Canadian National Railway Co. (CNR) and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP), the country's No. 1 and 2 carriers, are rushing to build terminals to load oil beyond the reach of pipelines in some of North America's remotest regions.

North American railroads from Burlington Northern Santa Fe to CSX Corp. (CSX) are bracing for limited increases in pre-holiday shipments as weak consumer sentiment exacerbates shrinking corn and coal loads.

Regulations on U.S. manufacturing may reduce output by as much as $500bn this year, according to an industry-sponsored study that cast doubts on President Barack Obama's efforts to trim red tape in the federal government.