CN reiterates plan to upgrade Prairie North Line through
Humboldt
HUMBOLDT, SK,
May 13, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, CN
(TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) president and chief executive officer
Claude Mongeau helped the citizens
of Humboldt, Sask. inaugurate the
Community Trail project, part of the CN EcoConnexions - From the
Ground Up program. Humboldt is
one of 25 communities selected to receive funding from the program
to date.
The program's objective is to promote the
greening of municipal properties across Canada, especially areas in close proximity to
rail lines. CN, with its partners Tree Canada and Communities in
Bloom, is helping Canadian municipalities establish tree planting
initiatives in a sustainable, environmentally responsible
manner.
"We're pleased that the CN EcoConnexions program
saw the value in this project," stated Malcolm Eaton, Mayor of the City of Humboldt. "The 5th Avenue trails
development will not only give our residents and visitors the
opportunity to safely access Centennial Park and the downtown, it's
also a very physical reminder of our community's collective efforts
to connect and beautify our city."
Humboldt's
project will create a community trail that links Centennial Park -
which contains the Humboldt Uniplex facility, Humboldt Collegiate Institute and Carlton
Trail Regional College - with the downtown core. The project
also involves the planting of trees and shrubs along the proposed
trail, enhancing municipal land alongside local CN property.
In his remarks at the site, Mr. Mongeau said:
"Our sustainability agenda goes beyond making our own operations as
fuel efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. We
aim as well to support sustainability initiatives in the
communities we serve. The EcoConnexions From the Ground
Up program is an excellent example of CN and communities
working together to mutually promote these goals."
Mr. Mongeau also spoke of upgrades that will be
made to the CN line that runs through Humboldt. CN will make significant investments
in the Prairie North Line's rail infrastructure. Work will involve
capital spending on new ties and rail, as well as new sidings to
handle the increase in train traffic projected for the line. The
investment and work plans are being developed now, with work
expected to begin in earnest during the coming weeks.
"The Prairie North Line serves important
resource industries in the parkland territories of the northern
Prairies," said Mr. Mongeau. "Agriculture has long been the
backbone of the economy here, along with forestry. Both those
industries are doing well, and we're now seeing great growth in the
petrochemical industry along this rail line. Traffic is growing and
we're going to upgrade the line to handle the new business safely
and efficiently.
"The upgrading of our Prairie North Line will
improve service to our customers. It will also help the line
through Humboldt become an
important 'relief valve' for our more southerly main-line corridor
when necessary, giving us greater overall network flexibility and
resilience," Mongeau said.
"Humboldt is an
important hub on CN's Prairie North Line," added Mr. Mongeau,
"allowing us to crew trains and maintain critical rail
infrastructure. We are proud to be here to support the greening of
this town."
CN - Canadian National Railway Company and its
operating railway subsidiaries - spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans to the Gulf of
Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince
Rupert, B.C., Montreal,
Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the key metropolitan areas
of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth,
Minn./Superior, Wis.,
Green Bay, Wis., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points
in North America. For more
information on CN, visit the company's website at www.cn.ca.
SOURCE CN