The National Farmers Union has recognized the efforts of a group of farmers to establish a short-line railway co-operative in the Camrose area.
The NFU presented its Grassroots Membership Award to three of the prime movers in creating the Battle River Railway New Generation Co-operative.
The awards were presented at the union’s recent convention to Ken Eshpeter from Daysland, Alta., Reg Enright from Rosalind, Alta., and John Oberg from Forestburg, Alta.
Since 2003, farmers in the area have used six sidings on a Canadian National Railway line from Camrose to Alliance, Alta., to load producer cars.
CN announced plans to discontinue service on the line and put it up for sale, at which point farmers, led by the three award winners, raised enough money locally to buy the track in 2010 and establish the short line co-operative.
Between 2003 and 2010 the line moved about 525 producer cars annually. The new short line plans to increase that to 1,000 cars.
In the second week of December it pulled the first 50-car train to Camrose, using a locomotive bought by the co-op.
