Alberta Railway Stations Railway Profiles

The following Alphabetic Index offer background information on each of the railways featured in this site. Constituent railways are not included. If you're interested learning more, we encourage you to search for additional resources and publications.

Alberta and Greater Waterways Railway (A&GW)
The A&GW was a colonization railway built between 1909 and 1925. Initially it was plagued by scandal and financial irregularities. Following takeover by the Alberta government, it became part of the NAR. It has been under CN ownership since 1981 and continues to operate. learn more

Alberta Railway and Irrigation Company (ARI)
ARI was a colonization railway, built by a coal mining company that later expanded into irrigation. Built in 1890, it was taken over by the CPR in 1912 and remained in use until the 1980s. The station has been restored and now forms part of the Galt Historic Railway Park. learn more

Canadian National Railway (CN)
CN was formed by the Canadian government in 1923 following the bankruptcy of the CNoR and GTR. CN is Canada's largest railway and maintains operations in both both Canada and the US. learn more

Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR)
The CNoR was formed in Manitoba in 1899 and rapidly grew to become a major player. Following bankruptcy in 1917, it was nationalized and became part of CN in 1923. learn more

Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR)
The CPR began operations as a transcontinental railway in 1885. It is currently Canada's second largest railway and operates in both Canada and the US. learn more

Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway (EDBC)
The ED&BCR was a colonization line built between 1911 and 1916. A victim of financial difficulties, it was taken over by the provincial government in 1926 and became part of the NAR in 1930. Portions of the line remain in operation under CN ownership. learn more

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTP)
The GTP was a short-lived subsidiary of the GTR that operated in western Canada from 1914-19. Following bankruptcy, it was placed in receivership and nationalized in 1919. In 1923 it became part of CN. learn more

Northern Alberta Railway (NAR)
The NAR was established by the Alberta government in 1929. It was then sold in equal parts to CN and the CPR to be jointly operated as a subsidiary. It was extended into eastern BC in 1930s. The CPR's portion was bought out by CN in 1981. learn more