CN derailment adds to VIA Rail corridor operating woes

VIA Rail Canada logo

MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada service between Toronto and Montreal, already struggling to cope with a massive snowstorm, was further disrupted today (Feb. 18, 2025) by a Canadian National derailment near Montreal. The 12-car derailment occurred at CN’s Taschereau Yard near Lachine and adjacent to Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport. CN said no leaks or injuries […]

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Signal and communications workers ratify deal with CN in Canada

Canadian National logo

MONTREAL — The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has ratified a new four-year contract with Canadian National Railway, CN has announced. The union represents approximately 750 signals and communications workers in Canada. The deal includes annual 3% wage increases. “The ratification of this agreement by our employees with the IBEW union represents a mutually beneficial […]

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VIA’s Oceans delayed overnight; make rare daytime trip

Canadian passenger train at snow-covered station platform

MONTREAL — With the province of Quebec walloped by at least 15 inches of snow in the last few days followed by plunging temperatures, VIA Rail Canada management delayed Sunday’s eastbound and westbound Montreal-Halifax Ocean by 13 hours rather than cancel one of the trains. Additional blowing snow — about 27 inches is now on […]

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VIA equipment issues lead to service cuts in Ottawa-Toronto corridor

Cab car leads train into station

OTTAWA, Ontario — VIA Rail Canada has trimmed trains from its Ottawa-Toronto schedule until at least March because of equipment availability issues, the transportation advocacy group Transport Action Canada reports. In a post on its website, the group lists these trains as currently suspended: — Daily trains No. 42 (a 12:17 p.m. departure from Toronto) […]

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Maintenance-of-way union ratifies contract with CPKC

Logo of Teamsters Canada-Maintenance of Way Division

CALGARY, Alberta — The union representing CPKC engineering service workers in Canada has ratified a new four-year contract, the railroad has announced. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Maintenance of Way Employees Division (TRCR-MWED) represents about 2,300 workers. CPKC CEO Keith Creel said the ratification, announced Friday, Feb. 14, provides improved wages and benefits, but details […]

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Most of Montreal light rail system to open by October

Map of Montreal light rail syste

MONTREAL — Most of the Réseau express metropolitain light rail network will be open in October, according to the head of the company overseeing construction of the Montreal-area system. But before then, the portion of the REM that is currently operating will be shut down for six weeks as part of systemwide testing. The CBC […]

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Cando Rail opens new Alberta rail yard

Logo of Cando Rail & Terminal

EDMONTON, Alberta — Cando Rail & Terminals has opened its latest facility, the Cando Southlands Rail Yard in Strathcona County, Alberta. The new facility helps serve the Imperial Oil Strathcona Refinery in Sherwood Park, Alta., just east of Edmonton, adding operational and storage capacity for more than 600 railcars. Cando will provide rail service at […]

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Six rail projects receive funding from Canadian government

Blue and yellow locomotives

NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canadian National Railway and short line Battle River Railway are among six recipients of a total of Ca$33.1 million for infrastructure projects under Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund. Transport Minister Anita Anand announced the funding, for projects in British Columbia and Alberta, on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Richardson International […]

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Extensive delays, Empire Builder cancellation add to Amtrak disruptions

BNSF locomotive leading passenger train

CHICAGO — In the latest round of Amtrak operating issues, fallout from days of late trains has again inconvenienced passengers along the Empire Builder’s Chicago-Seattle/Portland, Ore., route, causing cancellation of one round trip. Other significant disruptions befell Southwest Chief and Lake Shore Limited departures, and reports say VIA Rail Canada’s westbound Canadian encountered snow-covered frozen […]

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CPKC, United Steelworkers announce tentative agreement

CPKC logo

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Kansas City has reached a tentative four-year agreement with United Steelworkers, which represents approximately clerical and intermodal employees in Canada. “We are very pleased to have reached another collective agreement at the bargaining table, our third tentative agreement this year in Canada,” CPKC CEO Keith Creel said in a press release. […]

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