Trains News Wire
Saskatchewan mayors seek to shift route of VIA’s CanadianDecember 13, 2023
Officials argue move to Prairie North Line could help timekeeping, serve larger population
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — A group of mayors in Saskatchewan are proposing to shift the route of VIA Rail Canada’s Canadian northward from its current route to Canadian National’s Prairie North Line, saying the shift would offer a number of benefits for the passenger train.
The mayors of Lloydminster, North Battleford, Warman, and Yorkton, Sask., presented the proposal at a meeting in Saskatoon, Sask., on Tuesday, Dec. 12. They say it would increase the population served by the train in communities along the route, improve timekeeping by moving the Canadian away from heavier freight traffic, offer a more scenic route, bring the train closer to a number of National Parks and National Historic Sites, and connect more Indigenous and rural communities.