28 August 2010

Rail Line on Track in Rural Saskatchewan

The Stewart Southern Railway line and grain elevators in Fillmore Saskatchewan.

Fillmore Saskatchewan - It was an exciting day Friday in Fillmore as the Stewart Southern Railway officially chugged into existence on a 132-kilometre stretch of track previously owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
 
A variety of dignitaries and a crowd of about 250 people were present at the village, about 100 kilometres southeast of Regina, to celebrate the grand opening of the shortline railway and to eat barbecued hamburgers.
 
People "were, of course, very excited," said Blair Stewart, president of the new railway.
 
There is good reason to be excited. The establishment of the shortline railway and the continuation of rail service on the old Canadian Pacific line has economic implications for communities along the line between Richardson and Stoughton.
 
"I think the impact is huge," Stewart said in a telephone interview.
 
Maintaining the line will mean better service and cost savings for farmers in the area, Stewart said.
 
"There will also be less wear and tear on the roads," because products can continue to be moved by rail, Stewart said.
 
Stewart, who is also the part-owner and general manager of the Fill-More Seeds exporting business, which has three locations along the shortline, said continued rail service is important for the company.
 
Rail service along the line also creates the potential for new businesses to establish in communities along the line, Stewart said.
 
HAS WORLD DISTINCTION
 
Aside from the economic impact, the Stewart Southern Railway will keep alive a stretch of track that is famous for being among the longest stretches in the world that is absolutely straight, with no curves, Stewart said.
 
Canadian Pacific originally expressed interest in either shutting down or selling the rail line about three years ago, Stewart said.
 
Stewart said he and other investors and interested parties have been working for about three years to buy the line from Canadian Pacific, for an undisclosed price.
 
The new Stewart Southern Railway will continue to work with Canadian Pacific in the future, with much of the product finding its way on to Canadian Pacific tracks farther down the country's rail grid, Stewart said.
 
Stewart Southern Railway will be the 11th shortline railway in Saskatchewan.
 
And Stewart said the success in getting the new shortline railway established should provide encouragement to other areas of the province that they can do the same thing.
 
"Canadian Pacific applauds the establishment of this new shortline railway, which will allow important regional commodities to be transported with a high level of service," said Dave Craig, a Canadian Pacific official. Canadian Pacific wishes the new shortline "every success," Craig added in a news release.
 
Saskatchewan Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter also expressed support for the project.
 
"Shortline railways are important to our province because they help link our export-based economy to provincial, national, and worldwide markets," Reiter said in a news release.
 
Neil Scott.