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Canadian National Railway Co. Aug. 1 began using The Belt Railway Co. of Chicago (BRC) to switch and block its eastbound Wisconsin Central Division trains that interchange with CSX Transportation.


CN previously moved trains directly to CSXT's Barr Yard in Chicago, but CSXT recently closed the east end of its Altenheim Subdivision between 46th Avenue and Ogden Junction, affecting Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal and Barr Yard.


By routing cars to 343-mile BRC's Clearing Yard and bypassing CSXT yards, CN has improved transit time between western Canada and Chicago, according to CN's recently released monthly newsletter.


"Using the Belt reduces the switching and blocking that [we'd] been doing enroute," said Paul Ladue, CN director of contracts, Rosemont, who helped finalize the BRC contract.


On westbound moves, BRC blocks CN's trains, which previously were switched in Fond du Lac, Wis.


CN now connects with CSXT trains originating at Clearing Yard, which reduces by as much as a day the transit time for trains traveling beyond Chicago.