Rail

Canadian National Railway maintains two main lines which run through Madison County and converge in Jackson, where the railroad has a major terminal switching yard. The lines again diverge from Jackson to run south to New Orleans, Louisiana, and southeast to Mobile, Alabama, via Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

CN also operates an automotive facility in the metropolitan area that serves the four-state area of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana. Jackson is the headquarters for one of CN’s five divisions, the Gulf Division.

CN is the only railroad which crosses the continent east-west and north-south, serving ports on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts while linking customers to all three NAFTA nations. Following its acquisition of Illinois Central in 1999, WC in 2001, and GLT in 2004, as well as its partnership agreement with BC Rail in 2004, CN provides shippers with an efficient transportation resource for the rapidly expanding north-south trade markets.

Facts and Figures about CN:

  • Employed an average of 23,500 people in Canada and the United States.
  • Has 19,560 route-miles of track in Canada and the United States.
  • Earned CDN $5.9 billion in revenue in 2003.
  • 56% from U.S. domestic and cross-border traffic.
  • 19% from international traffic.
  • 25% from Canadian domestic traffic.
  • Stocks trade on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges.
  • Has one of the lowest operating ratio among Class 1 railroads based on 2003 year-end results (69.8%).
  • Operates the largest rail network in Canada and the only transcontinental network in North America. The company operates in eight Canadian provinces and 16 U.S. states.
  • Spans Canada and mid-America from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, and the key cities of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wisconsin, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, St. Louis, Jackson, Mississippi, with connections to all points in North America.
  • Has the shortest route from the Atlantic coast to the U.S. Midwest through the St. Clair Tunnel between Sarnia, ON, and Port Huron, MI.
  • Originates approximately 85% of traffic, allowing the company to capitalize on service advantages, efficient asset utilization, and negotiations with other carriers on revenue division arrangements.

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