Canadian National (CN Railway) for intermodal shipments from Montreal to Halifax (dated September 2, 2020).

CN’s message:

We are still experiencing high ground counts at our Montreal Intermodal terminal as a result of significant traffic diversions through other port locations on CN. While we were able to take additional measures to address this volume by adding 2 satellite terminals in Montreal we have not been able to leverage these facilities to their maximum capacity.

It is critical that we come up with an operating model that allows us to address this ground count in an effective way so that we can get back to normal operations as soon as possible. Taking into account the long weekend, and surplus car situation in Montreal, we see a window of opportunity to reduce ground counts. With that objective we would like to have your support & understanding in rolling out the following changes effective tomorrow :

Starting tomorrow into Monday all export traffic to HALHAL gets ingated to Valleyfield.

Starting tomorrow into Thursday all export traffic to Ceres gets ingated to Ray-Mont ( PTSTCHARLES).

Starting Tuesday the export traffic to Halterm would be reinstated back at Taschereau. All customers holding a valid reservation will be able to in-gate into above locations – one for one.

** No Port of Halifax in-gates into Taschereau until Monday 

** All genset and reefer service will be maintained at Taschereau with NO CHANGE 

** Both Ray-Mont & Valleyfield would be working weekend hours on Labour day.

Address for both locations:

Ray-Mont Logistics, 1600 Wellington, Montreal , QC –H3K 1V4

515 Boulevard des Erables, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC J6T 6G3

The above plan will reduce the gate activity considerably allowing Montreal Intermodal Terminal to put all resources on maximising the outbound train footage thereby enabling us to catch up on the ground count over the long weekend. 

Any trucker who has a reservation booked for Montreal will be contacted to have them drop the units to above locations.