Canadian National buys 2,200 freight cars and 1,300 containers in 2012

THE Canadian National Railway (CN) says it is buying 2,200 new freight cars in 2012, as well as 1,300 new containers, to support traffic growth and improve customer service.

"CN is acquiring new cars and containers for forest products, metals, minerals, coal, iron ore, steel, consumer goods, finished vehicles and grain," said CN vice president Jean-Jacques Ruest.

CN's largest rolling stock addition in 2012 is the acquisition of 600 premium 60-foot, double-door box cars for forest products, and metals traffic. These higher payload cars help improve customer loading efficiency.

The railway is also getting 1,300 containers for grocery and consumer goods, 558 high-capacity modern covered hoppers for grain exports, 317 multi-level cars for finished vehicles deliveries to major cities, 300 gondolas for coal exports, 232 new ore cars for pelletised iron ore produced in Minnesota to supply steel mills in the United States, 200 multi-purpose box cars for the North American freight car pool.

Mr Ruest added: "CN's rolling stock acquisition strategy is responding to evolving market conditions and is intended to ensure reliable, predictable supply chains for our customers."