CN-Iowa Northern combo to occur next month; MOW workers to join union

CN's proposed acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway (IANR) could occur as early as Feb. 13, now that the Surface Transportation Board has approved the proposed deal.

Announced yesterday, the STB's decision allows CN to combine IANR’s 175 route miles with CN’s nearly 20,000-mile rail network. The combined CN-IANR will offer single-line service to better connect grain, fertilizer, renewable fuels, and industrial markets to CN’s North American network, CN officials said in a press release.

The acquisition is an important step in CN's growth plan, CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson said.

"We look forward to welcoming the team at Iowa Northern Railway into our CN family of railroaders, and we are carefully preparing for a successful integration," Robinson said. "We are excited to grow our network, offering customers, farmers and our supply chain partners with single-line access to new markets."

Nearly a year ago, CN and IANR applied STB approval of the proposed acquisition. The STB yesterday announced it approved the acquisition with conditions. 

Meanwhile, 18 maintenance-of-way workers at IANR have voted unanimously to join the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) of the Teamsters Rail Conference, union officials announced yesterday. The vote for representation was 16-0. 

"We welcome our newest brothers on the Iowa Northern and are enthusiastic to help make their railroad a better place to work,” said Thomas Kirby, director of organizing at the BMWED, in a press release. “I’m positive that great things are on the horizon.” The newest members are assigned to the Unified System Division of the BMWED.