CPKC
CPKC in January moved 2.395 million metric tons (MMT) of Canadian grain and grain projects, beating its previous January tonnage record set in 2023, the railroad reported Feb. 2. January 2026’s 24,688 carloads also set a new monthly record, it said, surpassing the previous high set in January 2023.
“By working closely with our grain customers and working efficiently with our supply chain collaborators, our railroaders have delivered record amounts of grain and grain products across Western Canada to start the year,” CPKC Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing Jonathan Wahba said. “This performance and record volumes have been made possible through significant investment in the grain supply chain made by CPKC and our customers in new and upgraded grain-handling capacity and high-capacity hopper cars.”
Through the first 26 weeks of the 2025-26 crop year, CPKC shipped more than 15.1 MMT of grain and grain products. These are the largest totals since the record-setting 2020-21 crop year, according to the Class I.
“The noteworthy volumes of grain and grain products moving on our railway exceed the average supply chain capacity targets outlined in our annual grain service plan,” the railroad reported (download below). “It is critical that all supply chain participants, including customer loading facilities and terminal operators loading grain into vessels at ports, operate at full capacity to sustain this strong momentum.”
Separately, CN recently reported setting a new monthly record for grain movement in December, marking its fourth consecutive record month. CN moved more than 2.82 MMT of grain from Western Canada, surpassing its previous December record set in 2020 by more than 80,000 metric tons.
Further Reading:
- CPKC: ‘Exceptional Execution in Challenging Market’
- CTA Releases Annual Maximum Grain Revenue Entitlements for CN, CPKC (part of Class I Briefs)
- CN, CPKC: Ready for 2025-26 Grain Service
- CTA Sets CN, CPKC 2025-2026 VRCPIs
Meanwhile, also on Feb. 2, CPKC announced that Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation has been selected as the primary charity partner for the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, to be held at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alberta from Aug. 19-23, 2026.
CPKC’s goal in 2026 is to raise more than C$3.9 million in support of the Foundation, which it said will be used for ultrasound echocardiography machines, neuromonitoring systems and other equipment for the pediatric cardiac program; research through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute; and specialized staff training and family outreach initiatives.
The railroad since 2014 has helped raise more than C$27 million for children’s heart health as the title sponsor of the Women’s Open. Canadian Pacific sponsored the event prior to its merger with Kansas City Southern in 2023 to form CPKC, the first single-line, transnational railway connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
“Together with the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, we are focused on raising funds at the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open to advance cardiac care for children and families throughout our home province of Alberta,” CPKC CEO Keith Creel said. “Support for children’s heart health is a central pillar of our community investment initiative, CPKC Has Heart. This summer, as we welcome some of the world’s most talented golfers to Edmonton, we look forward to leaving a legacy that makes a difference in the lives of children who need it most.”
“We are incredibly grateful to CPKC for choosing Edmonton and for their generous support of cardiac care at the Stollery Children’s Hospital,” commented Karen Faulkner, President and CEO of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Their commitment will make a real difference in the lives of children and families facing heart conditions which helps us expand critical services, invest in leading-edge technology, and give every child the best chance to live a long and healthy life.”
“CPKC Has Heart has made an extraordinary impact in every community that has hosted our National Women’s Open Championship, and we are thrilled to welcome the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation as the charitable beneficiary of the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open,” Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum added. “The return of the CPKC Women’s Open to Royal Mayfair Golf Club and the City of Champions this August is going to be electric. Fans will experience the world’s best players in action while helping drive the incredible, life-changing work of the Stollery Children’s Hospital.”
The CPKC Women’s Open community charity partner will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the railroad.
In 2025, CPKC raised C$4.5 million for cardiac healthcare at the CPKC Women’s Open; it presented the funds to MacKids, the arm of Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation dedicated to fundraising for McMaster Children’s Hospital (C$4 million), and to Trillium Health Partners (C$502,000).
CSX
CSX is advancing its multi-year Pole Line Elimination Program, a systemwide effort led by the Communications & Signals team to retire outdated aerial signal and communication lines and transition to “modern, resilient technologies”(watch video, above). It has removed more than 7,000 miles of pole lines across multiple subdivisions, the railroad reported Feb. 2.
“For decades, pole‑based systems formed the backbone of railroad communications,” CSX said. “Today, however, these aging structures pose challenges: they are vulnerable to severe weather, difficult to maintain along the right-of-way and can affect service reliability. By replacing this legacy infrastructure, CSX is reducing risk, strengthening safety, and creating a cleaner, more efficient operating environment.”
The modernization initiative, it said, focuses on installing microprocessor‑based signal systems that use the rail itself for train detection and track integrity verification. These systems “enhance performance and support advanced safety technologies,” including Positive Train Control (PTC), which integrates GPS, sensors and software to help prevent collisions, derailments, and other incidents, according to the railroad.
