CN Rail crews were working on a kilometres-long section of track near Prince Rupert on the Labour Day weekend. (Submitted)

CN Rail crews were working on a kilometres-long section of track near Prince Rupert on the Labour Day weekend. (Submitted)

Large CN crew changes rail ties between Prince Rupert and Terrace

Upgrades part of CN's $340M investment in the province this year

Spanning more than two kilometres of track, a “mega-tie gang” of 30 CN workers and 14 pieces of equipment have been changing the rail and ties between Prince Rupert and Terrace in September.

“As our network includes close to 20,000 miles, the changing of rail and ties is a large job. For example, a “mega-tie gang” of 150 people can change out 2,000 ties in a five-hour span. The work being completed on the 85-mile Skeena subdivision includes changing 49,000 ties,” Kate Fenske, a CN Rail media relations manager, said in an email.

The work began over the Labour Day long weekend, and Fenske said the crew will continue to work between Prince Rupert and Terrace from Sept. 11 to 20. The crew is currently staying near Terrace until the job is complete.

“This work is part of CN’s $340 million investment in BC in 2018 to renew our existing railway infrastructure and underscores CN’s commitment to operating safely. This program focuses on the replacement, upgrade and maintenance of key track infrastructure to improve overall safety and efficiency,” Fenske added.

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