CN Rail to invest C$250 mln to clear Western Canada grain backlog

March 7 (Reuters) - Canadian National Railway Cosaid on Wednesday it would invest more than C$250 million ($193million) this year to improve its infrastructure to ease grainsupply issues in Western Canada.

CN Rail, once considered the standard in railroadefficiency, has struggled with capacity constraints amid growingdemand from the Western Canada grain market.

The company on Monday installed Jean-Jacques Ruest as itsinterim chief executive after Luc Jobin stepped downabruptly.

"We apologize for not meeting the expectations of our graincustomers, nor our own high standards," Ruest said in astatement on Wednesday.

Ruest added that the company was directing additionalworkforce and equipment to clear grain backlogs across itsnetworks.($1 = C$1.29)(Reporting by Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru; Editing byMaju Samuel)