THE RURBAN FRINGE

Farmers Fight for Rail Line

Posted on | February 9, 2010 | No Comments

As other countries – China and Russia, most notably - race to build rail lines to develop and diversify their economies and link emerging regions, Canada is busy decommissioning vital rail infrastructure across the nation.

This in and of itself isn’t too surprising.  Since the economic liberalization of the rail industry across North America years ago, companies have worked hard to continually increase operating efficiencies.  Unfortunately, the selective abandonment of tracks in a rail network is one of the methods most commonly used to reduce rail costs instead of, say, addressing labour costs or reducing executive/administrative expenses.

But what of the related economic, social, environmental and political impacts of rural rail line abandonment?

When Canadian National Railway announced it was abandoning the bulk of its Goose Lake Line (connecting Calgary with Saskatoon) as it was no longer deemed financially profitable, farmers, businesses and individuals rallied to try and save the rail line.  And so, The Badlands Railway Company was born. 

Why?  Because many of the communities located along the route are economically tied to the line.  Because it makes more sense – financially and environmentally – to transport bulk goods via rail rather than increasing heavy traffic on Canada’s highway infrastructure.  Because maintaining links between two of Western Canada’s fastest growing cities makes sense.

The Battle River Railway is a successful example of what can be done.  So is Zig Zag Railway.  And The Mississippian Railway Cooperative.

Short-line railroads need to be seriously reexamined as an important component of Canada’s transportation infrastructure.

Lost lines lead to lost opportunities … now, and for the future.

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