CN Rail

Client: Canadian National (CN)

Under a long-term contract, UMA provides engineering services for maintenance and improvements to all of CN's freight yards and lines, coast-to-coast.

With the privatization of Canadian National Railway (CN) in 1995, the company has been on an ambitious program to become a leader in the North American rail industry. Today CN has the lowest operating ratio among all class 1 railroads in North America and has set the new benchmark for the rail industry.

One strategy that CN has embraced to achieve this success is to partner with preferred service providers like UMA, to assist in providing a wide range of railway engineering services. The CN/UMA partnership alliance began in Western Canada in 1996 and, based in part on that success, was extended to Eastern Canada the following year. Working together under a long-term contract, UMA provides engineering services for maintenance and improvements to all of CN's freight yards and lines, coast-to-coast. Our team - a blend of former CN personnel and UMA engineers, technicians and project managers - has successfully completed hundreds of railway engineering assignments under this agreement.

The alliance has proved to be a "win-win" arrangement for both companies. CN receives consistent, national service from UMA with our geographic presence across Canada mirroring that of CN's. For UMA, the formation of the alliance has allowed us to acquire a number of CN's experienced engineering personnel. This addition has enabled UMA to integrate CN's knowledge and practices with our own strengths in related engineering disciplines. Today, UMA's rail division continues to grow as a respected rail engineering group throughout North America.