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Yesterday, Canadian Pacific announced plans to further develop its long train strategy in 2012.

As part of this year’s capital expansion program, the railroad is building and extending sidings in several key regions to derive additional benefits from double-digit increases in train lengths. In the western end of CP's network, the capital investments are accommodating longer potash and coal trains, which have increased in length by 20 percent and 18 percent, respectively.
 
By 2013’s end, CP is targeting an 11 percent increase in transcontinental train lengths. Currently, intermodal trains measure up to 12,000 feet long, a 40 percent increase since 2008.

Longer trains help reduce fuel consumption, produce capital maintenance and labor savings, and improve safety and efficiency, CP officials said in a prepared statement. The Class I “has been at the forefront” of long train design and operations using locotrol technology for remote locomotive operations and TrAM, train area marshaling software that’s designed to ensure in-train forces remain within safe standards and track infrastructure encounters less wear, they said.

“Long trains are the cornerstone of CP's operating strategy,” said Executive Vice President of Operations Mike Franczak. “Longer trains allow CP to respond to volume variability without adding extra train starts or leaving business behind, thus improving service for our customers.”