Jan 26 (Reuters) - Canadian National Railway Co on Tuesday reported a 17% rise in quarterly profit as improvement in consumer spending drove volume momentum.

Net income at the largest railroad operator in Canada rose to C$1.02 billion ($803.53 million), or C$1.43 per share, in the quarter ended Dec. 31, from C$873 million, or C$1.22 per share, a year earlier. ($1 = 1.2694 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Shreyasee Raj in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)