As Canada’s two national rail companies—Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and Canadian National Railway (CN)—competed to purchase American rail line Kansas City Southern (KCS), Canada’s agriculture sector stood to benefit from the deal.

To think outside the box can be good for business as containerized shipping gains popularity in the Canadian grain industry. Though this mode of transport is not without its challenges, more and more shippers see it as a viable alternative to bulk movement.

Farmers are excited that redesigned High Efficiency Product trains (HEP trains) are now able to carry substantially more grain than standard configurations, said Monty Reich, general manager of South West Terminal near Gull Lake, SK.

With construction of the G3 Vancouver Terminal chugging along smoothly, Alberta is in the midst of a corresponding construction boom.

Many used the word “historic.” Others preferred “amazing” or “unprecedented.” Of all the adjectives ascribed to Bill C-49, one thing is clear—there has not been anything like this in all of Canada’s railroading history.