OTTAWA (Staff) — CP Rail announced last week it is investing $65 million to buy 900 covered hopper cars that can be used to transport grain.
Rick Sallee, vice-president of marketing and sales, heavy haul, for the railway, told MPs the cars will be ready in time for the fall harvest.
He said company officials will be considering whether more cars should be ordered for next year.
The 900 new cars, the first purchased by CP Rail for many years, will be available for grain and other crops and can be used in Canada or the U.S., he said.
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With 3,000 leased grain cars coming into service this summer, it means that CP will have 15,400 cars in the western fleet.
“This represents the largest capacity ever available to move grain,” said Sallee.
Between the two railways, the total grain fleet will top 30,000 this summer for the first time as they struggle to clear up the grain backlog and try to ensure congestion does not happen again.
Officials from both railways repeatedly told MPs it is more economical to lease cars when they are available, than to own enough to make up a fleet that could handle the biggest emergency, but would be generally under-used.
