Major railways in Canada

Freight railways by province

National

Name Reporting marks[1] Locale Ownership Notes
Canadian National CN British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Publicly traded corporation
CPKC CPKC British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec Publicly traded corporation

Multiple provinces

Name Reporting marks[2] Locale Ownership Notes
Bloom Lake Railway N/A Bloom Lake Mine to WLR junction Cliffs Natural Resources Operates in Quebec and Labrador; privately owned, not a common carrier; operated under contract by Genesee & Wyoming
BNSF Railway BNSF Vancouver to US border (Washington State), Saskatchewan border Berkshire Hathaway Major US railway with small section of directly owned operations in British Columbia and Saskatchewan
CSX Transportation CSXT Sarnia, ON to Sombra, ON CSX Corporation Major US railway with small section of direct operations in Ontario
Knob Lake and Timmins Railway KLT Schefferville to Iron Mines on the Québec/Labrador border Genesee & Wyoming Operates in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Nipissing Central Railway NCR Swastika, ON to

Rouyn-Noranda, QC

Ontario Northland Railway
Ontario Northland Railway ONT North Bay to Hearst, Moosonee, or Rouyn-Noranda Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a governmental entity Operates in Ontario and Quebec. Also carries passengers
Ottawa Valley Railway OVR Sudbury to Témiscaming Genesee & Wyoming Operates in Ontario and Quebec
Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway QNSL Sept-Îles to Wabush Iron Ore Company of Canada Operates in Quebec and Labrador; private service, not a common carrier
Tshiuetin Rail Transportation TSH Schefferville to QNSF junction First nations owned Operates in Newfoundland and Labrador. Also carries passengers.

Alberta

Name Reporting marks Locale Ownership Notes
Alberta Prairie Steam Tours Ltd.[3] APXX Big Valley and Botha to Canadian Pacific West Stettler Junction Alberta Prairie Steam Tours Ltd. Private Company Shortline Freight The oldest of all the privately owned shortlines in Alberta. Former Canadian Pacific Lacombe Subdivision and former Canadian National Stettler Subdivisions. Primary markets are grains, fertilizer, rail car storage and passenger train day trips.
Battle River Railway[4] Alliance to Canadian National Camrose Junction Battle River Railway New Generation Co-operative Cooperative Shortline Freight
Forty Mile Rail[5] FMRX Stirling to Foremost Cooperative Shortline Freight Former Canadian Pacific Stirling Subdivision. The Primary market for Forty Mile Rail's services is expected to be grain and pulse production. Future potential may include oil movement and other non-grain products.
Mackenzie Northern Railway RLGN Alberta to Northwest Territories Canadian National Railway (2006)

British Columbia

Name Reporting marks[6] Locale Ownership Notes
BC Rail BCOL Surrey to Roberts Bank Superport Provincially owned Terminal railway that is the last publicly managed portion of a formerly large scale system; the BC government still technically owns the North Vancouver to Prince George line, although it is leased to and managed by CN
Englewood Railway ER-WFP Woss to Beaver Cove Western Forest Products Privately owned; not a common carrier
Grand Forks Railway Inc. GFR Grand Forks to Grand Forks Jct. International Forest Products Ltd. d.b.a. "Interfor" and Regional District of Kootenay Boundary
Kelowna Pacific Railway KPR Kelowna/Lumby to Kamloops KnightHawk Rail Ltd. Fallen Flag. Went into receivership in 2013. Ownership of infrastructure reverted to CNR. As of Nov 2015 the Coldstream to Kelowna portion was abandoned and torn up.
Kettle Falls International Railway KFR Laurier, WA to Grand Forks & Carson and Waneta to Columbia Gardens OmniTRAX Majority of the line's trackage is contained in the US
Nelson & Fort Sheppard Railway Corporation NFTS Columbia Gardens to Park Siding Atco Wood Products
Southern Railway of British Columbia SRY Vancouver to Chilliwack URS Corporation
Southern Railway of Vancouver Island SVI Victoria to Courtenay URS Corporation

Manitoba

Name Reporting marks[7] Locale Ownership Notes
BNSF Manitoba BNML Winnipeg to BNSF lines at US border (North Dakota) Subsidiary of BNSF Railway
Boundary Trail Railway BTRC Morden to Binney Siding Privately owned Owns abandoned line west to Killarney.
Central Manitoba Railway CEMR Winnipeg to Graysville and Pine Falls Cando Rail Services Ltd.
Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway GWWD Winnipeg to Shoal Lake, Ontario City of Winnipeg Not a common carrier. Governmental railway used to service city aqueduct.
Hudson Bay Railway HBRY The Pas to Churchill

The Pas to Flin Flon

Arctic Gateway Group
Keewatin Railway KRC The Pas to Lynn Lake Tribally owned Also carries passengers.
Lake Line Railroad LLRR Selkirk to Gimli

Beausejour to CP Keewatin Subdivision

New Brunswick

Name Reporting marks[8] Locale Ownership Notes
Maine Northern Railway MNRY St Léonard to the Maine Border New Brunswick Southern Railway
New Brunswick Southern Railway NBSR Saint John to St. Stephen J.D. Irving Limited
Springfield Terminal Railway ST St. Stephen to US border (Maine) Pan Am Railways

Newfoundland and Labrador

Name Reporting marks[9] Locale Ownership Notes
Wabush Lake Railway WLR Labrador City to Wabush Cliffs Natural Resources Privately owned; not a common carrier

Nova Scotia

Name Reporting marks[10] Locale Ownership Notes
Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway CBNS Truro to Sydney Genesee & Wyoming inactive since 2015
Sydney Coal Railway SCR Sydney to Lingan Power Plant Logistec Inc.

Ontario

[11] Name Reporting marks[12] Locale Ownership Notes
Algoma Central Railway AC Sault Ste. Marie to Hearst Subsidiary of Canadian National Railway Also carries passengers
Arnprior-Nepean Railway ANR Arnprior to Nepean
Essex Terminal Railway ETL Amherstburg to Windsor, Ontario Essex Morterm Holdings
Barrie-Collingwood Railway BCRY Barrie Area Corporation of the City of Barrie Shortline that runs through Barrie and Innisfil on former CN Meaford Sub and Breton Spur
Goderich-Exeter Railway GEXR Brampton to Goderich via London and Stratford Genesee & Wyoming
Guelph Junction Railway GJR Guelph to Campbellsville Municipally owned, but operated by Ontario Southland Railway
Huron Central Railway HCRY Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie Genesee & Wyoming
Minnesota, Dakota and Western Railway MDW US border (Minnesota) to Fort Frances Boise Cascade US short line railway that owns trackage to serve one major Canadian customer
Ontario Southland Railway OSRX Woodstock to Tillsonburg or St. Thomas Independently owned
Orangeville-Brampton Railway OBRY Orangeville to Streetsville Owned by Orangeville-Brampton Development Corporation, a nonprofit entity; operated by Cando Ltd.
Port Colborne Harbour Railway PCHR St. Catharines to Port Colborne Trillium Railways
Southern Ontario Railway RLHH Brantford to Nanticoke via Hamilton Genesee & Wyoming
Vale Railway VAEX Sudbury to nickel mines Vale Inco Privately owned; not a common carrier

Quebec

Name Reporting marks[13] Locale Ownership Notes
Chemin de fer Arnaud CFA Sept-Îles to port facilities Cliffs Natural Resources Privately owned, not a common carrier
Cartier Railway Cartier Port-Cartier to Mont Wright mine ArcelorMittal Privately owned, not a common carrier
Charlevoix Railway CFC Quebec City to Clermont Groupe Le Massif Inc. Also carries passengers
Chemin de fer Lanaudière CFL Joliette to Saint-Felix Independently owned
Chemin de fer de l'Outaouais CFO Gatineau to Wakfield Municipally owned
Gaspésie Railway Society SFG Matapédia to Gaspé Avignon Regional County Municipality

Bonaventure Regional County Municipality

Le Rocher-Percé Regional County Municipality

La Côte-de-Gaspé Regional County Municipality

Quebec Gatineau Railway QGRY Quebec City to Gatineau via Montreal Genesee & Wyoming
Chemin de fer de la Rivière Romaine CFRR Havre-Saint-Pierre to iron mine QIT-Fer et Titane Privately owned, not a common carrier
Roberval and Saguenay Railway RS Jonquière to La Baie Rio Tinto Alcan
Port of Montreal Railway POM Port of Montreal to CN/CP junctions Montreal Port Authority, a federal governmental entity
Sartigan Railway[14] CFS Vallée-Jonction to CN Montmagny Subdivision Independently owned
St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad SLQ Montreal to US border (Vermont) via Sherbrooke Genesee & Wyoming

Majority of the line's trackage is in the US

Saskatchewan

Name Reporting marks[15] Locale Ownership Notes
Big Sky Rail BGS Delisle to Beechy, Macrorie to Laporte, and Wartime to Kyle subsidiary of Mobil Grain Ltd.
Carlton Trail Railway CTRW Warman to Birch Hills or White Star or to Pulp Mill (Prince Albert) OmniTRAX
Fife Lake Railway FLR Hart Butte to GWR junction Municipally owned; operated by Great Western Railway
Great Sandhills Railway GSR Swift Current to Burstall Independently owned
Great Western Railway GWRS Assinboia or Bracken to CPR junction Independently owned local cooperative; managed by WestCan Rail [16]
Last Mountain Railway LMR Regina to Davidson partnership of Mobil Grain Ltd. and municipal governments
Long Creek Railroad LCRI Estevan to Tribune Independently owned
Northern Lights Rail NLR Melfort to Birch Hills
Poplar River Mine Railway PRMX Great Western Railway in Coronach to Poplar River Mine and Poplar River Power Station Westmoreland Mining
Red Coat Road and Rail RCRR Pangman to GWR junction Municipally owned, but operated by GWR
Southern Rails Cooperative SORA Moose Jaw to Parry Farmer-owned cooperative
Stewart Southern Railway SSS Stoughton to Richardson Independently owned
Thunder Rail TR Arborfield to CN junction Municipally owned
Torch River Rail TRRR Choiceland to Nipawin Municipally owned
Wheatland Railway WRI St. Louis to Tozke Municipally owned, but operated by Canadian National Railway

Freight railways with trackage rights only

Name Reporting marks[17] Locale Ownership Notes
Maine Central Railroad MEC US border (Maine) to Saint John, NB Pan Am Railways US railway with trackage rights over New Brunswick Southern line
Norfolk Southern Railway NS US border (Michigan) to Windsor, ON; or US border (New York) to Niagara Falls, ON Publicly traded corporation Major US railway with brief trackage rights over Canadian Pacific (Windsor) and Canadian National (Fort Erie to Niagara Falls) lines
New England Central Railroad NECR US border (Vermont) to Quebec City via Montreal RailAmerica US railway with trackage rights over Canadian National line
Union Pacific Railroad UP US border (Washington) to Vancouver Publicly traded corporation Major US railway with trackage rights over BNSF line

Passenger railways

Name Reporting marks[18] Locale Ownership Notes
Capital Railway CR Ottawa City of Ottawa The Trillium Line is a federally regulated rail line operated under the name "Capital Railway"
Trains de banlieue EXO EXO Greater Montreal Exo, a provincial entity 3 commuter routes with trackage rights over CP lines, 2 commuter routes with trackage rights over CN lines, 1 owned
GO Transit GOT Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Metrolinx, a provincial entity 3 commuter routes with trackage rights over CN lines, 1 commuter route with trackage rights over CP lines, 2 owned and operated commuter lines
Ontario Northland Railway ONT Cochrane ON to Moosonee ON Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial crown agency 1 active route on owned tracks
Rocky Mountaineer RMRX Vancouver or Calgary to Banff, Jasper, and Whistler Armstrong Group 3 tour routes operating over CN tracks, 1 tour route operating over CP tracks
Via Rail VIA British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Federally owned Operates 9 routes (the most major of which has 7 variations), mainly along CP and CN tracks
West Coast Express BCVX Mission to Vancouver TransLink, a provincial entity 1 commuter route with trackage rights over CP line

Urban rail transit

Name Locale Ownership Notes
CTrain Calgary Calgary Transit 2 light rail lines
Edmonton Light Rail Transit Edmonton Edmonton Transit Service 3 light rail lines
Ion Waterloo Region Grand River Transit 1 light rail line
Montreal Metro Montreal, Laval, and Longueuil Societé de Transport de Montréal 4 heavy rail metro lines (running on tires)
O-Train Ottawa OC Transpo 2 light rail lines
Toronto Subway Toronto and Vaughan Toronto Transit Commission 3 heavy rail metro lines and 1 light metro line
Toronto Streetcar System Toronto Toronto Transit Commission 11 streetcar lines
Vancouver SkyTrain Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Richmond TransLink 3 light metro lines

Heritage railways

Main article: List of heritage railways in Canada

Defunct railways

Main article: List of defunct Canadian railways

Main article: List of historic BC Narrow Gauge railways

Notes and references

  1. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  2. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  3. ^ Alberta Prairie Railway
  4. ^ Battle River Railway
  5. ^ Forty Mile Railway
  6. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  7. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  8. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  9. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  10. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  11. ^ "Waterloo Central Railway", Wikipedia, 2021-07-18, retrieved 2021-10-05
  12. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2013.
  13. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  14. ^ "C.F Sartigan". www.beaucerail.ca. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  15. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  16. ^ "Great Western Railway Official Website". Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  17. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.
  18. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 2009.

See also

External links

Railways of Canada
Class II and class III railways of Canada
Categories