CN BUYS 550 HIGH-CAPACITY FREIGHT CARS

CN BUYS 550 HIGH-CAPACITY FREIGHT CARS    Canadian National will buy 350 new boxcars and 200 new centerbeam flatcars in 2003 for transport of forest product shipments.
   “The high-cube 50-foot boxcars for newsprint and fine papers, and the 73-foot centerbeam cars for lumber, will incorporate the latest in rail car technology and will each have a gross rail load capacity of 286,000 pounds,” the Montreal-based railroad said.
   CN will build 100 boxcars at its Transcona Shops in Winnipeg, “the first such construction program in decades.” Trinity Industries will build the other 250 boxcars. The centerbeam cars will be constructed by Greenbrier Cos.’s TrentonWorks Ltd.
   “CN is the largest carrier of forest product commodities in North America and has grown its forest products market share on the strength of its highly-successful scheduled railroad services,” said Stan Jablonski, the railroad’s vice president of forest products. “The new rolling stock will enhance our forest products fleet, making CN’s customers more competitive in their end markets.”