The shock waves are calming in Arborg following CP Rail’s recent announcement it wants to transfer the 112-kilometre track serving the Manitoba community to a short-line rail company.
Questions about the possibility of higher freight rates, declining service and fears that the next step would be complete closure traveled through the community following the April 1 announcement.
Some now say the Interlake community could get better service if a short-line company took over the track.
“Everybody is talking about it,” said Frank Fiarchuk, manager of the Manitoba Pool Elevators facility at Arborg.
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“Initially it was viewed as bad because people thought now we’re just one step closer to being closed down,” he said. “Concern now is not as bad.”
Farmers would have to truck their grain about 100 kilometres to Winnipeg if rail service to the community is cut off.
The community of Arborg has been keeping a close eye on the situation in the last few years, said Donnie Fridfrisson, co-ordinator of the Interlake Development Corporation.
So most people weren’t surprised when CP announced it wanted to hand over the line.
“I wouldn’t say it was good news, but the line has been run inefficiently and probably a short line could run it properly,” Fridfrisson said.
The track, which runs north to Arborg from just west of Winnipeg, also serves the communities of Teulon and Balmoral.
It connects to CP’s main line, the CN system and U.S. Great Northern, and was among several rail lines rebuilt during a federal government rehabilitation project 10 years ago.
“It’s in really good shape,” Fiarchuk said, adding he’s heard rumors around town about local interest in investing in the line.
“There’s talk but it’s too soon to make any assumption.”
In the announcement, CP said it will discontinue operations on about 719 km of track in Saskatchewan and 439 km in Alberta.
In addition to the Arborg line, it wants to transfer to short-line rail companies the 177-km Outlook subdivision in Saskatchewan and the 229-km Willingdon, Alta. line.
