- Canadian National Railway's (NYSE:CNI) safety record deteriorated sharply in 2014, reversing years of improvements, as accidents in Canada blamed on poor track conditions hit their highest level in more than five years, according to a Reuters analysis.
- Trains operated by CNI in Canada derailed along main lines 57 times in 2014, up 73% from 33 in 2013 and well above a 2009-13 average of 39 accidents per year, Reuters says; on CNI's full 21K-mile network, which also includes the midwestern and southern U.S., freight carloads rose 8% last year.
- The cause of CNI's disappointing safety performance last year is not clear; safety experts say weather and traffic could have played a role, but that the rising impact of unit trains, which carry single commodities such as oil, should be considered as the intensity of loading generally is heavier than mixed-freight trains.