Major railways in Canada

Freight railways by province

National

Name Reporting marks[1] Locale Ownership Notes
Canadian NationalCNBritish Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova ScotiaPublicly traded corporation
CPKCCPKCBritish Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, QuebecPublicly traded corporation

Multiple provinces

Name Reporting marks[2] Locale Ownership Notes
Bloom Lake RailwayN/ABloom Lake Mine to WLR junctionCliffs Natural ResourcesOperates in Quebec and Labrador; privately owned, not a common carrier; operated under contract by Genesee & Wyoming
BNSF RailwayBNSFVancouver to US border (Washington State), Saskatchewan borderBerkshire HathawayMajor US railway with small section of directly owned operations in British Columbia and Saskatchewan
CSX TransportationCSXTSarnia, ON to Sombra, ON CSX CorporationMajor 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 RailwayONTNorth Bay to Hearst, Moosonee, or Rouyn-NorandaOntario Northland Transportation Commission, a governmental entityOperates in Ontario and Quebec. Also carries passengers
Ottawa Valley RailwayOVRSudbury to TémiscamingGenesee & WyomingOperates in Ontario and Quebec
Quebec North Shore and Labrador RailwayQNSLSept-Îles to WabushIron Ore Company of CanadaOperates in Quebec and Labrador; private service, not a common carrier
Tshiuetin Rail TransportationTSHSchefferville to QNSF junctionFirst nations ownedOperates in Newfoundland and Labrador. Also carries passengers.

Alberta

Name Reporting marks Locale Ownership Notes
Alberta Prairie Steam Tours Ltd.[3]APXXBig Valley and Botha to Canadian Pacific West Stettler JunctionAlberta Prairie Steam Tours Ltd. Private Company Shortline FreightThe 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 JunctionBattle River Railway New Generation Co-operative Cooperative Shortline Freight
Forty Mile Rail[5]FMRXStirling to ForemostCooperative Shortline FreightFormer 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 RailwayRLGNAlberta to Northwest TerritoriesCanadian National Railway (2006)

British Columbia

Name Reporting marks[6] Locale Ownership Notes
BC RailBCOLSurrey to Roberts Bank SuperportProvincially ownedTerminal 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 RailwayER-WFPWoss to Beaver CoveWestern Forest ProductsPrivately owned; not a common carrier
Grand Forks Railway Inc.GFRGrand Forks to Grand Forks Jct.International Forest Products Ltd. d.b.a. "Interfor" and Regional District of Kootenay Boundary
Kelowna Pacific RailwayKPRKelowna/Lumby to KamloopsKnightHawk 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 RailwayKFRLaurier, WA to Grand Forks & Carson and Waneta to Columbia GardensOmniTRAXMajority of the line's trackage is contained in the US
Nelson & Fort Sheppard Railway CorporationNFTSColumbia Gardens to Park SidingAtco Wood Products
Southern Railway of British ColumbiaSRYVancouver to ChilliwackURS Corporation
Southern Railway of Vancouver IslandSVIVictoria to CourtenayURS Corporation

Manitoba

Name Reporting marks[7] Locale Ownership Notes
BNSF ManitobaBNMLWinnipeg to BNSF lines at US border (North Dakota)Subsidiary of BNSF Railway
Boundary Trail RailwayBTRCMorden to Binney SidingPrivately ownedOwns abandoned line west to Killarney.
Central Manitoba RailwayCEMRWinnipeg to Graysville and Pine FallsCando Rail Services Ltd.
Greater Winnipeg Water District RailwayGWWDWinnipeg to Shoal Lake, OntarioCity of WinnipegNot a common carrier. Governmental railway used to service city aqueduct.
Hudson Bay RailwayHBRYThe Pas to Churchill

The Pas to Flin Flon

Arctic Gateway Group
Keewatin RailwayKRCThe Pas to Lynn LakeTribally ownedAlso 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 RailwayMNRYSt Léonard to the Maine BorderNew Brunswick Southern Railway
New Brunswick Southern RailwayNBSRSaint John to St. StephenJ.D. Irving Limited
Springfield Terminal RailwaySTSt. Stephen to US border (Maine)Pan Am Railways

Newfoundland and Labrador

Name Reporting marks[9] Locale Ownership Notes
Wabush Lake RailwayWLRLabrador City to WabushCliffs Natural ResourcesPrivately owned; not a common carrier

Nova Scotia

Name Reporting marks[10] Locale Ownership Notes
Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia RailwayCBNSTruro to SydneyGenesee & Wyominginactive since 2015
Sydney Coal RailwaySCRSydney to Lingan Power PlantLogistec Inc.

Ontario

[11] Name Reporting marks[12] Locale Ownership Notes
Algoma Central RailwayACSault Ste. Marie to HearstSubsidiary of Canadian National RailwayAlso carries passengers
Arnprior-Nepean Railway ANR Arnprior to Nepean
Essex Terminal RailwayETLAmherstburg to Windsor, OntarioEssex 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 RailwayGEXRBrampton to Goderich via London and StratfordGenesee & Wyoming
Guelph Junction RailwayGJRGuelph to CampbellsvilleMunicipally owned, but operated by Ontario Southland Railway
Huron Central RailwayHCRYSudbury to Sault Ste. MarieGenesee & Wyoming
Minnesota, Dakota and Western RailwayMDWUS border (Minnesota) to Fort FrancesBoise CascadeUS short line railway that owns trackage to serve one major Canadian customer
Ontario Southland RailwayOSRXWoodstock to Tillsonburg or St. ThomasIndependently owned
Orangeville-Brampton RailwayOBRYOrangeville to StreetsvilleOwned by Orangeville-Brampton Development Corporation, a nonprofit entity; operated by Cando Ltd.
Port Colborne Harbour RailwayPCHRSt. Catharines to Port ColborneTrillium Railways
Southern Ontario RailwayRLHHBrantford to Nanticoke via HamiltonGenesee & Wyoming
Vale RailwayVAEXSudbury to nickel minesVale IncoPrivately owned; not a common carrier

Quebec

Name Reporting marks[13] Locale Ownership Notes
Chemin de fer ArnaudCFASept-Îles to port facilitiesCliffs Natural ResourcesPrivately owned, not a common carrier
Cartier RailwayCartierPort-Cartier to Mont Wright mineArcelorMittalPrivately owned, not a common carrier
Charlevoix RailwayCFCQuebec City to ClermontGroupe Le Massif Inc.Also carries passengers
Chemin de fer LanaudièreCFLJoliette to Saint-FelixIndependently owned
Chemin de fer de l'OutaouaisCFOGatineau to WakfieldMunicipally 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 RailwayQGRYQuebec City to Gatineau via MontrealGenesee & Wyoming
Chemin de fer de la Rivière RomaineCFRRHavre-Saint-Pierre to iron mineQIT-Fer et TitanePrivately owned, not a common carrier
Roberval and Saguenay RailwayRSJonquière to La BaieRio Tinto Alcan
Port of Montreal RailwayPOMPort of Montreal to CN/CP junctionsMontreal Port Authority, a federal governmental entity
Sartigan Railway[14] CFS Vallée-Jonction to CN Montmagny Subdivision Independently owned
St. Lawrence and Atlantic RailroadSLQMontreal to US border (Vermont) via SherbrookeGenesee & Wyoming

Majority of the line's trackage is in the US

Saskatchewan

Name Reporting marks[15] Locale Ownership Notes
Big Sky RailBGSDelisle to Beechy, Macrorie to Laporte, and Wartime to Kylesubsidiary of Mobil Grain Ltd.
Carlton Trail RailwayCTRWWarman to Birch Hills or White Star or to Pulp Mill (Prince Albert)OmniTRAX
Fife Lake RailwayFLRHart Butte to GWR junctionMunicipally owned; operated by Great Western Railway
Great Sandhills RailwayGSRSwift Current to BurstallIndependently owned
Great Western RailwayGWRSAssinboia or Bracken to CPR junctionIndependently owned local cooperative; managed by WestCan Rail [16]
Last Mountain RailwayLMRRegina to Davidsonpartnership of Mobil Grain Ltd. and municipal governments
Long Creek RailroadLCRIEstevan to TribuneIndependently 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 RailRCRRPangman to GWR junctionMunicipally owned, but operated by GWR
Southern Rails CooperativeSORAMoose Jaw to ParryFarmer-owned cooperative
Stewart Southern RailwaySSSStoughton to RichardsonIndependently owned
Thunder RailTRArborfield to CN junctionMunicipally owned
Torch River RailTRRRChoiceland to NipawinMunicipally owned
Wheatland RailwayWRISt. Louis to TozkeMunicipally owned, but operated by Canadian National Railway

Freight railways with trackage rights only

Name Reporting marks[17] Locale Ownership Notes
Maine Central RailroadMECUS border (Maine) to Saint John, NBPan Am RailwaysUS railway with trackage rights over New Brunswick Southern line
Norfolk Southern RailwayNSUS border (Michigan) to Windsor, ON; or US border (New York) to Niagara Falls, ONPublicly traded corporationMajor US railway with brief trackage rights over Canadian Pacific (Windsor) and Canadian National (Fort Erie to Niagara Falls) lines
New England Central RailroadNECRUS border (Vermont) to Quebec City via MontrealRailAmericaUS railway with trackage rights over Canadian National line
Union Pacific RailroadUPUS border (Washington) to VancouverPublicly traded corporationMajor 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 EXOEXOGreater MontrealExo, a provincial entity3 commuter routes with trackage rights over CP lines, 2 commuter routes with trackage rights over CN lines, 1 owned
GO TransitGOTGreater Toronto and Hamilton AreaMetrolinx, a provincial entity3 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 RailwayONTCochrane ON to Moosonee ONOntario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial crown agency1 active route on owned tracks
Rocky MountaineerRMRXVancouver or Calgary to Banff, Jasper, and WhistlerArmstrong Group3 tour routes operating over CN tracks, 1 tour route operating over CP tracks
Via RailVIABritish Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova ScotiaFederally ownedOperates 9 routes (the most major of which has 7 variations), mainly along CP and CN tracks
West Coast ExpressBCVXMission to VancouverTransLink, a provincial entity1 commuter route with trackage rights over CP line

Urban rail transit

Name Locale Ownership Notes
CTrainCalgaryCalgary Transit2 light rail lines
Edmonton Light Rail TransitEdmontonEdmonton Transit Service3 light rail lines
IonWaterloo RegionGrand River Transit1 light rail line
Montreal MetroMontreal, Laval, and LongueuilSocieté de Transport de Montréal4 heavy rail metro lines (running on tires)
O-TrainOttawaOC Transpo2 light rail lines
Toronto SubwayToronto and VaughanToronto Transit Commission3 heavy rail metro lines and 1 light metro line
Toronto Streetcar SystemTorontoToronto Transit Commission11 streetcar lines
Vancouver SkyTrainVancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, RichmondTransLink3 light metro lines

Heritage railways

Defunct 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

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