will be my last post this far off topic - as my last was actually a joke - but you're incorrect. TB regulates "Common Look and Feel 2.0" (which includes those signature blocks) which is a federal government wide standard. The Canadian Forces, as a note of interest, is the only part of the Government that has separate writing standards. The Department of National Defence (civilian side) uses the federal guidelines (as per TB); the CF differs because of our good friends in NATO.
A great example of TB's standardization reach is about four years ago all our e-mail addresses changed from:
lastname.firstname@insertdomain.gc.ca
to
firstname.lastname@insertdomain.gc.ca
TB also dictates social media standards, web layout, phone messages, business cards, copyrights, external communication standards, and bilingualism as it affects government operations. Once I had never heard of them. Now they seem to control my life!
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Post by Dane on Jul 15, 2012 20:07:59 GMT -8
I would doubt the Treasury Board in BC would bother on something miniscule as rights of ownership of marques or marketing of appliances. You would be very surprised what the Federal TB is responsible for! Look, they even tell me how to sign my e-mails! www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/clf2-nsi2/tb-bo/sb-bs-eng.asp
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