CN Rail outlines Winter Operations Plan for 2018-19

With CN having experienced a number of challenges last winter in moving product along its network, the railway has outlined how it plans to approach this coming winter, with a comprehensive plan for operations for the season ahead.

The introduction to the 2018-19 rail transportation plan makes note of the focus that CN will be putting into moving all product across the nation this fall and winter.

The objective of CN’s Winter Plan is clear. It is to build resiliency and minimize the impacts of difficult operating conditions on the CN rail network. We are taking direct action to help deal with the challenges in a way that meets the needs of our customers.

In recognition of the level of service owed to all railway customers, we are required to provide a winter plan that describes the measures CN has taken to move grain along with other traffic such as potash, forestry products or manufactured goods, when faced with difficult operating conditions. We target systemic issues associated with rail operations in winter to maintain a proper balance of resources to move all commodities. 

We understand and embrace our responsibilities to our customers and Canada’s economy. From new capacity resulting from infrastructure investments, the hiring of new employees or the acquisition of new equipment, we needed to act and this Winter Plan explains what we have done to prepare, and what we will do tactically when our network and operation is inevitably affected by winter conditions in the coming months.

Among some of the preparations for the upcoming winter season included work on the CN Northern mainline with two projects of note featured:  Construction of four new passing sidings between Prince Rupert and Jasper, extension of 3 existing sidings between Prince Rupert and Jasper.

The work on the line between Prince Rupert and Alberta, is part of a massive 400 million dollar infrastructure program that the railway has embarked on across Canada.

The Railway has also highlighted the addition of 1, 250 more crew members across Canada to meet the demands of the winter shipping season, making for an available work force of approximately 7,800 railway workers on duty.

As well CN makes note of the the expansion of their fleet of locomotives, with plans in motion to purchase 260 new locomotives over the next three years.

By the end of next year, CN anticipates having 200 new locomotives in service from the levels found in the winter of 2017-18.

CN also outlines what it describes as its tactical readiness plan, to address any incidents that may come along during the challenging winter season.

The Report also features some of the preventative measures that the railway has taken prior to the winter season, as well as offering a review as to how the impact of climate change is affecting rail transportation.

You can review the full document here.

Winter and spring challenges made for delays in a number of areas of the railways operations into the Port of Prince Rupert, with the Grain terminals feeling the effects the most, with frequent delays in shipments and a number of vessels left waiting in Prince Rupert harbour for a berth.

Such was the need to address the issue that CN in the end, replaced their former CEO Luc Jobin, with Jean Jacques Ruest taking over and confirmed as CEO earlier this year.

For more background on CN Rails work in the Northwest see our archive page here.

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