The CN Winter Plan (download below) is prepared and submitted to the Minister of Transport each year in accordance with, and as required by, section 151.01(2) of the Canada Transportation Act.
According to CN, the actions described in the Plan are designed to maximize safety, efficiency and car utilization, and are shaped by four thematic objectives:
1. Working safely. CN said it is committed “to the health and safety of our employees, customers, communities and the environment,” and training, leadership and technology “are key pillars that support our safety culture.”
2. Meeting customer needs. According to the Class I, “timely and reliable” customer-demand forecasts are required for it to plan the necessary resources to deliver during the winter months.
3. Improving network performance. CN said it has made fundamental changes to its operating plan to increase car velocity and reduce terminal and yard dwell. As a result, it can handle more volume with the same number of assets and crews. Launched in 2022, the operating plan “delivered the best railcar velocity since 2016 and strong, consistent traffic movement,” reported the railroad, which added that further plan enhancements are expected to deliver incremental improvements.
Over the past five years (2018-22), CN said it has invested about $16 billion to improve the safety and reliability of its service, support customer growth, and implement new technologies. Capital projects include building longer sidings and double-tracking; obtaining 57 high-horsepower locomotives last October (bringing its purchases of new high‑horsepower locomotives close to 300 since 2019) and modernizing 60 DC-traction locomotives (bringing the total modernized fleet to 110 locomotives; these units will be upgraded to AC-traction motors and will feature enhancements such as the FDL Advantage engine upgrade and a suite of digital solutions like Trip Optimizer and LOCOTROL Distributed Power); and adding 800 new high-capacity boxcars and 500 high-efficiency hoppers in 2023, with 750 new hoppers joining the fleet in 2024, bringing the total received since 2018 to 4,250.
CN said it is also hiring more crews to ensure it has “the right number of people to continue to deliver the best service possible.” The railroad’s labor priorities for the winter ahead focus on employee retention and deepening collaboration across CN teams. “Operational adjustments will be required this winter to implement new federal regulations related to work-rest rules, personal leave days and sick days,” CN reported. “While the combined impact of these new regulations is still uncertain, CN’s initial analysis indicates that hundreds of additional personnel will be required in Canada (mostly in the West) to do the same amount of work and maintain existing customer service levels.”
4. Improving network reliability. “When temperatures drop below ‑25°C, CN must shorten trains to maintain safe operations, meaning more locomotives and crews are required to move the same quantity of goods,” the railroad said. “If the cold weather lasts for several days, the added congestion could result in further delays.” CN said it adjusts the volume of local rail feeder lines to match the capacity of the mainline to avoid congestion and allow network productivity to recover as quickly as possible. It noted that proactive information sharing and customer forecasts “are key to having the right people and equipment in place when needed.” Additionally, the railroad said it is making the network and equipment more resilient during winter, via proactive maintenance as well as using distributed power and air braking railcars.
“Winter conditions bring unique challenges to every part of the supply chain, from production to market,” CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson said. “CN’s Winter Plan seeks to anticipate those challenges, mitigate their impact, and facilitate quick recovery. But the resiliency and reliability of Canada’s end-to-end supply chain require us all to work together–coordinating our planning and aligning our execution. The Canadian economy, our customers, and Canada’s position as a reliable trading partner need and expect this level of collaboration.”
CN also announced the 220 honorees (see list below) of its Safe Handling Awards for 2022. The awards are presented to customers “who load freight cars with dangerous goods and meet strict standards for the safe handling and shipment of regulated products,” reported the railroad, which noted that customers must meet established criteria, according to the total number of shipments of dangerous goods for all facilities.
“CN is proud to recognize 220 companies for their outstanding safety work and we are honored that we have been celebrating our customers’ Safety efforts for the past 30 years,” CN Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Doug MacDonald said. “Ensuring everyone’s safe return home is our top priority, and our customers play a vital role in maintaining essential safety measures for the secure movement of goods.”
“We are proud to recognize our customers for their commitment to running a safe operation,” added Buck Rogers, CN’s Vice President Petroleum and Chemicals, who in May was appointed to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council. “Safety is our core value at CN and one we share with our customers as we must all be engaged and responsible for creating a safe environment for employees and communities.”
And the honorees are:
