Rail companies asked to share tracks south of city
Saskatoon city hall is waiting to hear back from Canada’s two big rail companies about the possibility of sharing the train tracks south of the city.
Jay Magus, the City of Saskatoon’s director of transportation, told city council on Monday that Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) have been approached with the city’s suggestion that the two share the CN line.
The main CN tracks were relocated out of the downtown more than 50 years ago and now run south of the city and cross the South Saskatchewan River on the rail bridge next to the Gordie Howe Bridge.
CP Rail lines run through the city and cross the river just north of the Weir.
“So we are working with the rail companies to receive an indication of their interest or … lack of interest on the potential to co-share the CN main line,” Magus said.
The city has worked with consultants to come up with a functional review of the prospect of sharing the CN line and the review has been presented to both CN and CP, he added.
Coun. Hilary Gough asked for an update on the city’s rail relocation project and rail safety in general. Gough said she has received inquiries from residents following a train derailment on Dec. 11 about 100 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon.
The train cars were carrying crude oil along the CP Rail line that connects through Saskatoon when they derailed and caught fire.
Magus said once the city hears back from CN and CP, council’s transportation committee will receive a report.
Mayor Charlie Clark said he has spoken with both railway giants in recent months.
Last year, council approved further study of relocating the CP Rail lines from within city limits, while also pursuing the possibility of building underpasses and overpasses at railway crossings in the city.
A study by the city’s consultants, HDR Corporation, showed the cost of relocating the CP Rail line at $589.7 million, while the price for building overpasses or underpasses at nine locations was estimated at $374.4 million.
Either option would leave some railway crossings unresolved, since other CN lines still run through the city.
The CP Rail main line slices through both the east and west sides of Saskatoon; the rail yards are located in the Sutherland neighbourhood.
The CN yards management area is now south of the Montgomery Place neighbourhood on the west side.
The city negotiated with CN to relocate the yards and tracks from downtown Saskatoon in the 1960s.
On Oct. 5, 1964, the last train crossed the train bridge into downtown Saskatoon.
The train bridge was located where the Senator Sidney L. Buckwold Bridge is today.