I was wondering if Canadian National still operates north from Regina along their rail line that follows Highway 11. Whenever I crossed the rail line at Lumsden or Chamberlain it was rusted big time. This is back in 2001 to 2003. So does anyone here know if Canadian National still runs trains up through here?
No they don’t. The last train to run on this part of the Craik sub was about 2001. CN has applied to abandon from Regina to just south of Davidson, approximately 90 miles. There are 2 terminal elevators at Davidson and I think also Panther Industries ( not sure this is the proper name). In the 1960’s there were 6 passenger trains daily, an overnight time freight, a way freight, unit potash and grain trains. There is a Transport 2000 group that does not want it abandoned. I don’t think there is much chance of it not being abandoned. This is the shortest and most direct route to Saskatoon. CP goes to Saskatoon through Lanigan but there are a lot of slow orders and it is a 2 day trip. It is approximately 160 miles on CN and 180 miles on CP.
Barry, Regina
I’ve heard rumors that the communities on the line want to turn it into a short line. Just rumors though, haven’t heard anything else about it.
All the elevators on the southern part that CN wants to abandon have been closed, I don’t think there is any business on this part. A shortline would probably need the whole line from Regina to Saskatoon and I don’t think CN plans to get rid of the Davidson to Saskatoon part.
Barry, Regina
I lived in Saskatoon for several years. During the last few years Canadian National was running grain trains to Davidson once or twice a week. But I wondered if the section between Melville and Saskatoon got too plugged with rail traffic, if they could run trains down to Regina then over to Melville from Saskatoon?
Looking on a map it looks like a good route for an Inter City train between Regina and Saskatoon. It’s too bad most of the secondary mains in the prairys have so many slow orders.
Don’t look for any rail expansion in Sask. the majors are backing out as fast as they can, short lines?? forget it ! You need products or businesses to maintain a rail service. Rail is through on the prairies unless you haul 100 freight trains across Canada, If anything you can expect a lot less rail service in the future. Moose Jaw heavy haul is expanding again.
CN actually did this in the 1970’s. They had a major work block on the mainline between Saskatoon and Melville and ran the eastbound Super Continental through Regina for about 6 weeks, the westbound stayed on the mainline.
Running heavy freights this way would be pretty hard because you have to cross the Qu’appelle valley twice, once through Lumsden and again through Fort Qu’appelle. The line through Fort Qu’appelle has one of the steepest grades on the CN in the west, at least before they acquired BC Rail. This is the way CN traffic gets to Regina now (the Qu’apelle sub from Melville to Regina).
The line north of Saskatoon through Humboldt, Canora and Dauphin would be a much likelier route for detours.
A long time ago passenger trains #5 and #6 ran via Brandon and Regina to Saskatoon and Edmonton.
Barry, Regina
In response to TH&B post. Inter-city passenger service was running between Regina and Saskatoon a few years ago. It got to the point that there was hardly anyone using it, which I find a shame as rail travel is the best to travel in my books. I remember watching a video clip some time ago. A rail buff and his wife took the trip and they were the only people on the passenger service between Saskatoon and Regina. I weep when I hear this kind of story.
One place I’m surprised that doesn’t have inter-city service is between Edmonton and Calgary. Anyone here knows why there isn’t much being done here if anything?
The train between Calgary & Edmonton used to be on the old C&E row, CP bought it and used to run a dayliner on it for years, cheap, fast, fun and occaisionally you hit the odd farm truck for excitement, it was a great trip, it worked and it was fast, and no one used it. There has been talk about a new rail service for the last 35 years or longer, no dice, and it will never come to fruition like all other rail travel in North America, too expensive to buy land, too many expensive overpasses, too many expenses for a system that no one will use( or want to pay for in their taxes) you have seen the last of train travel between cities here in North America so enjoy the memories, If most rail travel between cities is not in place today, it will never be.
Maybe you’re right still, people won’t use it (the train) between Regina and Saskatoon.
But on the other hand at Calgary and Edmonton they now have public transit trains, that may help ridership with an Inter City train between these towns, now that some people are used to taking a train.