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ON THE ROAD AGAIN...

Conrail's Office Car train will embark on yet another journey beginning this morning.  OCS-401 will operate to Philadelphia and Boston, MA for a Risk Management Special.  The trip is scheduled to have a pair of E8A's and seven cars.  The train returns from Boston on Friday May 8. See the latest schedule. -Kevin Burkholder

END OF GEOMETRY TRAIN?

Conrail's Geometry Train or the "Baby OCS" will be closing out the season and possibly the year this month.  The Geometry Train with B23-7 1933 and three cars will taverse the western portion of the system until May 22, when the train will be returned to Altoona and parked indefinitely.  Starting on May 23, the Norfolk Southern Track Geometry Train will begin surveying the "new" territory.  The NS Geometry Train had visited the "new" system shortly after the acquisition announcement by CSX and NS.  We will post the NS schedules as we get them.  The final Conrail schedule reads as follows:
 

Tuesday May 5	Brownsville, PA to Loveridge, WV and return
Wednesday May 6	Brownsville, PA to Conway, incl. Port Perry Branch and Isle Connection
Thursday May 7	Conway to Crestline, OH via Fort Wayne Line
Friday May 8	Crestline, OH to Indianapolis, IN
Saturday May 9	Idle
Sunday May 10	Idle
Monday May 11	Maintenance at Indianapolis, IN
Tuesday May 12	Indianapolis, IN to East St. Louis, IL
Wednesday May 13	Rose Lake, IL to Indianapolis, IN
Thursday May 14	Crawfordsville and Shelbyville Secondary
Friday May 15	Hawthorne to Columbus-Buckeye, OH
Saturday May 16	Idle
Sunday May 17	Idle
Monday May 18	Maintenance at Columbus-Buckeye, OH
Tuesday May 19	Cincinnati Line
Wednesday May 20	Columbus-Buckeye, OH to Crestline, OH to Fort Wanye and return
Thursday May 21	Crestline, OH to Conway, PA via Mingo Jct.
Friday May 22	Conway, PA to Altoona, PA-Train Parked Indefinitely

 

SD70MAC UPDATE

The 4130 and 4132 were released from Selkirk last night and departed on SEIN-5.  The remainder of the SD70MAC's line-up as follows:
 

4130	Selkirk, NY	5/5/98	22:00 ET	SEIN-5
4131	Toledo, OH	5/5/98	21:30 ET	SEEL-4B
4132	Selkirk, NY	5/5/98	22:00 ET	SEIN-5
4133	Toledo, OH	5/5/98	21:30 ET	SEEL-4B
4134	Ridgeway, OH	5/6/98	04:25 ET	STIN-5
4135	Ridgeway, OH	5/6/98	04:25 ET	STIN-5
4136	Elkhart, IN	5/6/98	00:01 CT	ELSE-6
4137	Elkhart, IN	5/6/98	00:01CT	ELSE-6
4138	Cleveland, OH	5/6/98	04:50 ET	BUCO-5
4139	Cleveland, OH	5/6/98	04:50 ET	BUCO-5

-Railnuts

  CN AND IC ASK FOR MORE CONSENT

Canadian National Railway Company (CN) and Illinois Central Corporation (IC) today mailed a joint consent statement/prospectus to holders of record, as of April 24, 1998, of the outstanding IC common shares not held by CN.

The joint consent statement/prospectus document, declared effective today by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and mailed to eligible IC shareholders, was issued pursuant to CN's previously announced plan to acquire IC for US$2.4 billion in cash and CN stock, and asks IC holders to consent to the merger.

Under a cash tender offer that closed March 13, 1998, CN acquired 46,051,761 shares of IC common stock, representing approximately 75 per cent of IC's outstanding common stock, for US$1.8 billion, or US$39.00 per IC share.

In connection with the merger of IC and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CN, the remaining 25 per cent of the outstanding IC common shares will be exchanged for common shares of CN. The value of the exchange is equal to approximately US$39.00 per share, subject to certain collar arrangements described in the Feb. 13, 1998, Offer to Purchase. The exchange will occur following the merger.

IC must receive by June 3, 1998, the consents of holders of the 25 per cent of outstanding IC stock not held by CN. CN and IC expect the merger to take effect on June 4, 1998.

CN's exercise of control of IC is subject to approval by the United States Surface Transportation Board. CN's IC shares have been placed in a voting trust pending STB approval of the transaction.-Canadian National
 

BMWE RATIFIES THREE YEAR DEAL

Unionized employees who maintain Canadian National's tracks, buildings and bridges in Canada have ratified a new three-year collective agreement running through the end of 2000.

The agreement, ratified by the 4,000 member Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees union at CN, provides for significant pension plan improvements, better benefits and wage increases.

CN now has negotiated ratified collective agreements with four unions representing 61 per cent of its unionized workforce in Canada of approximately 17,460.

The BMWE agreement, similar to labor pacts signed and ratified by the Canadian Council of Railway Operating Unions which represents the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the United Transportation Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, includes a range of major pension plan improvements. They are: an innovative method of sharing future investment earnings by the plan; progressive plan governance; increased individual pension benefits of up to $1,200, and improved pension indexation.

The governance provisions of these agreements provide for the replacement of the existing CN pension board with a pension committee having broader powers, including the authority to improve pension benefits during the life of collective agreements for pensioners and current employees.

The BMWE agreement, retroactive to Jan. 1, 1998, includes wage increases of two per cent annually and improvements to benefit, dental and extended health care plans.

The Company and the BMWE will also jointly develop and implement "gain-sharing" programs. Gain-sharing is a variable pay system under which CN will share with employees financial gains resulting in improved corporate performance in areas such as costs or productivity. BMWE members will also be able to participate in CN's Employee Share Investment Plan, which permits employees to buy CN shares through payroll deductions of up to six per centof base salary.

A tentative agreement covering about 300 members of the Rail Canada Traffic Controllers remains subject to ratification.

CN is in conciliation with the Canadian Auto Workers union, which represents about 6,400 clerical, shopcraft and independent contractors.

CN expects to conclude negotiations soon with the Canadian National Railways Police Association. The CNRPA has about 70 members.-Canadian National