CN orders 50 ES44DC's from GE, 25 SD70M-2's from EMD

[emd_SD_60]

I guess the new Dash 9's weren't enough...

CN orders 75 locomotives from two builders, secures options to acquire 75 more
Wednesday April 6, 12:00 pm ET


MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2005--CN announced today orders for 75 high-horsepower locomotives from two builders.
CN will take delivery of 50 ES44DC locomotives from GE Transportation Rail, a unit of General Electric Company, and 25 SD70M-2 locomotives from Electro-Motive Diesel, starting in the fourth quarter of 2005, with completion by mid-2006.

The ES44DCs are rated at 4,400 horsepower, and the SD70M-2s at 4,300 horsepower.

CN has also negotiated options, effective through the end of 2008, to acquire a further 25 ES44DC and an additional 50 SD70M-2 locomotives.

E. Hunter Harrison, president and chief executive officer of CN, said: "Our orders for 75 new locomotives will upgrade CN's motive-power fleet at a time of continued growth in all of our businesses across the network, including import/export of both bulk shipments and intermodal traffic.

"These new units are the most reliable, most fuel-efficient ever, and comply fully with the latest regulatory requirements for reduced locomotive exhaust emissions. They will strengthen our ability to deliver improved service.

"The options to acquire a further 75 locomotives, if exercised, would permit CN to accommodate potential traffic in excess of current expectations."

The firm orders for 75 new locomotives will allow CN to replace 100 older 3,000-3,600 horsepower road locomotives. The new units are almost 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than the ones they will replace.

At the end of 2004, CN had 1,343 main line road locomotives and 718 yard-switching locomotives.

Canadian National Railway Company 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, Ala., and the key cities of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, St. Louis, and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America.

www.cn.ca

Canadian National Railway Company (TSX:CNR - News; NYSE:CNI - News)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
CN
Mark Hallman (Media)
System Director, Media Relations
(905) 669-3384
OR
CN
Robert Noorigian (Investment Community)
Vice-President, Investor Relations
(514) 399-0052



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Canadian National Railway Company

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050406/65558.html?.v=1

[jg greenwood]

Hopefully some will make their way to E. St. Louis! Nah, never happen.

[AmtrakFan]

At least their getting some EMD. Makes me happy.

[AmtrakFan]

Hopefully some will make their way to E. St. Louis! Nah, never happen.

Maybe some will. On the BNSF they have had GEVO that went to St. Paul one day and back to Chicago the next.

[emd_SD_60]

Hopefully some will make their way to E. St. Louis! Nah, never happen.

Oh I bet they will...

I wonder if these are going to replace the older SD40-2's and SD40-2WL's? Hopefully the SD50F/SD60F's are not affected, they're good for another 20 years... Although the new 2700 series Dash-9's had no effect on the CN fleet, although a lot of the wide nose GP40-2's were being let go.

[jg greenwood]

Hopefully some will make their way to E. St. Louis! Nah, never happen.

Oh I bet they will...

I wonder if these are going to replace the older SD40-2's and SD40-2WL's? Hopefully the SD50F/SD60F's are not affected, they're good for another 20 years... Although the new 2700 series Dash-9's had no effect on the CN fleet, although a lot of the wide nose GP40-2's were being let go.

The SD-40 is my all time favorite locomotive, IF, it's well maintained. This junk the IC has is pathetic and long past any reliable use.

[emd_SD_60]

CN probably will run those junked up SD40's until they fall apart or the 645 finally seizes up, whichever comes first. They ought to know if they take care of their locomotives, the locomotives will take care of them.

[AmtrakFan]

CN probably will run those junked up SD40's until they fall apart or the 645 finally seizes up, whichever comes first. They ought to know if they take care of their locomotives, the locomotives will take care of them.

Until they explode and catch on fire. Mr. Greenword part of IC's issue with ex-BN SD40-2's BN use to beat the Crap out of them. I am a BN fan as well as an AmtrakFan.

[emd_SD_60]

IC probably got the BN ones dirt cheap, from one of their "fire sales", to replace the SD20's, because they were being retired just as the BN SD40-2's came into the picture. I thought JG was having problems with those 1969 SD40A's (built on SDP45 frames to accomodate a 5000 gallon tank), the 1967 order of SD40's, and the 1966 GM&O SD40's.

[CN_Hogger]

Hopefully some will make their way to E. St. Louis! Nah, never happen.

Nah, you boys 'down south' will still get the 6000's!

I wonder if this explains the pair of SD70ACE/-2 looking units I saw at Champaign this past weekend that were in primer with no numbers at all?

The firm orders for 75 new locomotives will allow CN to replace 100 older 3,000-3,600 horsepower road locomotives. The new units are almost 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than the ones they will replace.

I was starting to wonder what they were going to do with the ever growing number of WC SD45's in the Woodcrest deadline.......

[emd_SD_60]

Nah, you boys 'down south' will still get the 6000's!

And the 1000's and LMS 2460's to name a few!

[CN9634]

I would love to catch the SD70-2's. I have yet to see any of the CSX SD70ACe's and I keep pestering my dad to take a trip down. Do you think any of these units will be here by summer? The article says effective to the end of 2008, does that mean the order will be complete by then? I would like to see some of these units when I go to Dorval this summer. On the topic of SD40-2s, IC 6002 and CN 5379 came down on the SLR (St. Lawrence & Atlantic) recently.

[CN_Hogger]

Nah, you boys 'down south' will still get the 6000's!

And the 1000's and LMS 2460's to name a few!

Atleast the 1000's and 2400's have dynamics....a lot easier to handle a 12,000+ ton train with dynamics than w/o!

[BlackDog]

I think this will be the death knell for the WC SD45's, you guys better get your pictures while you can.

Think these new engines will come with air conditioning? It would be nice to have up here when winter ends in June.

[CN_Hogger]

Think these new engines will come with air conditioning? It would be nice to have up here when winter ends in June.

I hope so, the IC 2700's came with A/C....