A Canadian National Railway (CN) lift bridge near Fort Frances, Ont., collapsed on August 14th blocking the Rainy Lake crossing that connects CN to the Port of Thunder Bay. The incident occurred just east of Couchiching First Nation reserve. CN stated that no train was involved and that the cause of the collapse is under investigation. The bridge remains closed as repairs begin, with environmental crews managing a release of biodegradable hydraulic oil.
The collapse could impact the Port of Thunder Bay, which relies significantly on CN for grain shipments. Chris Heikkinen, the port’s CEO, indicated that CN’s volumes account for 30-40% of the port’s grain traffic, and while CN is working with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) to mitigate service disruptions, delays are expected. In 2023, the port handled 9.63 million metric tons of cargo, with 7.26 million metric tons being grain.
