Canadian Pacific Railway is planning to spend more than $500 million on new high-capacity grain hopper cars over the next four years. The company announced its plan in a June 7 news release, adding that grain shippers can expect to see 500 so-called “jumbo” hoppers in CP’s fleet before the end of 2018. All told, […] Read more
Tag Archives grain transportation

CP Rail deal will give workers 9 per cent raise over four years
MONTREAL (Reuters) – Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd conductors and locomotive engineers will get a nine per cent salary hike over four years as part of a tentative agreement reached last week with the Teamsters, spokesmen from both the union and CP said on Wednesday. The agreement, which must first be ratified by members to go […] Read more

CN Rail hops to it
Canadian National Railway’s purchase of 1,000 new grain hopper cars represents the first tangible results of Bill C-49 and a major step forward in fleet renewal, say industry observers. The company announced May 24, the day the transportation modernization act received royal assent after a year of political back-and-forth and hard industry lobbying, that it […] Read more

Transportation bill waiting on new vote
Political wrangling over Bill C-49 continues in Ottawa as the bill still has not gained full approval from the House of Commons and the Senate. After Transport Minister Marc Garneau accepted some earlier Senate amendments and rejected others, the Senate once again debated the bill last week. It returned the legislation to the Commons May […] Read more

Group bids for Hudson Bay Railway and Churchill port
A new ownership group that’s attempting to buy the Hudson Bay Railway and the Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba says western Canadian grain will be an important part of the port’s commercial business. If the proposed sale of the port and railway goes ahead, grain shipments will resume as quickly as possible following necessary […] Read more

Transport bill sparks calls for quick approval
MPs approve or adjust grain amendments but others are rejected; House now sends proposed legislation back to Senate
Farmers are once again urging quick passage of Bill C-49 in the Senate after the long-awaited transportation legislation moved back to the upper chamber. The House of Commons May 3 approved Transport Minister Marc Garneau’s position on earlier Senate amendments to the bill. He approved some, including those related to grain shipping, with some adjustments, […] Read more
CN’s car orders improve; CP still struggles
Ag Transport Coalition data shows that CN supplied about 91 percent of grain hopper cars on time during Week 38
The number of hoppers cars being spotted at western Canadian grain elevators continues to improve at Canadian National Railway, while weekly hopper car deliveries at Canadian Pacific Railway continue to falter, according to figures supplied by the Ag Transport Coalition. ATC numbers show that CN’s numbers have been improving consistently since the arrival of warmer […] Read more
CN requires unamended Bill C-49 to buy hopper cars
Canadian National Railway is considering the purchase of 1,000 new grain hopper cars, but it is “contingent on the passage of Bill C-49 without amendments,” J.J. Ruest, the company’s interim president and chief executive officer, said during an April 24 conference call with investors. CN’s existing grain hopper car fleet consists of about 12,000 cars, […] Read more

Grain freight costs to rise 2.8 percent this year
A Canadian Transportation Agency ruling will allow the railways to increase their per-tonne revenue in 2018-19
Canada’s major railway companies will be able to generate greater per-tonne revenues for moving regulated western Canadian grain in 2018-19 following an April 25 ruling by the Canadian Transportation Agency. The CTA announced that the Volume Related Composite Price Index (VRCPI) will increase 2.8 percent in the 2018-19 crop year. The VRCPI is a key […] Read more
Unionized workers set to vote on CP offer
Engineers, train conductors and electrical workers at Canadian Pacific Railway will decide whether to accept or reject CP’s final contract offer in an electronic vote to be held May 14-23. The Canadian Industrial Relations Board confirmed the dates this week. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) are […] Read more