CN Rail looks to expand infrastructure in BC and Alberta

A CN freight train travels along
the Skeena (from CN website)

Those remarkable turn around times for shipments in and out of the Port of Prince Rupert may soon be even more impressive, as CN Rail announces plans to improve and add to its infrastructure across Western Canada.

On Thursday, the national railway outlined the nature of a $500 million capital program to upgrade Western Canadian feeder lines, with a key focus on railway lines in the Peace area of BC and Alberta.

Those improvements should provide dividends for the Port of Prince Rupert, a large volume of grain and minerals travel the rails from that area to port facilities.

As well, CN will be upgrading the main line between  Edmonton and Winnipeg with double tracking and extended sidings.

That important stretch is a key portion of CN's gateway to the US, which provides container services from the Port of Prince Rupert to such American cities as Chicago and Memphis.

You can read the background on the upgrade plan here.

It's likely that more improvements will come to CN"s presence on the North Coast as well, with expansion plans now underway for Fairview Terminal.

The container Port at Prince Rupert has become one of the major selling points for CN's transportation strategy, recently hailed by the railway in a video presentation.

The announcement of Thursday is considered by many as an answer to recent derailments across Western Canada and as a way to improve shipment times.

April 16 -- CN Rail spending $500-million to upgrade network in Western Canada after string of derailments
April 16-- CN Rail to spend $500M to improve feeder lines in Western Canada
April 16 -- CN, beset by derailments, to upgrade Western Canada network

For more items related to CN's impact across Northern BC see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review