Great Western Railway

Photo from http://www.greatwesternrail.com/

The Province has announced $700,000 in grants for 11 shortline operations through its Shortline Railway Sustainability Program.

Some key investments are being made with Great Western Railway out of Shaunavon will receive a grant of over $205,000 and Great Sandhills Railway out of Leader will receive over $78,000.

Highways and Infrastructure Minister and Minister Jim Reiter: “It's a fifty-fifty cauntionary program that's funded provincially by the grain car corporation and matched by the Eligable shortlines. It can be used for a number of different projects, it can used for track maintenance, to replace railway ties, to do bridge repairs, there is a number of ways that the shortlines can use this money”

Reiter adds that its a good investment all around: “More traffic that goes on rail that means less heavy truck traffic on highways so less wear and tear on the highways. Certainly from that perspective we're very supportive of shortlines and just a lot of good work they do its great economic development for rural Saskatchewan as well.”

He says shortlines are an effective transportation alternative for grain producers and other shippers to get products to market adding it helps reduce heavy truck transportation on our highways