CN is growing in the U.S. Midwest. In March 2025, CN moved more grain-related carloads in and out of Iowa than in any single month for the first half of the year going back to the early 2000s when ethanol production began reshaping Midwest agricultural markets. This milestone reflects CN’s dedication to serving U.S. agricultural customers as we work to “grow Iowa” and prepare for the full integration of the Iowa Northern Railway into our network. We are also working hard to move the additional carload traffic made possible through customer investments to build on and connect into CN’s Iowa network.
At the heart of these results are the hard-working CN railroaders who deliver strong operational performance for our customers as well as proactive planning to ensure CN has the people, power and fleet resources in place at the right place and at the right time. Collaboration and long-term planning with our customers is also critical to helping CN align resources to meet future demand.
Infrastructure Investment to Support Future Growth
Railroading is a capital-intensive business, and CN has a proven track record of investing in our network. In the last decade, CN has invested approximately $290 million US in Iowa to enable sustainable growth, improve capacity and advance CN’s commitment to safety. In 2024, CN’s investments included the upgrade of a historic steel span bridge on the CN Osage subdivision near Janesville, IA – part of the Cedar River Line running from Waterloo, IA to London, MN. This upgrade will enhance network capacity by allowing customers to load railcars to up to 286,000 pound gross weight. Additional bridge investments planned for 2025 will further strengthen this vital corridor for the movement of corn, soybeans, ethanol, distillers dried grains, fertilizer, and other commodities.
Looking Ahead – the CN – Iowa Northern Combination
In early March, CN and Iowa Northern Railway Company officially joined their operations following approval by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. With the closing of this transaction, integration is well underway to better serve customers, the Iowa economy and communities along the network. Close to 20 grain elevators, two ethanol plants, a soybean processing plant, and two mineral processing facilities are located along the Iowa Northern Railway, along with manufacturing, chemicals, and agronomy-related businesses among others. Combining our networks will enable seamless single-line service that connects grain, fertilizer, renewable fuels, and industrial markets to CN’s North American network. Our combined teams are working closely with customers to better understand their business and set the table for a successful integration. Early collaboration is already producing wins for everyone involved, and we are just getting started.
CN’s grain franchise has a bright future, and we are proud to support farmers and agricultural customers across our U.S. network.
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