Besides China-Europe rail transport, what other major international rail transport networks exist?

North American railways are also major rail networks and include transnational rail transport companies comparable to Deutsche Bahn—such as Canadian National Railway (CNI) and Kansas City Southern. Don’t hastily conclude that North American railways are underperforming just because passenger rail services—aside from a few high-profile exceptions—are generally weak. In fact, North America’s freight rail system has long been highly developed.

U.S. equity research report: Amid North American economic weakness, how is Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI) navigating its path forward?

The intermodal commodity group comprises rail and trucking services and consists of two markets: domestic intermodal and international intermodal. Domestic intermodal transports consumer goods and finished products, serving retail and wholesale distribution channels within Canada, within the U.S., in Mexico, and across borders; international intermodal handles import and export container traffic, serving major ports including Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal, and Halifax. Domestic intermodal is driven by consumer demand and typically grows in tandem with the broader economy, whereas international intermodal is driven by North American economic conditions and trade dynamics. Revenue for this commodity group declined in the first half of 2019 and 2020 primarily due to reduced domestic and international intermodal volumes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The automotive commodity group is primarily driven by North American automobile production and sales, which in turn depend on the average age of vehicles in North America and fuel prices. Revenue for this group declined in the first half of 2019 and 2020 mainly due to temporary closures of domestic vehicle assembly plants and auto parts manufacturing facilities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other revenue stems from non-rail logistics services supporting the company’s railway operations—including marine and terminal services, transloading and distribution, automotive logistics, and freight and transportation management. The declines observed in both 2019 and the first half of 2020 were primarily attributable to reduced revenue from automotive logistics and marine operations; however, these losses were partially offset by increased freight forwarding revenue. 3.2 Performance in Q4 2019 Compared to the same period in 2018, the company’s revenue in Q4 2019 decreased by USD 224 million—or 6%—to USD 3.584 billion. This decline was primarily driven by North American economic weakness, a railway labor union strike in November, and a USD 64 million reduction in fuel surcharge revenue. Labor strike: The railway industry is highly unionized. In November 2019, Canadian National Railway experienced a large-scale railway labor union strike—the longest such strike in the Canadian rail industry in nearly a decade. It originated from the company’s plan to lay off 3,000 employees amid declining freight volumes caused by an economic slowdown, coupled with the expiration on July 23, 2019, of a collective agreement designed to safeguard employee jobs and benefits—a new agreement had yet to be negotiated by November. The dispute centered on workers’ health and safety concerns. The strike triggered several consecutive days of share price declines and significantly disrupted cargo transportation, thereby delivering a substantial blow to the national economy. 3.3 Performance in Q1 and Q2 2020 In Q2 2020, the company’s revenue totaled USD 3.209 billion, representing a USD 750 million—or 19%—decline compared to Q2 2019. For the first half of 2020, CN’s total revenue amounted to USD 6.754 billion, down USD 749 million—or 10%—from the first half of 2019. Revenue declines in both Q1 and Q2 were attributable to reduced shipment volumes across most commodity categories and lower applicable fuel surcharges, both stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. These declines were partially offset, however, by increased grain shipments in Canada, higher coal exports through West Coast ports, and rising freight rates.

Strathcona, CN to Partner on Crude-by-Rail Project to North BC

19 hours ago

Strathcona Resources and Canadian National Railway announced a C$2.5–3.5 billion crude-by-rail partnership to export oil from northern British Columbia via Prince Rupert. The project targets operation within two years, subject to regulatory approval and overcoming Indigenous opposition.

bloomberg

2026-11-10

Strathcona, CN to Partner on Crude-by-Rail Project to North BC

Strathcona, CN to Partner on Crude-by-Rail Project to North BC

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