CN Announces Strategic Acquisition from CSX in the State of New York

Globe Newswire 29-Aug-2019 5:00 PM

MONTREAL, Aug. 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX:CNR) (NYSE:CNI) is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement that will see CN acquire the Massena rail line from CSX, which represents more than 220 miles of track between Valleyfield (Quebec), in Canada, and Woodard (New York), in the U.S. The Massena rail line also serves many cities in the province of Quebec, including Beauharnois and Huntingdon, and in the state of New York, including Massena, Norwood, Potsdam, and Gouverneur.

"CN is excited to be expanding its reach in New York. With this acquisition from CSX, we are opening up new opportunities for our existing customers and local businesses who will be able to access new markets through CN's unique three coasts network," said JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer at CN. "By acquiring the Massena rail line, CN continues to expand our network and foster additional supply chain solutions. CN is pleased to welcome communities along the Massena rail line to its family and we look forward to meeting our new neighbors."

Separately, on August 8, 2019, CN and CSX announced a new intermodal service offering between CN's greater Montreal & Southern Ontario network, and the CSX-served ports of Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and the New York City metropolitan area. This agreement will come into effect on October 7, 2019 and will help move freight from trucks to rail, reducing congestion in New York in a sustainable manner.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed and the acquisition is subject to regulatory review.

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. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Massena rail line transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, not be completed, as well as risk factors such as the effects of general economic and business conditions; industry competition; inflation, currency and interest rate fluctuations; changes in fuel prices; legislative and/or regulatory developments; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; actions by regulators; increases in maintenance and operating costs; security threats; reliance on technology and related cybersecurity risk; trade restrictions or other changes to international trade arrangements; transportation of hazardous materials; various events which could disrupt operations, including natural events such as severe weather, droughts, fires, floods and earthquakes; climate change; labor negotiations and disruptions; environmental claims; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; risks and liabilities arising from derailments; timing and completion of capital programs; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by CN with securities regulators in Canada and the United States. 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.

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. CN assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event CN does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that CN will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

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 and 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.