CN - Weekly Grain Unloads.

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1997--CN (ME, TSE:CNR., NYSE:CNI) Canadian National grain car unloadings at the major ports exceeded West Coast targets last week, but were slightly under the guidelines at Thunder Bay. CN unloads for Crop Week 6 ended Sept. 14 were 3,345 cars.

CN grain unloads at Vancouver were 1,204 cars, 110 per cent of the 1,100-car target. Ships arriving at the Prince Rupert terminal created enough space to unload 1,065 cars, or 118 per cent of the industry's reduced 900-car unload guideline.

At Thunder Bay, CN unloads totalled 1,076 cars, 90 per cent of the 1,200 car target. CN had more than 600 cars at the port waiting to be unloaded over the weekend, but terminals limited their weekend work.

"We're encouraged that last week's targets at the West Coast were exceeded. That helped the system catch up from previous weeks' shortfalls." said Peter Marshall, CN vice-president bulk commodities. "But that doesn't mean all the problems have been addressed. We're still seeing congestion at Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The flow of empties back to the country for re-loading still isn't as smooth as we'd like it. Grain from the 1997 harvest is now coming into the country elevator system, meaning that the entire industry must work together in the coming weeks to keep the system from plugging up."

CN delivered 4,426 grain cars to country elevators last week and plans to deliver 4,709 for loading this week.

Canadian National Railway Company is Canada's largest and North America's sixth-largest freight railway, based on 1996 revenues of $4.0 billion. It serves all of Canada, including the key ports of Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax and the gateways of Chicago and Detroit, with connections to all points in North America.

CONTACT: Canadian National Railway Company

Jim Feeny, 403/421-6324

http://www.cn.ca