CP gets an 'A' for sixth straight year as Amtrak host railroad

Amtrak yesterday recognized Canadian Pacific for earning an industry-leading "A" grade for the sixth-consecutive year on Amtrak's annual Host Railroad Report Card, which ranks freight railroads for keeping Amtrak trains on time.

Amtrak President and CEO Stephen Gardner presented CP President and CEO Keith Creel a plaque to mark the Class I's achievement.

"We're proud of the Amtrak-CP partnership and we applaud you and your team’s continued commitment to providing outstanding service to our passengers," Gardner told Creel, according to a press release.

In addition to its strong dispatching performance from its Minneapolis-based rail traffic control center, CP was the first Amtrak host to certify schedules to measure on-time status at each Amtrak station, Amtrak officials said.

In January, Amtrak and CP announced an agreement that calls for the two railroads to cooperate on Amtrak's plan for bringing new and expanded intercity passenger-rail service to the Midwest and southern United States. And given CP’s consistent record as an Amtrak host, Amtrak is supporting CP's proposal to expand its network in a merger with Kansas City Southern, Gardner said.

"CP is pleased to continue to support Amtrak and its infrastructure projects to provide capacity needed to accommodate additional service and thankful to Amtrak for its support of our historic combination with Kansas City Southern," said Creel.

CN also received an “A” grade on Amtrak’s 2021 Host Railroad Report Card. The other Class Is received the following grades: BNSF Railway Co., B+; CSX, B; Union Pacific Railroad, C+; and Norfolk Southern Railway, D-.

To read Amtrak's 2021 Host Railroad Report Card, click here.