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Dec
04

CN, Teck announce long-term coal shipping agreement

CN and mining company Teck Resources Ltd. today announced a long-term rail agreement for the shipping of steelmaking coal from Teck's four British of Columbia operations between Kamloops and Neptune Terminals, and other west coast ports.

The agreement, which runs from April 2021 to December 2026, will enable Teck to significantly increase shipment volumes through an expanded Neptune Terminals.

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Dec
03

CN revises full-year outlook to include strike's impact

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 12/3/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
"Our discipline on our recovery plan is delivering results,” said JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer of CN.Photo – cn.ca

CN announced today that its strike-recovery plan is on track and that the company is revising its 2019 full-year financial guidance to include the impact of the eight-day strike.

"Our discipline on our recovery plan is delivering results,” said JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer of CN, in a press release. "While we expect to take some time and we remain dependent on favorable weather, we are pleased by how things are progressing."

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Dec
02

CN launches post-strike recovery plan

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 12/2/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN last week announced it was implementing a recovery plan following the end of an eight-day strike.The strike — which involved more than 3,000 CN conductors and rail-yard workers — caused CN's network to run at about 10 percent of capacity, company officials said in a press release.Every strike day can cause several days of backlog, requiring time for the network to return to its pre-strike operation levels, they said."CN remains focused on growth and is already in recovery mode as our employees return to their normal shifts,” said JJ Ruest, CN's president and chief executive officer. “Overriding emphasis will be placed on safety as we implement a disciplined and progressive ramp up to avoid congestion that can overwhelm parts of the supply chain that are the most vulnerable.”As it initiates the recovery plan, the railroad will remain in direct contact with customers to collect feedback on the progress, CN officials said.Last week, CN and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference announced they had reached a tentative contract agreement, ending the strike.

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Nov
26

CN, union reach tentative pact to end strike

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/26/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
" CN is preparing to resume full rail operations as soon as possible,” said CN President and Chief Executive Officer JJ Ruest.Photo – cn.ca

CN and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference have reached a tentative contract agreement, ending a week-long strike of about 3,200 CN conductors and rail yard crews in Canada.

The agreement will allow CN employees to return to work at 2 p.m. local times today, with yard assignment to start at 6 a.m. local times Wednesday, CN officials said in a press release.

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Nov
21

CN calls for binding arbitration to settle strike, Alberta calls on Trudeau to intervene

In its first public statement since more than 3,000 of its train conductors and rail-yard workers went on strike earlier this week, CN today advocated for voluntary binding arbitration to help settle the collective bargaining impasse between the Class I and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC-CTY).

In a statement posted on the company's website, CN President and Chief Executive Officer JJ Ruest said the company has offered to present its arguments to a neutral arbitrator to end the contract dispute, and hopes the TCRC-CTY will do the same.

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Nov
19

CN EVP Foster to resign, Reilly named interim successor

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/19/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
Michael FosterPhoto – cn.ca

CN announced today that Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Technology Officer Michael Foster will leave the company on Nov. 29.

He plans to move back to the United States to be close to his family and to pursue other career opportunities, CN officials said in a press release.

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Nov
19

Teamsters Canada: Strike begins at CN

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/19/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
About 3,000 conductors, trainmen and yard workers employed by CN walked off the job early this morning, launching the first strike at the Class I in a decade."Conductors, trainpersons and yard workers at CN are now officially on strike!" Teamsters Canada announced today on Twitter, after both organizations failed to resolve contract issues.The Teamsters Canadian Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents the workers and is the largest union at CN, issued a 72-hour strike notice to the Class I on Nov. 16 after negotiations stalled.TCRC spokesman Christopher Monette said yesterday that the strike was issued because workers are "hitting a wall on issues related to health and safety," Reuters reported.Also yesterday, after a plea from shippers, Canada's Liberal government sent two ministers to meet with CN and union officials in an effort to avert the strike, according to Reuters.A CN spokesman did not respond to Progressive Railroading's request for a comment prior to deadline.

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Nov
18

CN conductors, rail yard coordinators could strike as of Nov. 19

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/18/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
The Teamsters Canadian Rail Conference, which represents 3,200 CN employees who serve as train conductors and rail yard coordinators in Canada, notified CN that it intends to strike as of Nov. 19.The union issued a formal strike notice on Nov. 16. CN continues to negotiate "in good faith" to reach an agreement before the strike deadline, said Rob Reilly, CN executive vice president and chief operating officer, in a press release.CN offered binding arbitration to the union, which declined the offer, he said."If a settlement cannot be reached this weekend, we will once again encourage the union leadership to accept binding arbitration as an alternative to disrupting the Canadian economy," Reilly said. "We remain committed to constructive talks to reach an agreement without a work stoppage.”Meanwhile, CN is laying off 1,600 employees as freight volume declines amid trade tensions and a weakening North American economy, The Globe and Mail reported last week.The layoffs will affect managers, office employees and unionized rail workers across CN's U.S. and Canadian network, according to the report."The company is adjusting sources to demand," a CN spokesperson told the newspaper, without being specific about the number of layoffs.
 

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Nov
15

Rail technology: CN ups the automation ante

CN deployed its first new-generation ATIP car in the third quarter on lines south of Chicago.Photo – CN

By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing Editor

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Nov
12

CN's James Street swing bridge reopens after long legal battle

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/12/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
The CN-owned James Street swing bridge in Thunder Bay, Ontario, reopened Nov. 9 to motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic after being closed for more than six years following a fire.The bridge connects Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation across the Kaministiquia River. It closed after a fire broke out on the northern approach spans on Oct. 29, 2013. Train traffic reopened later that week, but the bridge remained closed to motorists and pedestrians since that time.“CN is pleased that the bridge is reopening and that this important road link in Thunder Bay is once again accessible to the public,” said Olivier Chouc, CN's vice president of law, in a press release.The bridge's driving lane remains unchanged. The speed limit across the bridge will be maintained at about 12 mph, with a load carrying restriction of 33,000 pounds.A lengthy legal battle over the bridge's repair and maintenance issues occurred following the fire. The city of Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation argued that a 1906 agreement over the bridge's construction required the railroad to maintain it in perpetuity. CN countered that it had fulfilled its obligations and the bridge no longer met modern standards and would require more substantial work than just maintenance, according to a CBC news report.The case ended up in the Supreme Court of Canada, which rejected CN's appeal from a lower court. In the end, the courts required CN to uphold its obligation to repair and reopen the bridge to all vehicles under the 1906 agreement, Thunder Bay city officials said in a press release.The bridge repairs required widening of the city's roadway approaches. That work was completed within CN's construction schedule timeline so that the bridge could now reopen to traffic, city officials said.“We are pleased to see this important connection between Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation finally reopened,” said Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro. “We recognize the challenges and frustrations citizens from both communities have faced without this access point. CN, as directed by the highest court in Ontario, has fulfilled their obligation to repair the bridge and we can now move forward as more connected communities."

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Nov
06

CN logged record grain shipments in October

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/6/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN's western Canadian grain movements broke another record in October, with shipments of 2.8 million metric tons (MMT) of grain and processed grain products, the Class I announced yesterday.The company's previous record was set in April, CN officials said in a press release.This fall has been plagued with cold and wet weather, which has negatively affected the pace of grain deliveries, "leaving rail capacity significantly under-utilized," they said. But despite harvest delays and international trade restrictions, CN has moved 6.7 MMT so far this year.“We are all part of the same supply chain, and as a railway CN fully understands the impacts that weather can have on the end-to-end supply chain,” said Allen Foster, vice president of bulk at CN. “Investment at every step of the supply chain — from producers and grain companies to CN’s investment in new hopper cars, increased network capacity, and a more modern locomotive fleet — all played a role in delivering a record month.”

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Nov
05

CN serves new Saskatchewan intermodal terminal

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 11/5/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
Canada's first privately operated, state-of-the-art intermodal terminal has opened in the Chuka Creek Business Park in Regina, Saskatchewan, CN announced on its website.CN serves the terminal, which is located on a 32-acre site and is owned and operated by MobilGrain, Saskatchewan's largest short line.In addition to CN service, the terminal provides direct rail/truck transfer, two-rail mounted cantilever gantry cranes, storage capacity of 2,000 20-foot-equivalent units, space to handle 120 chassis, two separate in/out lanes for fluidity, GPS positions for containers and an automated gate system.

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Oct
30

Teamsters members consider November strike against CN

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 10/30/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) members at CN could go on strike by Nov. 19, the labor union announced earlier this week.Last month, about 3,000 CN conductors and train and yard personnel voted 99.2 percent in favor of a strike. The union will provide CN at least 72 hours notice before taking any strike action, TCRC officials said in a press release.A legally mandated conciliation period ended Oct. 25. The union and CN have been in negotiations for six months and have been working with federal mediators for the past four months.The previous collective agreement between the parties expired July 23.The next round of talks with CN and federal mediators is set for Nov. 12, TCRC officials said.

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Oct
23

CN delivers 'strong' Q3 results despite softening economy

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 10/23/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN yesterday delivered strong third-quarter 2019 results despite a softer and uncertain economy for the North American rail industry, the Class I's executives announced yesterday.CN reported Q3 revenue increased 4 percent to CA$3.8 billion, diluted earnings per share (EPS) rose 8 percent to CA$1.66, operating income climbed 8 percent to CA$1.6 million and net income edged up 0.5 percent to CA$1.2 billion compared with Q3 2018's results, company officials said in a press release.The Q3 operating ratio improved to 57.9 percent from 59.5 percent a year ago."Our team of railroaders swiftly aligned resources with the weaker demand to achieve solid efficiency gains," said CN President and Chief Executive Officer JJ Ruest. "We remain committed to our long-term agenda of growing faster than the economy at low incremental cost, and to taking scheduled railroading to the next level by deploying advanced operating technology.”CN attributed the revenue increase primarily to freight rate increases and higher intermodal revenue.Operating expenses for the quarter inched up 1 percent to CA2.2 billion, mainly driven by higher purchased services and material expenses, as well as higher depreciation and amortization expenses.The slower demand for North American rail service prompted CN to revise its profit outlook for 2019. The company is now targeting adjusted diluted EPS growth in the high single-digit range for 2019 versus last year's adjusted diluted EPS of CA$5.50. In July, CN's financial outlook called for low double-digit growth in adjusted diluted EPS. CN also now expects a "slightly negative volume growth" this year in revenue ton miles.

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Oct
03

CN: Unifor affiliated truck drivers ratify pact with CNTL

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 10/3/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN yesterday announced that Unifor affiliated truck drivers for CN subsidiary CNTL have ratified a four-year contract retroactive to Sept. 16.The pact covers 950 owner-operators under the recently negotiated collective agreement with CNTL in Canada, CN announced in a press release.CNTL is a key link in the railroad's integrated supply chain, said Keith Reardon, senior vice president of consumer product supply chain at CN. “The ratification of this contract allows CNTL to move forward with our driver-partners, ensuring we can provide seamless, uninterrupted, exceptional service to its many customers across Canada and beyond," Reardon said.

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Oct
02

CN unveils winter plan for upcoming season

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 10/2/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN's investments in infrastructure and equipment have increased the resiliency of its network, company officials say.Photo – CN

CN yesterday rolled out its 2019-20 winter plan, which explains how the Class I expects to serve its customers during extreme operating conditions.

CN's investments in infrastructure and equipment have increased the resiliency of its network, as well as the railroad's ability to recover during extreme operating conditions, CN officials said in a press release.

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Sep
17

CN recognized for sustainability practices

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 9/17/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN has earned a place on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI) for the eighth consecutive year, the Class I announced yesterday.This year also is the 11th year in a row that CN has been listed on the DJSI North American Index. CN is the only Canadian company listed in the transportation and transportation infrastructure sector, CN officials said in a press release.The DJSI surveys sustainability leaders from each industry on a global and regional level. The annual review analyzes economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governments, risk management, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards, stakeholder engagement and labor practices."We are honored that CN’s sustainability performance continues to earn us a place among the world’s best,” said CN President and Chief Executive Officer JJ Ruest. "As we move into our next century, we renew our commitment to be a leader in safety, sustainability, innovation and growth.”Launched in 1999, the DJSI World represents the gold standard for corporate sustainability and is the first global index to track the leading sustainability-driven companies based on RobecoSAM's analysis of financially material environmental, social and governance factors and S&P DJI's robust index methodology, CN officials said.

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Sep
10

CN recognizes sustainability efforts of customers, supply chain partners

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 9/10/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN is honoring 47 customers and supply chain partners for their sustainability practices. The honorees will be recognized at a ceremony to be held later this month in Montreal.CN's EcoConnexions Partnership Program recognizes companies that are committed to sustainability by reducing their environmental footprint. EcoConnexions programs engage employees, communities and customers to help the Class I achieve its goals of reducing air emissions, conserving resources and increasing biodiversity, CN officials said in a press release.In collaboration with Tree Canada, CN is planting 120,000 trees this year in Canada and the United States to honor the 47 "sustainability leaders," they said."For CN, sustainability means moving customer goods safely, being environmentally responsible, attracting and developing the best railroaders, helping build stronger communities, and adhering to the highest governance standards," said Janet Drysdale, CN's vice president of financial planning who oversees the company's sustainability team.A list of the 47 honorees is available here.

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Sep
05

CN, COSCO extend intermodal pact

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 9/5/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
COSCO Shipping has chosen CN to be its exclusive rail provider for its discharge at the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal and Halifax, the Class I announced yesterday."By choosing CN to service all inland destinations on the network, COSCO will be well-positioned to benefit from a unique tri-coastal access," said Keith Reardon, CN's senior vice president of consumer product supply chain, in a press release.The agreement with COSCO is the latest in recently signed strategic contracts, Reardon noted. Last month, CN and CSX announced a new intermodal service that will be offered between CN's greater Montreal and southern Ontario areas, and the CSX-served ports of Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey."This new exclusive Canadian partnership further reinforces our relationship and our commitment to providing the best intermodal rail service," Reardon said of the COSCO arrangement.

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Aug
30

CN to acquire Massena rail line from CSX

Rail News Home Canadian National Railway - CN 8/30/2019 Rail News: Canadian National Railway - CN
CN announced yesterday it has signed an agreement to acquire from CSX the 220-mile Massena rail line between Valleyfield, Quebec, and Woodard, New York.The line serves many cities in the province of Quebec, including Beauharnois and Huntingdon, and in the state of New York, including Massena, Norwood, Potsdam and Gouverneur."With this acquisition from CSX, we are opening up new opportunities for our existing customers and local businesses who will be able to access new markets through CN’s unique three coasts network,” said CN President and Chief Executive Officer JJ Ruest in a press release.CSX's decision to sell the line is part of the railroad's "broader initiative to generate value from non-core assets," CSX officials said in a prepared statement."An estimated 60 employees will be impacted by the transaction, and we are working with them to provide support throughout the transition," they added. "We are confident in the ability of CN to provide safe and effective service for our valued customers on the Massena Line."The deal's terms were not disclosed. The acquisition is subject to regulatory review.The pending acquisition is the second agreement announced between the two Class Is in the past month. On Aug. 8, the railroads said they agreed to launch a new intermodal service between CN's greater Montreal and Southern Ontario network, and the CSX-served ports of Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and the New York City area. That agreement, which will take effect Oct. 7, is aimed at moving freight from trucks to rail. The new intermodal service will help reduce congestion in New York in a sustainable manner, CN officials said.

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