Rail users in northeastern Sask-atchewan will soon have a clearer picture of whether a section of un-used railway between Birch Hills and Melfort is likely to be returned to service.
Sinclair Harrison, president of the Hudson Bay Route Association, said an engineering study assessing the line’s condition is in its final draft and could be approved for public viewing within the next few weeks.
Canadian National Railway, which owns the section of track, must review and approve the report before it is published and made available to potential buyers.
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CN has placed the track on a three-year list of rail assets that are scheduled for discontinuation.
The line, part of CN’s Tisdale Subdivision, hasn’t officially been offered for sale, but Harrison said that could happen at any time, presumably after the engineering report outlining track deficiencies and necessary upgrades has been completed.
A second section of CN Tisdale, between Crooked River and Hudson Bay, had also been listed for discontinuance, but CN recently confirmed that it intends to retain that section and return it to service.
The rail route from Birch Hills to Hudson Bay represents the most direct link for products being shipped from Prince Albert, Sask., to the Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba.
It could also serve as an alternate route for export products originating in the Saskatoon area, including potash.
The HBRA took a lead role in conducting the engineering study on the Birch Hills to Melfort section of CN Tisdale.
Harrison said conducting a study in advance of the sale process would allow prospective buyers to assess the line’s commercial feasibility with greater accuracy. It would also reduce the likelihood of the line being abandoned and removed for salvage value.
