CN allocates millions for infrastructure upgrades in Manitoba

CN plans to spend about CA$130 million this year to bolster infrastructure in Manitoba, including an expansion of Symington Yard in Winnipeg.

The yard project calls for building or extending a dozen tracks to help improve the efficiency of handling rail cars from Canada and the United States, CN officials said in a press release.

The work in the province also includes replacing about 30 miles of rail; installing more than 80,000 ties; rebuilding surfaces at 20 grade crossings; and performing various maintenance work on bridges, culverts, signal systems and other track infrastructure.

The Manitoba allocation is part of CN's record CA$3.4 billion capital spending program for 2018. Over the past five years, the railroad has spent about CA$675 million on capital investments in the province.

Manitoba is a major hub in the railroad's network. In addition to Symington Yard, CN's Transcona Shops and Claude Mongeau National Training Centre are located in the province.

"Our project at Symington Yard, combined with track investments across the Prairies, and new equipment and more people, will help us deliver superior service to our grain and other customers throughout Manitoba and North America," said Doug Ryhorchuk, vice president of CN’s Western Region.

To learn more about CN's efforts to improve service performance — in part by bolstering more infrastructure — read this cover story from Progressive Railroading's May issue.