This is the line that starts in Edmonton turning north. It runs through Vegreville, Vermillion, Lloydminister, North Battleford, Warman, Humboldt, Canora before ending at or near Winnipeg.
Does anyone here know what products are hauled on this line and where the crew changes happen along here?
Thanks. Inquiring minds want to know.
I live just a bit north of that line. I have waited for trains on that line to pass sometimes while heading south. From what I can see there are several types of trains. very common are the Canada Grain Trains (grain hoppers with Canada, Alberta and Saskachewan markings mostly), tanker trains (there is a refinery row in Fort Saskatchewan just east of Edmonton, Dow Chemical among many others), the omi-present container trains, and mixed into any of these could be stings of hoppers (Saskachewan ships lots and lots of potash for starters). Finaly sometimes we’ll see flats of lumber coming east from the mountains of BC. Hope that gives you some idea. As mentioned these trains are prairie monster trains, that is very very long.
And by the way, all the destinations you mentioned would be south of Edmonton not north, but the line is still the “northern CN route”. It follows the Yellowhead highway which cuts across the Canadian prairie.
No idea 'bout crew changes.
This is not the VIA passenger rail line by the way, it runs a little more to the south - it goes from Edmonton to Wainwright and Saskatoon onto Winnipeg. It may connect to this line as it gets closer to the 'peg (Winnipeg).