12 September 2009
Negotiations With CPR Underway for River Hills Railroad
Rathwell Manitoba - With negotiations underway with
Canadian Pacific Railway, the province's newest shortline company is River Hills Railroad Inc.
Spokesperson Darin Bouchard said River Hills has also met with numerous producers in recent weeks.
"We've had producer meetings in Treherne, Cypress River, Glenboro, and Nesbitt," he said.
River Hills is looking to purchase a 100 kilometre stretch of CPR's Glenboro Subdivision that runs from Rathwell to Nesbitt.
Currently CPR usually operates trains to Rathwell which then return to Winnipeg. From Nesbitt the railway sends trains up a branch
line connecting to the mainline.
GRAIN CARS DECLINE
Last month, a CPR spokesperson said the number of grain cars going west of Rathwell have been declining.
The spokesperson added that since 2006, the railway has listed the stretch of track for closure.
Carman MLA Blaine Pedersen and Treherne MAFRI representative Bob Wheeler, sparked interest in a shortline with a
6 Aug 2009 public meeting in Holland.
Since then Bouchard has been heading up a committee working on a feasibility study.
He said Rail West Management is preparing the study, which is to be completed by 15 Nov 2009.
Bouchard said money has been raised at the producer meetings to help pay for the study.
EQUITY DRIVES
Should the study prove to be positive, he said "equity drives" will start raising the millions of dollars needed to by the
line from CPR.
Former Rural Municipality of Victoria reeve and councillor Harold Purkness has agreed to act as the president for River Hills.
"He's a terrific ambassador for rural communities," Bouchard said of Purkness.
Bouchard said the former Victoria reeve is also a retired farmer and has the time to commit to the fledgling shortline railway.
Purkness will remain as company president at least to the end of Phase One.
Glen Hallick.
|
|
