The new CN wagons, also called jennies, are specialized hopper cars designed for the heavy-duty task of transporting iron ore, are produced in Mexico by FreightCar America. The materials supplied by U.S. Steel link back to the historic iron ore mining activities in Minnesota, supporting the continued operation and utility of these rail cars.
The implementation of these new ore jennies is taking place at CN’s Minnesota Ore Operations facilities. This setup is intended to streamline the process of moving iron ore from mines to mills, facilitating the efficient transportation of raw materials crucial for steel production.
This collaboration among CN, U.S. Steel, and FreightCar America reflects an integrated effort within the North American supply chain.
The addition of these 600 new cars to CN's fleet represents a targeted upgrade to meet increasing demands and improve the overall material handling capabilities within the company’s operations.
It has been 20 years since CN took over The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DMIR), via purchasing Great Lakes Transportation. DMIR was transporting ore and later taconite pellets to the ports of Duluth and Two Harbors in Minnesota, where they are transloaded onto the ships before moving them to steel mills across the Great Lakes. DMIR was at certain point in the past owned by a company, which grew to become US Steel today, but spun off the operation in 1988.
