CN Rail published its 2022-23 grain plan July 29 in which it describes preparations for moving a western Canadian grain crop expected to rebound from last year’s drought-reduced harvest.
Plan details include the addition of 57 high-horsepower locomotives, new rolling stock and 500 additional employees to bolster operating crews in Western Canada. More high-capacity grain hopper cars are also on the way. CN said it plans to add 500 covered cars this year, a figure it expects to match in 2023. New cars will have 15 per cent more volume capacity, the company said.
“Faced with growing demands from all sectors, the plan also calls for greater balance across all rail corridors to reach the upper end of the maximum sustainable supply chain capacity range,” said a company news release.
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“That requires making better use of the eastern Canadian network, including Thunder Bay when the St. Lawrence Seaway System is open to navigation, and direct rail shipments to St. Lawrence River ports when the seaway closes for winter.”
