Investments Focused on Safety and Capacity to Strengthen Rail Network, Help Reduce Emissions, and Support Economic Growth

HOMEWOOD, Ill., July 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) announced today that, as part of its strategic investments to support growing demand and enable supply chains, it plans to invest approximately $55 million (USD) across Michigan in 2020. The maintenance program will focus on continued investment in Positive Train Control, expansion of the Flint auto compound, autonomous track inspection railcars, the replacement of rail and ties, as well as maintenance of bridges, level crossings, culverts, signal systems and other track infrastructure.

“We take our essential role in the North American economy seriously and these investments in Michigan are a key part of our strategy to support growth. The Company remains committed to help enable supply chains that fuel Michigan’s growth as we are a critical part of getting everyday goods to markets and consumers. Safety is a core value at CN and by investing in the maintenance and expansion of our track and capacity, we are providing customers with a safe and reliable solution at a time when fluid supply chains are more critical than ever.”
      -          Derek Taylor, Vice-President, Eastern Region at CN

“Freight rail’s global connections break the logistics barriers that would normally limit us as a peninsular state. CN’s financial commitment to our state will continue to create unmatched economic links at this critical time, while also providing opportunity and stability to its hundreds of dedicated workers across Michigan.” 
      -          Marshall Bullock, Michigan State Senator

The Company’s investments will create greater capacity, which supports reductions in its customer’s transportation supply chain GHG emissions, by encouraging the use of rail for long haul needs. This reduces emissions, traffic congestion, accidents and burdens on public transportation infrastructure as one freight train can replace over 300 trucks from roads. Moving freight by rail instead of truck reduces GHG emissions by 75%. The Company will continue to deploy important safety enhancing technologies across its network, such as the Autonomous Track Inspection Program, Distributed Air Cars and Automated Inspection Portals.

Maintenance program highlights include:             

• Replacement of approximately 5 miles of rail
• Installation of over 105,000 new railroad ties
• Rebuilds of 24 road crossing surfaces
• Maintenance work on of bridges, level crossings, culverts, signal systems and other track infrastructure

Michigan in numbers:

• Capital investments: More than $610 million in the last five years
• Employees: approximately 1,095
• Railroad route miles operated: 904
• Community partnerships: $153,000 in 2019
• Local spending: $112 million in 2019
• Cash taxes paid: $855,000 in 2019

CN is the largest of three Class I railroads operating in Michigan. CN’s operations cross the state’s Lower Peninsula with rail yards in Battle Creek, Flint, Port Huron and Flat Rock. CN also has a railcar/locomotive repair shop in Battle Creek. In the Upper Peninsula of the Wolverine State, CN has rail yards in Escanaba and Gladstone. One in four finished automobiles built in Michigan is moved on a CN train. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has awarded four CN yards with their Clean Corporate Citizen (C3) certification: Flat Rock, Flint, Port Huron and Battle Creek.

Forward-looking statements
Certain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under Canadian securities laws. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company cautions that its assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “assumes,” “outlook,” “plans,” “targets,” or other similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results or performance of the Company to be materially different from the outlook or any future results or performance implied by such statements. Reference should be made to Management’s Discussion and Analysis in CN’s annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F, filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators and available on CN’s website, for a description of major risk factors.

CN is a true backbone of the economy, transporting more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and mid-America. CN – Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries – serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For more information about CN, visit the Company’s website at www.cn.ca.