NS / Canadian National Joint Service Deal

[pumpers]

The article on the Wall Street JOurnal is behind a paywall, so all I know are the headlines.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/canadian-n ... 1509117283

Canadian National Railway and Norfolk Southern Strike Joint-Service Deal, Move designed to ease congestion around the Chicago area switch
By David George-Cosh
Updated Oct. 27, 2017 12:54 p.m. ET
TORONTO—Canadian National Railway Co. has struck a deal to interchange trains with Norfolk Southern Corp. outside of the key Chicago rail hub in a move that will ease congestion and save up to two days of travel time for the railroads, the companies said Friday.

Anyone know more about it? Will CSX follow up with a CP deal?

JS

[ExCon90]

According to a news release someone sent me, the interchange takes place at Elkhart, and the move from there is via a junction with the former EJ&E, now CN, without any intermediate handling in Chicago. That would seem to keep it out of the worst choke points, and the release says the arrangement has been in effect for some time now and regularly saves up to two days' transit time versus the old way.

[johnpbarlow]

Here's a URL to a Globe and Mail article about the teaming arrangement:

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/cn-rail-norfolk-strike-train-swap-deal-to-cut-transit-time/article36753079/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&

Two interesting points stated in the article:
- the Elkhart interchange arrangement started in August
- CSX and CP are considering a similar Chicago run-through arrangement

Q: while I'm guessing that Elkhart class yard is eastbound destination and westbound origination point for the NS-CN trains, I don't know where these train go to/come from on CN - would it be Symington class yard at Winnipeg?

[Rockingham Racer]

West of Chicago, the two interchange and do run-thru oil trains already at Eola Yard, east of Aurora.