Hamilton manufacturer National Steel Car has landed a contract with Canadian National Railway that will bring more than 300 new full-time “employment opportunities” to the city.
CN announced Thursday the purchase of 1,000 new generation grain hopper cars that will be rolled out over the next two years as older, lower capacity cars get phased out.
The investment follows the passage of a new federal transportation law aimed at averting railway disruptions.
The Transportation Modernization Act sets out financial penalties for companies that fail to deliver grain shipments, as promised.
The jumbo hopper cars will replace CN’s Western Canadian grain fleet, which is comprised of cars with an average age of more than 30 years.
The grain hopper car contract comes hot on the heels of another for 350 centrebeam lumber cars.
The two CN rail contracts are estimated to bring 550 additional jobs to the Hamilton facility’s assembly operations.