Canadian National Railway announced today that will complete the merger of the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railway Company, or E-J and E, into its Wisconsin Central L-T-D subsidiary, effective tomorrow, January 1^st. Canadian National reports the merger will simplify their corporate structure and operations in the U-S, with Jim Vena, Senior Vice-President of the company's Southern Region, saying they believe the merger will, “lead to operational efficiencies and service improvements...which will permit better management of crew staffing and more efficient and reliable rail service to customers throughout the region.” According to their press release, the merger will not affect or alter the U-S Surface Transportation Board's, or S-T-B's, continuing oversight and reserved jurisdiction over Canadian National's 2009 acquisition of the E-J and E, the mitigation conditions imposed by the S-T-B, or the voluntary mitigation agreements reached by C-N, and numerous communities along the E-J and E arc. The Times reports the railroad is also looking to improve communications with local emergency response agencies where the E-J and E operates, and that the junction in Griffith should see improvements at the rail crossing there.

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