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Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 6/1/2021 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific today announced that more than 130 stakeholders have filed statements with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) asking it to reject CN's proposed use of a voting trust.This brings the total letters submitted to more than 960, including 250-plus expressing concern about CN and Kansas City Southern's combination, its use of a voting trust, or both, and more than 730 in support of CP-KCS, CP officials said in a press release.The opposition letters — which came from shippers, ports, local governments, transportation associations and other stakeholders — highlight the "extensive risks" the proposed CN-KCS voting trust poses to competition by reducing shipper options, CP officials said. Stakeholders also expressed concerns over the likelihood of reduced service quality and infrastructure investments as a result of the proposed CN transaction, they added.The concerns echo those of the U.S. Department of Justice, which on May 14 filed comments with the STB objecting to CN's proposed use of a voting trust on the grounds that a CN merger with KCS would pose greater risks to competition than the CP-KCS agreement, according to CP.

Rail News Home Union Pacific Railroad 5/28/2021 Rail News: Union Pacific Railroad
UP No. 1979 is named after the year the Class I launched its first ERG, the Black Employee Network. Photo – up.com

Rail News Home Canadian Pacific 5/28/2021 Rail News: Canadian Pacific
The Canadian government has reached an agreement with Canadian Pacific concerning the Lac-Megantic rail bypass.In collaboration with CP, the government has established an accelerated schedule that will enable the project to be completed in 2023. Work is expected to begin in spring 2022.The agreement is an important step toward obtaining the necessary plans, specifications and regulatory authorization to complete the project, government officials said in a press release. The pact includes several studies to be completed in the coming weeks on soil, water and fish habitat quality, and on ambient noise levels.“Transport Canada is committed to keeping property owners informed and minimizing the impact of the work while the studies are completed,” government officials said.The final right-of-way plan has been completed and negotiations to acquire the land now will begin with affected property owners.The 8-mile bypass will be built in response to the July 2013 Lac-Megantic rail disaster, in which an unattended crude-oil train — which had been parked in Nantes at the top of a slope — rolled down a hill before derailing at a high rate of speed in the city’s downtown area. The derailment led to an explosion and fire that killed 47 people and destroyed lots of property.