CPR and NSR Move to Improve Performance of Northeastern Rail Network
June 30 2004 - 8:42AM
PR Newswire (US)
CPR and NSR Move to Improve Performance of Northeastern Rail
Network CALGARY, Alberta, June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NSR)
today signed a memorandum of understanding for an exchange of
trackage rights, freight haulage and yard services that will
increase operational efficiency and enhance rail service to
customers. CPR (NYSE:CP) Toronto announced in June 2003 it was
restructuring its northeastern U.S. operations and was seeking
proposals for ways to increase freight volumes, reduce operating
costs and improve earnings. CPR's northeastern U.S. network is
operated as the Delaware and Hudson Railway. "This agreement with
NSR opens up new opportunity to move our northeastern U.S.
franchise into a position of profitability," Rob Ritchie, President
and Chief Executive Officer of CPR, said. "We expect the changes
will generate higher traffic volumes and revenues, greater
productivity and lower operating costs." David R. Goode, Norfolk
Southern Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said,
"This is an excellent example of railroads cooperating to better
serve our customers. We will be able to jointly provide
transportation solutions that will improve efficiency and quality
of service for both carriers in the northeast U.S." Under the
agreement, CPR and NSR will consolidate freight marshalling at
yards in Buffalo and Binghamton, N.Y.: * CPR will cease yard
operations in Buffalo, shifting all freight marshalling to the NSR
yard there. * Similarly, NSR will shift its yard operations in
Binghamton to CPR's East Binghamton yard. There are three major
components to the new trackage rights and freight haulage
arrangements between CPR and NSR: * CPR will be able to move NSR
freight traffic between Rouses Point and Saratoga Springs, N.Y.,
under a haulage arrangement. NSR will operate its own trains over
CPR's line between Saratoga Springs and Binghamton, N.Y., under a
trackage rights arrangement. The arrangements will generate higher
revenue for CPR and provide NSR with a substantially shorter route
to Quebec and the Maritime provinces. * CPR's freight traffic
between Binghamton and Buffalo, N.Y., will move in NSR trains under
a haulage arrangement, replacing a trackage rights agreement under
which CPR operated its own trains between the two cities. The
arrangement will reduce CPR's operating costs and generate
additional revenue for NSR. * CPR will operate over a new NSR route
using existing rail lines between Detroit and Chicago under a
trackage rights agreement. It will be the shortest rail route
between the two cities and will provide CPR with a faster,
lower-cost lane. "CPR's challenge remains to take this part of our
network to a level of profitability that will make it
self-sustaining," Mr. Ritchie said. "We are prepared to examine
additional measures that, in concert with our NSR agreement, will
further optimize our assets and drive up profitability." New
trackage rights arrangements and the discontinuance of trackage
rights require approval of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.
Mr. Ritchie will hold a conference call with analysts and reporters
today at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time to discuss details of the agreement
with NSR. The telephone numbers for the call are 1-800-814-4857 or
416-640-1907. Callers should dial in 10 minutes prior to the call.
A telephone replay of the call will be available through July 7 at
1-877-289-8525 or 416-640-1917, pass code 21056014 followed by the
pound key. The call will also be webcast live on CPR's website,
http://www.cpr.ca/. To access the webcast, click on Investor
Information and choose Investor Presentations. The webcast will be
archived through July 30. Canadian Pacific Railway is a
transcontinental carrier operating in Canada and the U.S. Its
14,000-mile rail network serves the principal centres of Canada,
from Montreal to Vancouver, and the U.S. Northeast and Midwest
regions. CPR feeds directly into America's heartland from the East
and West coasts. Alliances with other carriers extend its market
reach throughout the U.S. and into Mexico. Canadian Pacific
Logistics Solutions provides logistics and supply chain expertise
worldwide. For more information, visit CPR's website at
http://www.cpr.ca/. Norfolk Southern Railway operates 21,500 routes
miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, serving
every major container port in the eastern United States and
providing superior connections to western rail carriers. NSR
operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is
the nation's largest rail carrier of automotive parts and finished
vehicles. For more information, visit NSR's website at
http://www.nscorp.com/. DATASOURCE: Norfolk Southern Railway
CONTACT: Media: Frank Brown, +1-757-629-2714, , or Investment
Community: Leanne Marilley, +1-757-629-2861, , both of Norfolk
Southern Railway; or Media: Len Cocolicchio, +1-403-319-7591, , or
Investment Community: Paul Bell, +1-403-319-3591, , both of
Canadian Pacific Railway Web site: http://www.nscorp.com/
http://www.cpr.ca/ Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/626525.html
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