A result of the heady heights of world oil prices, the extraction of oil from bitumen sands in Canada is now more and more commercially viable.  One of these projects overseen by Canadian Natural Resources Limited is at Fort McMurray.

A result of the Fort McMurray project and the industry’s progression is now the partnership between the Port of Thunder Bay and Canadian National Railway, to develop a competitive routing option for oil sands project cargo destined for For Western Canada.

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One of the groups formed to fight the acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E) by Canadian National Railway, The Regional Answer to Canadian National (TRAC), has made public a list of flaws the group sees with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the United States Surface Transportation Board.

The group, which is made up of a number of communities that have the EJ&E rail lines transiting through their neighbourhoods, have listed twenty points of argument and or disagreement with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that the STB have released, the group preparing for a number of public hearings that are scheduled to take place throughout the affected region in the coming days and weeks.

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North American rail freight company BNSF has announced today the re-opening of a of a rail-served building materials transload facility in the greater Chicago area.

To be managed by the Elwood based warehouse management company, Partners Warehouse, the facility in Eola Illinois has the capacity to handle dimensional loads and features more than 12.5 acres of covered and open storage in close proximity to Chicago with access to the areas major  highways.

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Chicago area communities as well as their representatives in Washington DC have reacted strongly to the latest move by Canadian National Railway in their attempt to quicken the approval process for their purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company.

The group "The Regional Answer to Canadian National" responded to Canadian National’s announcement by providing Breaking News on the groups website, the text pointing out the Canadian National (CN) had threatened the Surface Transportation Board (STB) with legal action should the STB not agree to make a decision on the EJ&E transaction by October 15.

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Canadian rail freight company, Canadian National Railway(CN) has launched a fresh attempt to see the proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E) by Canadian National, completed by years end.

Emerged in what could be said to be a three way battle over the acquisition, Canadian National is having to answer to local Chicago area communities as well as the United States Surface Transportation Board(STB) to see what the company describes as an important transaction that is in the broader public interest, approved.

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The Canadian department for transportation, Transport Canada, has unveiled the final terms of reference, as well as issued requests for proposals for the governments review into rail freight in the country(*).

The review is set to examine services offered by both Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway to national and international shippers, the government announced the review after tabling amendments to the shipper protection provisions of the Canada Transportation Act last year.

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Canadian rail transportation company, Canadian National Railway has advised investors and the media that it will seek "Legal Relief" with regard to it’s proposed purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E).

Advised by the United States Steel Corporation, the current owner of the EJ&E Railroad, that the Pittsburgh based company does not intend to extend the Stock Purchase Agreement (SPA) for the transaction beyond the end of December, and with no fixed timetable forthcoming from the Surface Transportation Board (STB) regarding the proposed acquisition of EJ&E, Canadian National (CN) will now pursue Legal Relief so that the company can extend a deadline for the purchase that was set for late September.

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The United States Surface Transportation Board last Friday released a long awaited Draft Environmental Impact Statement(*) regarding the proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E).

According to the Surface Transportation Board(STB), the draft Environmental Impact Statement  analyses the environmental impacts that might occur if Canadian National Railway(CN) were to acquire and operate trains over the EJ&E Railroad, and compares those to the environmental impacts of continuing rail operations on the EJ&E rail line and the five CN rail lines that feed into Chicago.

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In the wake of comments made by Canadian National Railway’s Chief Executive Officer, Hunter Harrison this week, Freightscene.com has contacted Canada’s largest rail freight company to clarify the companies position on the intended acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E).

Speaking to Mark Hallman, the Public Affairs Officer from Canadian  National, Freightscene.com has learned that that despite acknowledged opposition to the Canadian national’s proposed acquisition of EJ&E, the company intends to proceed with the transaction and see the acquisition come to fruition by years end.  However Canadian National have qualified the intention to proceed by saying that the company may look to other options other than EJ&E should circumstances such as mitigation costs and time delays prove to be excessive.  Other options include looking into alternatives to EJ&E and using the funds set aside for the EJ&E acquisition for those purposes.

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Involved in protracted negotiations with government, community and industry over the proposed $300 million dollar purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E), the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian National Railway Company has warned that Canadian National may simply walk away if too many complications ensue.

Speaking during a second quarter financial results conference call, Hunter Harrison indicated that Canadian National wasn’t beholden to the EJ&E to carry on their business, remarking that "We could run this railroad without the EJ&E. We could run it a lot more efficiently with it. But if it gets to the point where the mitigation costs or the timing of the issue is going to drag out for so long. … We’re very good at turning our backs and walking the other way and figuring out another way to skin the cat."

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