Railways 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.

Brandon, Saskatchewan and Hudson's Bay Railway (BSHB)
The BSHB (which never reached Saskatchewan or the Hudson's Bay) was owned by the Great Northern Railway. It covered southwest Manitoba and operated from 1906 to 1936. learn more

Burlington, Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF)
BNSF is an American railway formed in 1996, following a merger between the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroads. BNSF owns and operates a small facility and some trackage in the city of Winnipeg and a line in BC. 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

Great Northern Railway (GN)
The GN was an American railway that operated a number of regional lines from 1903 until 1970 when it became part of the Burlington Northern Railroad. The Burlington Northern Railroad is now owned by BNSF. 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

Hudson Bay Railway (HBRY)
The HBRY was owned and operated by CN until 1997 when its trackage was sold to OmniTRAX, a private US-owned company. It provides freight service to northern Manitoba. Passenger service is provided under lease by VIA Rail. learn more

Lake Manitoba Railway and Canal Company (LMRCC)
The LMRCC was a bankrupt charter acquired by Donald Mann in 1895. In 1899 it became part of the CNoR, and later CN in 1918. A large portion of the railway remains in use by CN. learn more

Midland Railway of Manitoba
The Midland was incorporated in 1903. In 1909 it was taken over by the GN but continued to maintain some operations under its own name. A small portion of the railway remains in active under current owner, BNSF.learn more

National Transcontinental Railway (NTR)
The NTR was built and operated by the federal government. It provided service from Winnipeg to Moncton from 1915-23 when it became part of CN. learn more

Northern Pacific and Manitoba Railway (NP&M)
The NP&M was jointly owned and operated by the American-owned Northern Pacific Railroad and the Manitoba government. It operated from 1888 to 1901 when the Northern Pacific's share was purchased by the Manitoba Government and leased to the CNoR. learn more

Prairie Dog Central Railway (PDCR)
The PDCR is a heritage railway operating in southern Manitoba. It was formed in 1970 and operates regularly scheduled events and trip from May to September. learn more

VIA Rail (VIA))
VIA rail was formed by the federal government in 1978 as a rail passenger carrier. It currently provides service to most major cities across Canada. learn more