Canadian winter can be harsh and unforgiving. That is why the railroad companies have to adjust their operations from many points of view. The battle plan’s name is Winter Plan, informing customers and stakeholders of the measures taken to make it through the winter months with the least impact on the operations and the economy. The plan is a broad set of measures. They include shifts in commodities, measures to battle snow and rain on the network and its hubs, or the need to limit train length for braking safety in temperatures dropping below -25ºC. The measures also influence the fleet.
New fleet of grain hopper wagons
The new Winter Plan also mentions that in 2024, CN will receive an additional 750 new hopper wagons. This will add to the fleet of 500 high-efficiency new grain hoppers received in 2023. With new additions, the hopper fleet of CN will rise by 4,250 wagons since 2018. In 2023, the railroad also took the delivery of 800 new boxcars.
CN has also increased its number of locomotives by 300 since 2019. Over the past year, there have been 57 new locomotives delivered. The number of high- and mid-horsepower locomotives at CN will reach 1,950. As reported by Railmarket News, in 2024, the company will get 60 Wabtec-modernised locomotives. The Dash 9 locomotives will be converted from DC to AC as part of modernisation.
