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A lean, green, transportation solutionCN’s rail shipments throughout North America offer a host of benefits for the wind industryWith wind turbines helping the world shift to a greener energy supply, more and more environmentally-conscious manufacturers – and their customers – are interested in utilizing a greener transportation mode to get their wind turbines to their destination. CN is in a strong position to support this important emerging market, with a shipping solution that is truly seamless, and a definite green advantage.

Emissions reduction is an integral part of CN’s day-to-day activities. The railroad’s new EPA Tier 2-compliant locomotives produce approximately 40 per cent less nitrogen oxides than unregulated locomotives and consume up to 20 per cent less fuel. In fact, CN can move one tonne of freight 197 kilometers on just one litre of fuel. Automatic stop/start devices shut locomotives down when they are not in use, and a low-idle feature ensures engines idle at reduced speed, conserving as much as 10 litres of fuel per hour. Compared to heavy trucks, shipping by rail offers a major advantage in terms of emissions reduction – rail has been shown to emit six times less greenhouse gases than heavy trucks.

Shipping damage-free – efficientlyIt’s been scientifically proven that shipping by rail results in a less jarring ride for turbine components. Additionally, the incidence of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) is lower on rail than road. Other advantages of shipping by rail include the fact that rail lines are able to handle more weight than the allowable limit on highways, so shippers may benefit from a higher maximum payload. CN customers count on the railroad to deliver as promised,

and appreciate the railroad’s reputation for virtually damage-free shipping.

Reach, speed, capacity and reliability are key benefits of shipping with CNThe CN network serves the main wind farm regions of Canada – from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, as well as the US Midwest. Additionally, the railroad serves multiple ports suited to the importation of wind turbine components, including Halifax, St John, N.B., Quebec City, Thunder Bay, Duluth, Minn., Vancouver and Prince Rupert. CN is often able to ship turbine components on its regularly scheduled trains. This avoids the need to ship at night, providing a meaningful logistics benefit.

The railroad’s high-capacity mainline, strategically-positioned yards and terminals provide the capacity and facilities necessary to support efficient handling every step of the way to destination.

A complete transportation solutionThrough CN WorldWide North America, CN provides the expertise of logistics

specialists to manage every aspect of a customer’s shipment. These logistics professionals have extensive expertise in rail transportation, trucking, transloading, warehousing and physical distribution. When necessary, the group also leverages strong relationships with experienced third-party logistics companies.

There is no “typical” shipment, so the railroad’s logistics specialists provide whatever support is necessary. That might include height and width clearance analysis, a trip plan for the shipment, recommendations for special equipment (including heavy-duty railcars and/or containers for smaller components), special train service, safe loading requirements, and arrangements at transload facilities for truck to rail transfer. CN works with connecting rail carriers throughout North America to design the most efficient route for each shipment. In fact, CN’s complete transportation solution can include every aspect of a move, for true door-to-door delivery.

CN has extensive experience transporting a wide range of structures, heavy equipment and specialized materials. That experience, combined with the right equipment to do the job, and long-standing relationships with regulatory and advisory agencies governing transportation, have led the railroad to rank as one of North America’s largest carriers of oversized loads. CN has been working with customers in the wind energy business for many years, and has handled more than 2,100 carloads of wind turbine components, including tower sections, blades, nacelles and hubs.

CN has extensive experience transporting

a wide range of structures, heavy equipment and

specialized materials

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CN and CN Specialized Services (CNSS) once again demonstrated their enviable credentials when they completed the first ever rail move of twin-pack wind turbine blades from German manufacturer Enercon GmbH and Salco Energy Services Inc. of Calgary. Enercon is a leading global manufacturer of wind turbine systems, and Salco Energy is an experienced wind turbine transport and wind park logistics management company in Canada.

The 51 sets of twin-pack blades are being installed in the 102 MW Bear Mountain Wind Park in Dawson Creek, B.C. When completed, the Bear Mountain installation will have 34 Enercon E-82 3.0 MW wind turbines that will generate enough clean, renewable electricity to power most of B.C.’s South Peace Region. The project became B.C.’s first fully-operational wind park at the end of 2009.

The wind turbine blades, which are 135 feet (41 meters) in length, were transported by sea aboard three vessels from the Port of Emden, Germany, with the first ship arriving at the Port of Thunder Bay, Ont., in early May 2009. CNSS, which arranged for rail car modifications for the move, also co-ordinated the unloading of the blades from the vessel and the loading of the blades and support equipment on to rail cars.

A total of six trains were required to transport the equipment from Thunder Bay to Dawson Creek over CN’s network. At destination, CNSS provided

services for unloading the equipment for transportation to the wind farm.

Dan Bingeman, CN Assistant Vice-President, said: “The logistics of moving the turbine components were a challenge, but that is what CN and CNSS do best. We are well positioned to support this important emerging market on account of our extensive network reach, port connections on three coasts, expertise and complete transportation solutions.”

CN’s network serves the main wind farm regions of Canada, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, and the US Midwest as well as multiple ports suitable for the importation of wind turbine components – Halifax, St John, N.B., Quebec City, Thunder Bay, Duluth, Minn., Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans.

CN has extensive experience transporting a wide range of structures, heavy equipment and specialized materials and is one of the largest carriers of oversized loads in North America, moving more than 2,100 carloads of wind turbine components since 2005.

CN has the right equipment, dimensional loads experts, and long-standing relationships with regulatory and advisory agencies governing transportation.CNSS provides expertise in handling all over-dimensional rail-moves on CN. Its

resources include comprehensive project management, including transload facilities throughout Canada, and a one-price, one-invoice service for door-to-door transportation. CNSS provides transload truck-to-rail, rail-to-truck and assistance with vessel-to-rail or rail-to-vessel loading.

Wind turbine components are one of CN’s growing sustainable energy business segments, which include environmentally-friendly wood pellets for energy generation, biodiesel and ethanol.

“CN, as a railway, can help address the challenge of climate change,” said Bruno Demers, director of marketing for CN. “Rail emits six times less greenhouse gases (GHG) than heavy trucks. Plus, rail consumes a fraction of the fuel to transport one tonne of freight one kilometer. In fact, CN can move one tonne of freight 197 kilometers on just one litre of fuel. Using less fuel means fewer GHG emissions. In addition, our new main-line locomotives produce approximately 40 per cent less nitrogen oxides than older locomotives and consume up to 20 per cent less fuel. Rail also relieves traffic congestion, improves mobility in urban areas, and can ease pressure to renew road infrastructure by taking goods off highways.”

For more information, visit: www.cn.ca

Case study: an overland logistics package for a major move to British Columbia Turbine moves a part of CN’s growing green businesses

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When you ship wind turbine components with us, they go greener.

Wind turbines are helping the world shift to a greener energy supply. So, it makes sense to ship

them using a greener mode of transportation. At CN, we’ve been working with customers in the wind

energy business for years. We offer regularly scheduled trains, a North America-wide rail network,

and access to world markets via Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coast ports. At CN, we have the experience and

expertise to offer you proven, efficient transportation solutions for all of your wind energy needs.

Find out how CN provides greener transportation for green energy.

Call 1-888-MOVIN-CN.

www.cn.ca

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