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Canadian National Railway Co. remains the most active Class I in the short-line acquisition market. On Friday, CN announced it purchased Savage Alberta Railway Inc. (SAR) from Savage Cos. for $22 million. In May 2005, Savage acquired the 345-mile short line — formerly Alberta RailNet Inc. — from North American RailNet Inc.

SAR interchanges with CN in Swan Landing, Alberta, and moves about 35,000 carloads annually. CN plans to upgrade the short line’s track to carry more coal, grain and forest-product carloads. The Class I also will offer jobs to SAR’s 75 employees and honor an existing labor agreement.

The acquisition will solidify the railroad’s freight franchise in northwestern Alberta, CN officials said in a prepared statement.

In January, the Class I acquired the Central Western, Lakeland & Waterways, and Mackenzie Northern railways (which total more than 740 track miles) from RailAmerica Inc.