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CNI Launches First Grain Unit Train From Expanded Illinois TGM Facility

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Key Takeaways

  • CNI shipped the first unit train from TGM's expanded Lis, IL, grain elevator on Sept. 16, 2026.
  • The Lis project adds 3.1M bushels of storage and boosts receiving capacity to 85,000 bushels per hour.
  • Canadian National's new shipping capacity is expected to load unit trains in just eight hours.

Canadian National Railway(CNI - Free Report) is again making headlines in relation to grain movement. The railroad company announced that it has successfully shipped the first unit train from Total Grain Marketing’s (“TGM”) recently expanded grain elevator at Lis, IL, on Sept. 16, 2026.

The aforesaid project includes a new 115-car loop track which replaces the existing 25-car footprint, along with extended receiving, storage and shipping capacity.

The extension at Lis includes the construction of 3.1 million bushels of grain storage capacity, coupled with three truck dump pits. This enables the facility to receive up to 85,000 bushels of grain per hour. The new shipping capacity is expected to load unit trains in just eight hours.

The project is expected to deliver meaningful operational efficiencies for TGM, its customers and CNI, thereby strengthening the end-to-end grain supply chain across CNI’s Southern Region.

Sandra Ellis, vice-president, Bulk, Industrial and Business Development, CNI, stated, “We are proud to be working so closely with TGM in making this project a reality. We look forward to working with our long-term partner to create value for both TGM and its customers.”

Continued focus on reliable service and operational execution with customers and supply chain partners should help CNI capitalize on grain demand, bring new projects online, support volume growth in the upcoming crop year and long-term economic growth while strengthening the competitiveness of North American supply chains.

We would like to remind investors that CNI’s latest grain performance for August 2026 has been noteworthy. The company moved 2.50 MMT of grain during the month, exceeding the previous August record of 2.34 MMT set in 2020. Strong demand and efficient network operations are likely to remain supportive as the company enters the new crop year.

The record grain movement reflects a robust start to the 2026–2027 crop year as the harvest season advances across Western Canada and new grain starts moving through the supply chain. The strong performance also indicates effective coordination with customers and other supply-chain partners, along with consistent execution of CNI’s operating plan. The company’s ability to unlock incremental capacity supported higher volumes while strengthening service reliability across the grain supply chain.

CNI’s Share Price Performance

CNI’s shares have gained 18.4% over the past six months compared with the Transportation - Rail industry’s 15.2% growth.

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Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

Canadian National carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may consider Seanergy Maritime Holdings (SHIP - Free Report) and Schneider National, Inc. (SNDR - Free Report) .

Seanergy Maritime Holdings currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

SHIP has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 38%.

Schneider presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Schneider has an expected earnings growth rate of 65.08% for the current year.  Schneider’s earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining two quarters), delivering an average miss of 10.01%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Schneider’s full-year earnings has moved 14.29% north in the past 60 days.

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